Phylogenetic Evidence for Transfer of Pentachlorophenol-Mineralizing Rhodococcus chlorophenolicus PCP-IT to the Genus Mycobacterium

We determined the nucleotide sequence of a 16S rRNA gene of Rhodococcus chlorophenolicus PCP-I^T (= DSM 43826^T) (T = type strain). Sequence comparisons revealed that there was a close relationship between strain PCP-I^T and strains belonging to the genus Mycobacterium. The sequence data were used to construct a phylogenetic tree, which showed that Mycobacterium chubuense is the closest relative of strain PCP-I^T. We propose that strain PCP-I^T should be transferred to the genus Mycobacterium and renamed Mycobacterium chlorophenolicum PCP-I^T comb. nov.