Paracoccus kocurii sp. nov., a tetramethylammonium-assimilating bacterium.

A new species of tetramethylammonium-assimilating bacteria was isolated from an activated sludge which was used for the treatment of tetramethylammonium hydroxide contained in the wastewater from semiconductor manufacturing processes. Cells of the bacteria were gram-negative, nonmotile, short rods (0.5 to 0.8 micron by 0.7 to 1.1 microns). The major respiratory quinone component of the bacteria was Q-10. The G + C content was 71 mol%. Isolates are mesophilic and assimilate methylated amines such as tetramethylammonium, trimethylamine, dimethylamine, and methylamine under neutral conditions. The isolates resemble Paracoccus species with respect to morphology but were distinguishable from the known species of the genus. We propose Paracoccus kocurii sp. nov. The type strain is strain B (= JCM 7684).