Mitsuaria chitosanitabida gen. nov., sp. nov., an aerobic, chitosanase-producing member of the 'Betaproteobacteria'.

Four strains (3001(T), 2, 12 and 13), which were isolated as chitosanase-producing bacteria from soil from Matsue city (Japan), were studied phenotypically, genotypically and phylogenetically. Based on sequence analysis of 16S rRNA genes, DNA G+C content (67.4-69.2 mol%), quinone type (UQ-8), major fatty acid composition (3-OH 10:0, 3-OH 14:0) and other phylogenetic studies, strains 3001(T), 12 and 13 were found to occupy a separate position in the 'Betaproteobacteria'. Roseateles depolymerans, Rubrivivax gelatinosus and Ideonella dechloratans were their closest neighbours (93-95% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). The 16S rRNA gene sequence and other characteristics suggested that strain 2 belonged to the genus Flavobacterium. DNA-DNA hybridization experiments supported the conclusion that strains 3001(T), 12 and 13 were of the same species (72-78% DNA hybridization) and only distantly related to I. dechloratans and R. gelatinosus. It is proposed that strains 3001(T), 12 and 13 represent a novel genus and species for which the name Mitsuaria chitosanitabida gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Mitsuaria chitosanitabida is 3001(T) (=IAM 14711(T)=ATCC BAA-476(T)).