Cells are Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic and long rod to rod shaped (0.2–0.5 µm wide and 1.3–2.0 µm long). Major respiratory quinone is MK-7. The major fatty acids are iso-C15:0, iso-C15:1 G, iso-C17:0 3-OH, C16:1
ω7c and/or C16:1
ω6c (summed feature 3) and iso-C17:0 2-OH. The flexirubin-type pigment is not produced. The G + C contents of the genomic DNA is 37.6 mol%. Based on phylogenetic analysis the phenotypic differences between the strain BR5-29T and other related genera of the family
Chitinophagaceae are summarized in Table
1. Furthermore, the differential phenotypic characteristics of the novel isolate and the most closely related genus
Ferruginibacter and type genus of the said family
Chitinophaga are shown in Table
2. Phylogenetically, the genus is affiliated to the family
Chitinophagaceae, phylum
Bacteroidetes. The type species is
Ginsengibacter hankyongi.