- Volume 57, Issue 1, 2007

A Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium, strain 3-2W4T, was isolated from the aeration tank of a wastewater treatment plant in Zurich and was found to have the exceptional capacity to degrade synthetic β-peptides. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain 3-2W4T is closely related to Sphingosinicella microcystinivorans Y2T, but DNA–DNA hybridization experiments between these two strains revealed that they belong to two different species. The two strains displayed different fingerprints after PCR analysis using the repetitive primers BOX, ERIC and REP. Strain 3-2W4T did not degrade microcystin, which is a characteristic trait of Sphingosinicella microcystinivorans Y2T. Like Sphingosinicella microcystinivorans Y2T, strain 3-2W4T had the following characteristics: fatty acids comprising mainly C18 : 1 ω7c, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH) and C16 : 0, the presence of ubiquinone Q-10 and sym-homospermidine as the predominant polyamine compound. The polar lipid profiles of the two strains were almost identical, consisting of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and sphingoglycolipid. Strain 3-2W4T and Sphingosinicella microcystinivorans Y2T utilized the β-peptides H-βhVal-βhAla-βhLeu-OH and H-βhAla-βhLeu-OH as sole carbon and energy sources and shared β-peptidyl aminopeptidase activity in common, which distinguishes them from Sphingomonas and Sphingopyxis type strains. On the basis of these results, strain 3-2W4T represents a novel species of the genus Sphingosinicella, for which the name Sphingosinicella xenopeptidilytica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 3-2W4T (=DSM 17130T=CCUG 52537T). The descriptions of the genus Sphingosinicella and the species Sphingosinicella microcystinivorans are emended.

The taxonomic position of strain LMG 23452T, which was isolated from coastal sediment from an aquaculture site near Qingdao, China, in 2000, was determined. Strain LMG 23452T comprised Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, motile rods and was found to be a halotolerant, aerobic, chemoheterotroph that produces catalase and oxidase. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain LMG 23452T shared approximately 89 % sequence similarity with members of the genera Devosia, Hyphomonas, Ensifer and Chelatococcus, which belong to two different orders within the Alphaproteobacteria. Further phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain LMG 23452T formed a separate branch within the order Rhizobiales, falling between the genera Devosia and Ensifer of the families Hyphomicrobiaceae and Rhizobiaceae, respectively. Strain LMG 23452T could be differentiated from its closest phylogenetic neighbours on the basis of several phenotypic features, including hydrolysis of the substrates starch and casein and assimilation of the carbohydrates d-glucose, d-mannose, mannitol, maltose and l-arabinose, and chemotaxonomically by the presence of the fatty acids C14 : 0 3-OH, C16 : 1 ω11c, C16 : 1 ω5c and C18 : 1 ω5c. The major fatty acids detected in strain LMG 23452T were C18 : 1 ω7c, C16 : 0, C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c, C16 : 1 ω7c and C17 : 1 ω6c and the G+C content of the genomic DNA was 57.1 mol%. Therefore, the polyphasic data support the placement of strain LMG 23452T within a novel genus and species, for which the name Sneathiella chinensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LMG 23452T (=CBMAI 737T).

A polyphasic study was carried out to clarify the taxonomic position of a Gram-negative bacterium isolated from soil cultivated with Korean ginseng in the Eumseong region of Korea. The novel strain, GP25-8T, grew optimally at pH 6–7, 28 °C and 0–1 % NaCl (w/v). The major fatty acids were C18 : 1 ω7c, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c/C15 : 0 iso 2-OH) and C16 : 0 (together representing 71.2 % of the total). The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities between strain GP25-8T and members of the genus Burkholderia ranged from 94.7 to 97.4 %, indicating that this novel strain was phylogenetically related to members of that genus. The novel strain showed the highest sequence similarities to Burkholderia caryophylli ATCC 25418T (97.4 %) and Burkholderia phenazinium LMG 2247T (97.2 %); the levels of DNA–DNA hybridization with these strains were 28 and 12 %, respectively. These results support the conclusion that strain GP25-8T represents a novel species within the genus Burkholderia, for which the name Burkholderia soli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is GP25-8T (=KACC 11589T=DSM 18235T).

A Gram-negative, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterium, strain SS011B1-20T, was isolated from sediments of the South China Sea. Growth occurred at NaCl concentrations between 0 and 10 % and at temperatures between 10 and 37 °C. Strain SS011B1-20T contained Q-10 as the major respiratory quinone and C18 : 1 ω7c (81.2 %), C16 : 0 (7.0 %) and C18 : 1 methyl (4.3 %) as the predominant fatty acids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 64.7 mol%. A phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain SS011B1-20T belonged to a clade within the genus Oceanicola in the Alphaproteobacteria, the highest sequence similarities being found with respect to Oceanicola batsensis (96.3 %) and with Oceanicola granulosus (94.9 %). Strain SS011B1-20T could be clearly distinguished from other Oceanicola species on the basis of the genotypic, phenotypic and phylogenetic data. Thus, it is proposed that strain SS011B1-20T represents a novel species of the genus Oceanicola, with the name Oceanicola nanhaiensis sp. nov. The type strain is SS011B1-20T (=LMG 23508T=CGMCC 1.6293T).

Five novel endospore-forming, nitrogen-fixing bacterial strains were isolated from the rhizosphere soils of plants of the species Sabina squamata, Weigela florida and Zanthoxylum simulans. A phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the five strains formed a distinct cluster within the genus Paenibacillus. These novel strains showed the highest levels (96.2–98.2 %) of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Paenibacillus azotofixans. However, the DNA–DNA relatedness between these novel strains and P. azotofixans was 12.9–29.5 %. The DNA G+C contents of the five strains were found to be 51.9–52.9 mol%. Phenotypic analyses showed that a significant feature of the novel strains (differentiating them from P. azotofixans and other Paenibacillus species) is that all of them were unable to produce acid and gas from various carbohydrates such as glucose, sucrose, lactose and fructose. Anteiso-branched C15 : 0 was the major fatty acid present in the novel type strain. On the basis of these data, the five novel strains represent a novel species of the genus Paenibacillus, for which the name Paenibacillus sabinae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is T27T (=CCBAU 10202T=DSM 17841T).

Three strains, 002-048T, RB589 and 002-051T, isolated from field soil in Japan, were characterized using a polyphasic approach. The isolates were Gram-positive, strictly aerobic, non-motile rods that formed ellipsoidal, subterminal endospores. The chemotaxonomic characteristics of these isolates included the presence of meso-diaminopimelic acid as the cell-wall peptidoglycan, anteiso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0 as the major cellular fatty acids and MK-7 as the predominant menaquinone. The DNA G+C content was 44–46 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolates represented an independent lineage that is distinct from related taxa and exhibited less than 94.3 % sequence similarity with respect to those taxa. Moreover, a DNA–DNA hybridization analysis showed that the three isolates represented two species. On the basis of their phenotypic and phylogenetic distinctiveness, the isolates represent two species within a novel genus, for which the names Terribacillus saccharophilus gen. nov., sp. nov. and Terribacillus halophilus sp. nov. are proposed. The type strain of T. saccharophilus is 002-048T (=IAM 15309T=KCTC 13936T) and the type strain of T. halophilus is 002-051T (=IAM 15310T=KCTC 13937T).

A novel Gram-positive bacterium, strain A35T, was isolated from coastal soil at Chiba, Japan, and was identified as a member of the genus Paenibacillus on the basis of phenotypic and phylogenetic analyses. The bacterium was found to be a facultatively anaerobic and endospore-forming rod. The predominant menaquinone was MK-7, the major cellular fatty acid was anteiso-C15 : 0 and the DNA G+C content was 48.1 mol%. The levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between strain A35T and Paenibacillus species with validly published names were less than 94 %. Strain A35T was clearly distinguishable from reference species for the genus Paenibacillus. Therefore, on the basis of these data, a novel species of the genus Paenibacillus, Paenibacillus terrigena sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is A35T (=IAM 15291T=CCTCC AB206026T).

A thermophilic, Gram-positive, endospore-forming, sulfate-reducing bacterial strain, designated RL80JIVT, was isolated from a geothermally active underground mine in Japan. Cells were rod-shaped and motile. The temperature and pH ranges for growth were 61–80 °C (optimum at 69–72 °C) and pH 6.4–7.9 (optimum at pH 6.8–7.3), and the strain tolerated up to 0.5 % NaCl. Strain RL80JIVT utilized sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate and elemental sulfur as electron acceptors. Electron donors utilized were H2 in the presence of CO2, and carboxylic acids. Fermentative growth occurred on lactate and pyruvate. The cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and the major respiratory isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone MK-7. Major whole-cell fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 and C16 : 0. Strain RL80JIVT was found to be affiliated with the thiosulfate-reducer Thermanaeromonas toyohensis DSM 14490T (90.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and with the sulfate-reducer Desulfotomaculum thermocisternum DSM 10259T (90.0 % similarity). Strain RL80JIVT is therefore considered to represent a novel species of a new genus, for which the name Desulfovirgula thermocuniculi gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Desulfovirgula thermocuniculi is RL80JIVT (=DSM 16036T=JCM 13928T).

Two novel polysaccharide-degrading bacteria (strains DCY03T and DCY04) were isolated from a soil sample of a ginseng field in the Republic of Korea and were identified as representing members of the genus Paenibacillus on the basis of phenotypic characteristics and phylogenetic inference based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. Cells of the two isolates were Gram-positive, spore-forming, non-motile, straight rods. Based on DNA–DNA relatedness data, the strains were considered to belong to the same species. The DNA G+C content ranged from 56.6 to 57.0 mol%. The predominant cellular fatty acid was anteiso-C15 : 0 (63.8–62.8 %). Levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between the two novel isolates and the type strains of recognized Paenibacillus species were 91.4–96.5 %. Strains DCY03T and DCY04 could clearly be distinguished from phylogenetically closely related Paenibacillus species on the basis of DNA–DNA relatedness data and phenotypic characteristics. Therefore, on the basis of these data, the two isolates are considered to represent a novel species of the genus Paenibacillus, for which the name Paenibacillus soli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DCY03T (=KCTC 13010T=LMG 23604T).

The prokaryotic, generic name Schineria Tóth et al. 2001 is illegitimate owing to the prior existence of the name Schineria for a genus within the Diptera [Principle 2, Rule 51b(4) of the Bacteriological Code (1990 Revision)]. Therefore, a new genus name, Ignatzschineria gen. nov., is proposed for this taxon. As a result, a new combination is required for the type species, Ignatzschineria larvae comb. nov., to replace the illegitimate combination Schineria larvae Tóth et al. 2001 .