- Volume 57, Issue 9, 2007

Fifteen strains of moderately halophilic, Gram-positive cocci were isolated from a traditional fermented shrimp paste (‘ka-pi’) produced in Thailand. These bacteria were strictly aerobic, non-motile, non-sporulating and catalase- and oxidase-positive. They produced orange pigment and grew in the presence of 1.5–25 % (w/v) NaCl. They grew optimally in 10 % (w/v) NaCl, at pH 8.5 and at 37 °C. The cell-wall peptidoglycan was of l-Lys type. Menaquinone with six isoprene units (MK-6) was a major component. The dominant cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0. DNA G+C contents were in the range 44.5–47.5 mol%. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses indicated that representative strain PN1-2T was related most closely to Salinicoccus roseus JCM 14630T, with 97.3 % similarity. The other novel strains were included in the same species based on their levels of DNA–DNA relatedness to strain PN1-2T (≥76.6 %) but showed low DNA–DNA relatedness to S. roseus JCM 14630T (21.7 %). On the basis of the phenotypic and molecular data presented, the 15 novel strains are suggested to represent a single novel species of the genus Salinicoccus, for which the name Salinicoccus siamensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PN1-2T (=JCM 12822T =PCU 242T =TISTR 1562T).

A Gram-positive or variable, motile and coccoid or oval-shaped bacterial strain, ASL-17T, was isolated from a marine solar saltern of the Yellow Sea in Korea and its exact taxonomic position was investigated by a polyphasic approach. Strain ASL-17T grew optimally at pH 7.0–8.0 and 37 °C. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain ASL-17T is most closely affiliated phylogenetically to the genus Halobacillus. Strain ASL-17T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 97.7–98.6 % to the type strains of recognized Halobacillus species. Interestingly, strain ASL-17T had cell-wall peptidoglycan based on meso-diaminopimelic acid, unlike other Halobacillus species. It contained MK-7 as the predominant menaquinone. The major fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The DNA G+C content was 42.1 mol%. DNA–DNA relatedness data and differential phenotypic properties demonstrated that strain ASL-17T can be differentiated from recognized Halobacillus species. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, phylogenetic and genetic data, strain ASL-17T represents a novel species of the genus Halobacillus, for which the name Halobacillus campisalis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ASL-17T (=KCTC 13144T =CCUG 54360T).

Research at the Center for Biological Defense identified plasmid-borne forms of Bacillus anthracis pXO2 genes in a Gram-positive, endospore-forming rod, isolated from a forensic specimen considered a credible threat of harbouring anthrax. Conventional, commercial and molecular-based methods indicated that the isolate (CBD 119T) was not B. anthracis and considered not to be a member of the Bacillus cereus group. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, strain CBD 119T was most closely related to Bacillus luciferensis LMG 18422T (99.3 %). Phenotyping and fatty acid methyl ester analysis of the isolate were conducted alongside B. luciferensis JCM 12212T. The major cellular fatty acids (anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0, and >7 iso or anteiso forms) supported inclusion of the isolate in the genus Bacillus. Strain CBD 119T was inconsistent with B. luciferensis JCM 12212T for 18 of 96 traits evaluated including motility, degree of endospore-driven swelling and pH optimum; the two were linked by fatty acid methyl ester analysis as separate but closely related species. DNA–DNA relatedness between strain CBD 119T and B. luciferensis JCM 12212T resulted in less than 20 % hybridization. The results of biochemical and physiological characterization, chemotaxonomic analysis and DNA–DNA hybridization differentiated strain CBD 119T both phenotypically and genotypically from the only species with validly published name with greater than 97 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. The isolate has an accelerated doubling time when grown in aerated broth at pH 5.9 relative to that at pH 7.1. Therefore, it is proposed that strain CBD 119T represents a novel species, Bacillus acidiceler sp. nov. The type strain is strain CBD 119T (=NRRL B-41736T=DSM 18954T).

A Gram-positive, moderately halophilic, spore-forming bacterium, designated strain CG-15T, was isolated from a soda lake, Lake Chagannor, in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. The cells were found to be motile short rods with ellipsoidal, terminal and deforming endospores. Strain CG-15T, a facultatively anaerobic bacterium, grew at pH 5.8–11.0 (optimally at pH 8.5), at 6–40 °C (optimally at 37 °C) and at salinities of 3–20 % (w/v) total salts (optimally at 7 % w/v). On the basis of the results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain CG-15T was shown to belong to the genus Bacillus (phylum Firmicutes), showing the greatest phylogenetic similarity with respect to Bacillus saliphilus (96.0 %). The DNA G+C content of the novel isolate was found to be 53.8 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids of strain CG-15T were anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0, and its polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and three different unidentified phospholipids. The analysis of the quinones showed that MK-7 was the major menaquinone. The peptidoglycan type was A1γ, with meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. On the basis of the data from this polyphasic study, strain CG-15T represents a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus chagannorensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CG-15T (=CCM 7371T=CECT 7153T=CGMCC 1.6292T=DSM 18086T).

A mesophilic, syntrophic, fatty-acid-oxidizing anaerobic strain, designated MPAT, was isolated from granular sludge in a mesophilic upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor used to treat palm oil mill effluent. Cells were slightly curved, non-motile rods. Spore formation was not observed. The optimal temperature for growth was around 37 °C and optimal pH for growth was 7.0. Strain MPAT was able to grow on crotonate or pentenoate plus butyrate in pure culture. In co-culture with the hydrogenotrophic methanogen Methanospirillum hungatei, strain MPAT was able to oxidize straight-chain saturated fatty acids with carbon chain lengths of C4–C18. The strain was unable to utilize sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate, nitrate, fumarate, iron(III) or DMSO as an electron acceptor. The G+C content of the DNA was 45.0 mol%. Based on comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain MPAT was found to be a member of the genus Syntrophomonas and was most closely related to the type strains of Syntrophomonas curvata and Syntrophomonas sapovorans (sequence similarities of 94 %). Genetic and phenotypic characteristics demonstrated that strain MPAT represents a novel species, for which the name Syntrophomonas palmitatica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MPAT (=JCM 14374T=NBRC 102128T=DSM 18709T).

A Gram-positive and catalase-negative coccus that formed chains, strain FP15-1T, isolated from fermented tea leaves (‘miang’), was studied systematically. The strain was facultatively anaerobic and produced l-lactic acid from glucose. Demethylmenaquinone (DMK-7) was the major menaquinone. Straight-chain unsaturated fatty acids C16 : 1 and C18 : 1 were the dominant components. The DNA G+C content was 37.8 mol%. On the basis of 16S rRNA and RNA polymerase α subunit (rpoA) gene sequence analysis, strain FP15-1T was closely related to Enterococcus italicus KCTC 5373T, with 99.2 and 93.8 % similarity, respectively. The strain could be clearly distinguished from E. italicus ATCC 5373T by low DNA–DNA relatedness (≤33.8 %) and phenotypic characteristics. Therefore, this strain represent a novel species of the genus Enterococcus, for which the name Enterococcus camelliae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is FP15-1T (=KCTC 13133T =NBRC 101868T =NRIC 0105T =TISTR 932T =PCU 277T).