Abstract
This study assessed the taxonomic hierarchy of the phylum
Firmicutes as well as elucidated the isolation and classification
states of novel Firmicutes species isolated from Korean
territory. The hierarchical classification system of the phylum
Firmicutes has been developed since 1872 when the genus
Bacillus was first reported and has been generally adopted
since 2001. However, this taxonomic hierarchy is still being
modified. Until Feb. 2017, the phylum Firmicutes consisted
of seven classes (Bacilli, Clostridia, Erysipelotrichia, Limnochordia,
Negativicutes, Thermolithobacteria, and Tissierellia),
13 orders, 45 families, and 421 genera. Firmicutes species isolated
from various environments in Korea have been reported
from 2000, and 187 species have been approved as of Feb.
2017. All Firmicutes species were affiliated with three classes
(Bacilli, Clostridia, and Erysipelotrichia), four orders (Bacillales,
Lactobacillales, Clostridiales, and Erysipelotrichales), 17
families, and 54 genera. A total of 173 species belong to the
class Bacilli, of which 151 species were affiliated with the order
Bacillales and the remaining 22 species with the order
Lactobacillales. Twelve species belonging to the class Clostridia
were affiliated within only one order, Clostridiales. The
most abundant family was Bacillaceae (67 species), followed
by the family Paenibacillaceae (56 species). Thirteen novel
genera were created using isolates from the Korean environment.
A number of Firmicutes species were isolated from
natural environments in Korean territory. In addition, a considerable
number of species were isolated from artificial resources
such as fermented foods. Most Firmicutes species,
belonging to the families Bacillaceae, Planococcaceae, and Staphylococcaceae, isolated from Korean fermented foods and
solar salterns were halophilic or halotolerant. Firmicutes species
were isolated from the whole territory of Korea, especially
large numbers from Provinces Gyeonggi, Chungnam,
and Daejeon.
Citations
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