Transfer of Bacillus ehimensis and Bacillus chitinolyticus to the genus Paenibacillus with emended descriptions of Paenibacillus ehimensis comb. nov. and Paenibacillus chitinolyticus comb. nov.

The taxonomic status of Bacillus ehimensis and Bacillus chitinolyticus was examined, based on their 16S rDNA sequences, DNA-DNA hybridization and other taxonomic characteristics. A phylogenetic analysis using 16S rDNA sequences revealed that the two species belong to the genus Paenibacillus. In particular, B. ehimensis KCTC 3748(T) and B. chitinolyticus KCTC 3791(T) were found to be phylogenetically closely related to Paenibacillus koreensis YC300(T) (98.3 % sequence similarity) and Paenibacillus chinjuensis WN9(T) (95.2 % sequence similarity), respectively. DNA-DNA hybridization values between B. ehimensis KCTC 3748(T) and P. koreensis YC300(T) were less than 26 %. An experiment using Paenibacillus-specific PCR primers, PAEN515F and 1377R, revealed that B. ehimensis and B. chitinolyticus had the same amplified 16S rDNA fragment as members of the genus Paenibacillus. Accordingly, it is proposed that B. ehimensis and B. chitinolyticus be transferred to the genus Paenibacillus as Paenibacillus ehimensis comb. nov. and Paenibacillus chitinolyticus comb. nov., respectively.