title: Phylogeny of gamma-polyglutamic acid-producing Bacillus strains isolated from fermented soybean foods manufactured in Asian countries.
abstract: Natto-like fermented soybean products are manufactured and consumed in many Asian countries. In this study, we isolated thirty-four Bacillus strains capable of producing gamma-polyglutamic acid (PGA) from natto in mountainous areas of South Asia and Southeast Asia and from soils in Japan. To elucidate the phylogeny of these PGA-producing strains, phylogenetic trees based on sequences of 16S rDNA, housekeeping genes of rpoB (RNA polymerase beta-subunit) and fus (elongation factor G) were constructed. A phylogenetic tree based on 16S rDNA sequences showed that twenty-one isolates were clustered in the same group of B. subtilis. The other thirteen isolates were located in the cluster of B. amyloliquefaciens. Phylogenetic trees based on the partial sequences of rpoB and fus genes were similar to the phylogeny based on 16S rDNA sequences. The results of the present study indicate that PGA-producing strains isolated from local natto in Asian countries and soil in Japan can be divided into two species, B. subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Jomkhwan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meerak
authors.forename: Haruna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iida
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyashita
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Yasuyoshi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Yasutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tahara
mesh_terms: D001208:Asia; D001407:Bacillus / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005285:Fermentation; D005516:Food Microbiology; D007564:Japan; D010802:Phylogeny; D011099:Polyglutamic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013025:Glycine max / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D011099:Polyglutamic Acid