Characterization of Comamonas thiooxidans sp. nov., and Comparison of Thiosulfate Oxidation with Comamonas testosteroni and Comamonas composti

Comamonas thiooxidans (strain S23^T) capable of oxidizing thiosulfate under a mixotrophic growth condition was isolated from a sulfur spring. DNA–DNA homology study showed 55% similarity with Comamonas testosteroni KCTC2990^T and 52% with Comamonas composti LMG24008^T, the nearest phylogenetic relative (16S rRNA sequence similarity <97%). Comparative genomic fingerprinting by using ERIC and Rep-PCR further delineated species identity of the strain S23^T for which Comamonas thiooxidans sp. nov. is proposed. In addition, thiosulfate oxidation potential of the strain S23^T was compared with Comamonas testosteroni and Comamonas composti.