- Volume 52, Issue 1, 2002

Lactobacillus equi sp. nov. is described on the basis of 18 strains isolated as one of the predominant intestinal lactobacilli from horse faecal specimens. These 18 strains were isolated from 10 horses of 6 different farms out of 20 horses of 10 farms examined. They were gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, catalase-negative, non-spore-forming, non-motile, lactic-acid-homofermentative rods. The DNA G+C content was 38.9+/-0.8 mol %. DNA-DNA hybridization failed to associate these strains closely with any of the validly described type strains used. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of representative strain YIT 0455T revealed that the new isolates represent a new Lactobacillus species, for which the name Lactobacillus equi is proposed. The type strain is YIT 0455T (= ATCC BAA-261T = JCM 10991T).

A novel type of dissimilatory sulfate-reducing bacterium, designated strain RS-1T, capable of producing intracellular magnetite particles (magnetosomes) was isolated from freshwater sulfide-rich sediments. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequences revealed that RS-1T is a member of the genus Desulfovibrio. Its closest known relative is Desulfovibrio burkinensis (sequence similarity of 98.7%). Strain RS-1T contains desulfoviridin, c-type cytochromes and, unlike other Desulfovibrio spp., it possesses menaquinone MK-7(H2) instead of MK-6 or MK-6(H2). Strain RS-1T is also unique compared with other members of Desulfovibrio in its ability to synthesize intracellular magnetite particles. A novel species, Desulfovibrio magneticus sp. nov., is proposed for RS-1T (= ATCC 700980T = DSM 13731T), a sulfate-reducing magnetotactic bacterium.

A gram-negative coccus, designated strain Ben 117T, was obtained in axenic culture by micromanipulation from an Australian activated sludge biomass sample, which had been subjected to chlorination in order to alleviate problems associated with foaming and bulking. This isolate was a strict aerobe and grew in axenic culture, also appearing in biomass samples as cocci or clusters of cocci in tetrads, thus resembling the morphotype 'G-bacteria' seen commonly in activated sludge samples. Strain Ben 117T was non-motile, aerobic, oxidase-negative and catalase-positive and grew between 15 and 30 degrees C, with an optimum of 25-30 degrees C. The pH range for growth was between 6.0 and 8.5, with an optimum of 7.5-8.5. The isolate stained positively for intracellular polyphosphate and poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate and its G+C content was 67 mol%. 16S rDNA sequence analysis suggests that strain Ben 117T is phylogenetically different from members of the genera Amaricoccus, gram-negative 'G-bacteria' isolated previously in this laboratory. Ben 117T is a member of the Rhodocyclus group in the beta-Proteobacteria and equidistantly placed (similarity value of 95%) between Ferribacterium limneticum and Dechloromonas agitata (mean similarity value of 92% with the genus Rhodocyclus). Based on phenotypic and phylogenetic evidence, it is proposed that strain Ben 117T be designated a novel species in a new genus, Quadricoccus australiensis gen. nov., sp. nov.; the type strain is Ben 117T (= NCIMB 13738T = CIP 107055T).

Eleven non-pigmented strains of gram-negative, aerobic, marine bacteria with polar flagella were isolated from the thallus of the brown alga Fucus evanescens collected in the Kraternaya Bight of the Kurile Islands in the Pacific Ocean. These organisms were conspecific and exhibited high levels of genetic relatedness (up to 91%). The G+C contents of the DNAs of these strains were 42.9-43.3 mol%. These halophilic bacteria had bacteriolytic, proteolytic and haemolytic activities and degraded algal polysaccharides, synthesizing a number of glycoside hydrolases (fucoidanases, laminaranases, alginases, agarases, pullulanases, beta-glucosidases, beta-galactosidases, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases and beta-xylosidases). By 16S rDNA analysis, the bacteria were shown to belong to the genus Pseudoalteromonas, a member of the gamma-subclass of the Proteobacteria. DNA from the strains isolated from the brown alga showed 27-54% genetic relatedness with respect to DNAs of other type strains of the genus Pseudoalteromonas. The phenotypic characteristics, together with the genetic evidence, indicate that this group of epiphytic bacteria represents a distinct species, Pseudoalteromonas issachenkonii sp. nov., for which the type strain is KMM 3549T (= LMG 19697T = CIP 106858T).

On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic characteristics and analysis of 165 rRNA sequences, a novel species belonging to the genus Pseudoalteromonas is described. Two pale-orange-pigmented strains, KMM 300T and KMM 290, isolated respectively from a mussel, Crenomytilus grayanus, and a scallop, Patinopecten yessoensis, are marine, gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacteria that produce a number of antimicrobial compounds. The strains are able to degrade gelatin, elastin, starch, DNA and Tween 80. Chitin and agar are not degraded. The isolates from marine invertebrates grew at NaCl concentrations of 1-9% and a temperature range of 10-35 degrees C and did not utilize most of the wide range of carbohydrates tested, with the exception of D-glucose, cellobiose and sucrose. The DNA G+C content was 48.4-48.9 mol%. The level of DNA homology of the two strains was 98%. DNA from the strains isolated from marine invertebrates showed 5-15% genetic relatedness to the DNA of other type strains of the genus Pseudoalteromonas. 16S rRNA analysis indicated a clear affiliation of the novel bacteria to other species of the genus. The strains are assigned to a novel species, Pseudomonas ruthenica sp. nov., with the type strain KMM 300T (= LMG 19699T = CIP 106857T).

In this study, we have evaluated the phylogenetic status of the family Halomonadaceae, which consists of the genera Halomonas, Chromohalobacter and Zymobacter, by comparative 23S and 16S rDNA analyses. The genus Halomonas illustrates very well a situation that occurs often in bacterial taxonomy. The use of phylogenetic tools has permitted the grouping of several genera and species believed to be unrelated according to conventional taxonomic techniques. In addition, the number of species of the genus Halomonas has increased as a consequence of new descriptions, particularly during the last few years, but their features are too heterogeneous to justify their placement in the same genus and, therefore, a re-evaluation seems necessary. We have determined the complete sequences (about 2900 bases) of the 23S rDNA of 18 species of the genera Halomonas and Chromohalobacter and resequenced the complete 16S rDNA sequences of seven species of Halomonas. The results of our analysis show that two phylogenetic groups (respectively containing five and seven species) can be distinguished within the genus Halomonas. Six other species cannot be assigned to either of the above-mentioned groups. Furthermore, Halomonas marina forms a separate branch at a deeper level than the other species of the genus Halomonas, which suggests that it should be ascribed to a separate genus. The genus Chromohalobacter forms a monophyletic group constituted by Chromohalobacter marismortui, the recently reclassified species Chromohalobacter canadensis and Chromohalobacter israelensis and the recently proposed species Chromohalobacter salexigens. Finally, we propose to include the genus Carnimonas, with its single species Carnimonas nigrificans, in the family Halomonadaceae.

A novel genus and species, Methylocapsa acidiphila gen. nov., sp. nov., are proposed for a methane-oxidizing bacterium isolated from an acidic Sphagnum peat bog. This bacterium, designated strain B2T, represents aerobic, gram-negative, colourless, non-motile, curved coccoids that form conglomerates covered by an extracellular polysaccharide matrix. The cells use methane and methanol as sole sources of carbon and energy and utilize the serine pathway for carbon assimilation. Strain B2T is a moderately acidophilic organism with growth between pH 4.2 and 7.2 and at temperatures from 10 to 30 degrees C. The cells possess a well-developed system of intracytoplasmic membranes (ICM) packed in parallel on only one side of the cell membrane. This type of ICM structure represents a novel arrangement, which was termed type III. The resting cells are Azotobacter-type cysts. Strain B2T is capable of atmospheric nitrogen fixation; it possesses particulate methane monooxygenase and does not express soluble methane monooxygenase. The major phospholipid fatty acid is 18:1omega7c and the major phospholipids are phosphatidylglycerols. The G+C content of the DNA is 63.1 mol%. This bacterium belongs to the alpha-subclass of the Proteobacteria and is most closely related to the acidophilic methanotroph Methylocella palustris KT (97.3% 16S rDNA sequence similarity). However, the DNA-DNA hybridization value between strain B2T and Methylocella palustris K(T) is only 7%. Thus, strain B2T is proposed to comprise a novel genus and species, Methylocapsa acidiphila gen. nov., sp. nov. Strain B2T (= DSM 13967T = NCIMB 13765T) is the type strain.

A marine, gram-negative, aerobic bacterium that produced cytotoxic, lemon-yellow, chromopeptide pigments that inhibited the development of sea urchin eggs has been isolated from the Australian sponge Fascaplysinopsis reticulata Hentschel. The cells of the organism were rod-shaped with a single polar flagellum and they required NaCl for growth (0.5-10%) with optimum growth at 1-3% NaCl. The temperature for growth was 10-37 degrees C, with optimum growth at 25-30 degrees C. Growth occurred at pH values from 6.0 to 10.0, with optimum growth at pH 6.0-8.0. Major phospholipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and lyso-phosphatidylethanolamine. Of 26 fatty acids with 11-19 carbon atoms that were detected, 16:1omega7, 16:0, 17:1omega8 and 18:1omega7 were predominant. The DNA G+C content was 38.9 mol%. All of these phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characters place the organism in the genus Pseudoalteromonas (Gauthier et al, 1995). These data are consistent with the phylogenetic analyses that confirmed that strain KMM 636T is a member of the Pseudoalteromonas cluster in the gamma-subclass of the Proteobacteria. DNA-DNA hybridization experiments revealed that the levels of relatedness between the DNA of the strain studied and DNAs of type strains of the species that clustered together (on the basis of 16S rDNA sequences) and [Pseudoalteromonas aurantia] NCIMB 2033 ranged from 19 to 35%, and that the DNA-DNA homology between [P. aurantia] NCIMB 2033 and other phylogenetically and/or phenotypically similar type strains ranged from 32 to 52%. According to the polyphasic evidence presented in this study, it is proposed that strain KMM 636T (= LMG 19692T = CIP 106859T) be classified as Pseudoalteromonas maricaloris sp. nov. and [P. aurantia] NCIMB 2033 be reclassified as Pseudoalteromonas flavipulchra NCIMB 2033T (= KMM 3630T = LMG 20361T) sp. nov.

Historically, the invertebrate pathogens of the genus Helicosporidium were considered to be either protozoa or fungi, but the taxonomic position of this group has not been considered since 1931. Recently, a Helicosporidium sp., isolated from the blackfly Simulium jonesi Stone & Snoddy (Diptera: Simuliidae), has been amplified in the heterologous host Helicoverpa zea. Genomic DNA has been extracted from gradient-purified cysts. The 185, 28S and 5.8S regions of the Helicosporidium rDNA, as well as partial sequences of the actin and beta-tubulin genes, were amplified by PCR and sequenced. Comparative analysis of these nucleotide sequences was performed using neighbour-joining and maximum-parsimony methods. All inferred phylogenetic trees placed Helicosporidium sp. among the green algae (Chlorophyta), and this association was supported by bootstrap and parsimony jackknife values. Phylogenetic analysis focused on the green algae depicted Helicosporidium sp. as a close relative of Prototheca wickerhamii and Prototheca zopfii (Chlorophyta, Trebouxiophyceae), two achlorophylous, pathogenic green algae. On the basis of this phylogenetic analysis, Helicosporidium sp. is clearly neither a protist nor a fungus, but appears to be the first described algal invertebrate pathogen. These conclusions lead us to propose the transfer of the genus Helicosporidium to Chlorophyta, Trebouxiophyceae.

One yeast strain characterized by the proliferation of non-ballistosporous stalked conidia, budding cells and ballistoconidia, the presence of xylose in whole-cell hydrolysates, the presence of Q-10 as the major ubiquinone isoprenologue, the inability to ferment sugars and positive diazonium blue B (DBB) and urease reactions was isolated from a plant sample collected in a tropical rain forest in Thailand. The isolate clustered with Kockovaella species in the 18S rDNA-based tree. On the basis of the morphological, biochemical and molecular phylogenetic characteristics, the isolate was assigned to the genus Kockovaella. DNA complementarity experiments showed that the isolate was genetically distinct from known species of the genus Kockovaella. The isolate is described as Kockovaella barringtoniae sp. nov. The type strain is strain TY-278T (= JCM 10998T = TISTR 5770T).

On the basis of considerable published evidence, it is concluded that the species Lactobacillus casei is not correctly represented by the strain actually designated as the type strain ATCC 393. It is proposed that the Judicial Commission consider: (1) that ATCC 393T is scientifically unsuitable as the type strain of Lactobacillus casei and should be reclassified as Lactobacillus zeae; (2) that Lactobacillus casei ATCC 334 and Lactobacillus paracasei strains are members of the same taxon and therefore can be united within the name Lactobacillus casei (Rules 42 and 23a), the name Lactobacillus paracasei being rejected; and (3) designating ATCC 334 as the neotype strain for the species