Staphylococcus hsinchuensis sp. nov., Isolated from Soymilk.

A novel coagulase-negative Staphylococcus strain (H164T ) was isolated from soymilk in Taiwan. Comparative sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that the H164T strain is a member of the genus Staphylococcus . We used multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) and phylogenomic analyses to demonstrate that the novel strain was closely related to Staphylococcus gallinarum , Staphylococcus nepalensis , Staphylococcus cohnii , and Staphylococcus urealyuticus . The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between H164T and its closest relatives were <95% and <70%, respectively. The H164T strain could also be distinguished from its closest relatives by the fermentation of d -fructose, d -maltose, d -trehalose, and d -mannitol, as well as by the activities of α-glucosidase and alkaline phosphatase. The major cellular fatty acids were C15:0 iso and C15:0 anteiso, and the predominant menaquinones were MK-7 and MK-8, respectively. The major cellular fatty acids and predominant menaquinones were C15:0 iso and C15:0 anteiso and MK-7 and MK-8, respectively. In conclusion, this strain represents a novel species, named Staphylococcus hsinchuensis sp. nov., with the type strain H164T (=BCRC 81404T = NBRC 116174T ).