- Volume 62, Issue Pt_8, 2012

A novel pale pink-pigmented halophilic archaeon, strain DC30T, was isolated from Aran-Bidgol salt lake, a hypersaline playa in Iran. Cells of strain DC30T were non-motile and pleomorphic, from rods to triangular or disc-shaped. Strain DC30T required at least 1.7 M NaCl and 0.05 M MgCl2 for growth (optimum, 3 M NaCl and 0.1 M MgCl2). The optimum pH and temperature for growth of strain DC30T were pH 7.5 and 40 °C, respectively, although it was capable of growth over pH and temperature ranges of 6.5–8.5 and 25–50 °C, respectively. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain DC30T was a member of the family Halobacteriaceae . However, it had low 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 92.4 %, 89.4 % and 89.1 % to the most closely related haloarchaeal taxa, the type species of the genera Halorubrum , Halogranum and Haloplanus , respectively. The DNA G+C content was 66.0 mol%. Phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester, common phospholipids found in haloarchaea, were present. Three minor phospholipids and one unidentified glycolipid were also observed. The only quinone present was MK-8(II-H2). The physiological, biochemical and phylogenetic differences between strain DC30T and other previously described genera of extremely halophilic archaea suggest that strain DC30T represents a novel species in a new genus within the family Halobacteriaceae , for which the name Halopenitus persicus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Halopenitus persicus is DC30T ( = IBRC 10041T = KCTC 4046T).

A novel isolate belonging to the genus Streptomyces , strain CCNWHQ 0031T, was isolated from soil in a sewage irrigation area in Shaanxi province, China. The isolate produced light greyish-blue aerial mycelium and dark blue diffusible pigment on Gause’s synthetic agar. Strain CCNWHQ 0031T formed Spirales-type chains with spiny spores. Chemotaxonomic data confirmed that strain CCNWHQ 0031T belonged to the genus Streptomyces . Analysis of the almost complete 16S rRNA gene sequence placed strain CCNWHQ 0031T in the genus Streptomyces where it formed a distinct phyletic line with recognized Streptomyces species. Strain CCNWHQ 0031T exhibited highest sequence similarities to Streptomyces caeruleatus GIMN4.002T (99.3 %), Streptomyces coeruleorubidus NBRC 12855T (98.9 %), Streptomyces curacoi NBRC 12761T (98.8 %) and Streptomyces lincolnensis NBRC 13054T (98.0 %). DNA–DNA hybridization studies of strain CCNWHQ 0031T with these four closest relatives showed relatedness values of 56.6±0.4, 50.3±0.6, 49.8±0.7 and 36.9±0.9 %, respectively. On the basis of its molecular and physiological properties, it is evident that strain CCNWHQ 0031T represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces , for which the name Streptomyces shaanxiensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CCNWHQ 0031T ( = CCNWTJ 0031T = JCM 16925T = ACCC 41873T).

A novel strain of Gram-staining-positive bacterium, designated HI08-69T, was isolated from the rhizosphere of a mangrove on Iriomote Island, Japan, and its taxonomic position was investigated by a polyphasic approach. The strain had peptidoglycan of the A4α type, with lysine as the diagnostic diamino acid. The predominant menaquinone was demethylmenaquinone DMK-9(H4) and the major fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and C16 : 0. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and an unidentified polar lipid but minor amounts of other polar lipids were also detected. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain HI08-69T was 71.7 mol%. In phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, the novel strain and members of the genus Demequina formed a monophyletic cluster, with pairwise sequence similarities of 95.6–96.8 %. However, strain HI08-69T was clearly distinguishable from all established members of the genus Demequina in terms of several chemotaxonomic characteristics. On the basis of the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, strain HI08-69T represents a novel species in a new genus for which the name Lysinimicrobium mangrovi gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is HI08-69T ( = NBRC 105856T = DSM 24868T).

Two Gram-positive, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacteria were isolated from the oral cavities of two dogs. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities both strains were shown to belong to the genus Actinomyces and were most closely related to Actinomyces bovis (97.3 % and 97.5 %, respectively). The polyamine profile of the two isolates and Actinomyces bovis DSM 43014T was composed of spermidine and spermine as the major components. Menaquinone MK-9 was the major compound in the quinone system of the two strains and Actinomyces bovis . The polar lipid profiles of strains 2298T and 4321 were almost identical, containing diphosphatidylglycerol as the major compound, and moderate to trace amounts of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol-mannoside, phosphatidylglycerol and several unidentified lipids. A highly similar polar lipid profile was detected in Actinomyces bovis DSM 43014T supporting the affiliation of strains 2298T and 4321 to the genus Actinomyces . The typical major fatty acids were C16 : 0, C18 : 0 and C18 : 1ω9c. Fatty acids C14 : 0 and C18 : 2ω6,9c were found in minor amounts. The results of physiological and biochemical analyses revealed clear differences between both strains and the most closely related species of the genus Actinomyces . Thus, strains 2298T and 4321 represent a novel species, for which the name Actinomyces weissii sp. nov., is proposed, with strain 2298T ( = CIP 110333T = LMG 26472T = CCM 7951T = CCUG 61299T) as the type strain.

A novel actinomycete, designated strain RS-49T, was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of a cliff-associated plant (Peucedanum japonicum Thunb.) in the Republic of Korea and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. The results of comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses showed that the organism belonged to the family Pseudonocardiaceae , suborder Pseudonocardineae and that it was most closely related to members of the genera Kibdelosporangium (96.6–97.0 % sequence similarity), Actinokineospora (96.3–96.7 %), Streptoalloteichus (96.2 %) and Actinophytocola (96.2 %). Substrate mycelia were well-developed and whitish or pale yellow to strong yellow. Aerial mycelia were branched and fragmented into rod-shaped elements. Single spherical spores were produced directly on the substrate mycelium. Sporangium-like structures and fragmentation of the substrate mycelium were absent. The diagnostic diamino acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan was meso-diaminopimelic acid. The acyl type of the muramic acid residues in the peptidoglycan was N-acetylated. Whole-cell sugars were glucose, rhamnose, galactose, ribose, mannose, arabinose and xylose. The major menaquinone was MK-9(H4). Small amounts of MK-8 and MK-9(H2) were also detected. The polar lipids contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, an unknown phospholipid and an unknown lipid. The predominant fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The DNA G+C content was 64.2 mol%. The phenotypic and phylogenetic characteristics show that strain RS-49T can be differentiated from members of all genera in the suborder Pseudonocardineae and thus represents a novel species in a new genus for which the name Labedaea rhizosphaerae gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain of the type species is RS-49T ( = KCTC 19662T = DSM 45361T).

A strain of thermotolerant actinomycete, designated YIM 75948T, was isolated from a soil sample in Yunnan province, China. The strain grew at 25–55 °C (optimum 37 °C). The substrate mycelium and aerial mycelium produced on Czapek’s agar were both pale yellow to white. The diagnostic diamino acid of the cell-wall peptidoglycan was meso-diaminopimelic acid, and the whole-cell sugars were mannose, ribose, glucose, galactose and arabinose. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0 and C16 : 0 and the predominant respiratory quinone was MK-9(H4). The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine with hydroxy fatty acids, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and two unidentified phospholipids. The genomic DNA G+C content was 73.8 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain YIM 75948T belonged in the genus Actinokineospora and that its closest relative among recognized species was Actinokineospora fastidiosa DSM 43855T (97.6 % sequence similarity). The mean level of DNA–DNA relatedness between the novel strain and A. fastidiosa DSM 43855T was, however, only 47.8 %. Based on the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic data and the results of the DNA–DNA hybridizations, strain YIM 75948T represents a novel species of the genus Actinokineospora for which the name Actinokineospora soli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 75948T ( = JCM 17695T = DSM 45613T). The description of the genus Actinokineospora is emended to reflect the fact that the genomic DNA G+C contents of A. fastidiosa DSM 43855T and the type strain of Actinokineospora soli sp. nov. recorded in the present study fell above the range given in previous descriptions of this genus.

The taxonomic positions of three streptomycetes isolated from a soil sample from a hay meadow were determined using a polyphasic approach. The isolates had chemical and morphological properties typical of the genus Streptomyces and, in phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, formed a distinct subclade that was most closely related to the Streptomyces prasinus subclade. DNA–DNA relatedness studies showed that the novel strains belonged to three different genomic species. The novel strains could be distinguished from one another and from the type strains of the species classified in the S. prasinus subclade using a combination of genotypic and phenotypic properties. On the basis of these data, it is proposed that the novel strains be assigned to the genus Streptomyces as Streptomyces herbaceus sp. nov., Streptomyces incanus sp. nov. and Streptomyces pratens sp. nov., with BK119T ( = KACC 21001T  = CGMCC 4.5797T), BK128T ( = KACC 21002T  = CGMCC 4.5799T) and BK138T ( = KACC 20904T  = CGMCC 4.5800T) as the respective type strains.

A Gram-positive, aerobic, motile, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain T26T, was isolated from subsurface soil of Tianjin coal mine, China. Colonies were yellow–white, convex, circular, smooth and non-transparent on R2A agar. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain T26T was closely related to members of the genus Cellulomonas and a member of the genus Actinotalea with 96.8–94.7 % and 96.7 % gene sequence similarities, respectively. The peptidoglycan type of strain T26T was A4β, containing l-ornithine–d-glutamic acid as the interpeptide bridge. The cell-wall sugars were rhamnose, galactose, xylose and inositol. The major fatty acids (>10 %) were anteiso-C15 : 0 (33.6 %), anteiso-C15 : 1 A (22.1 %), C16 : 0 (14.4 %) and C14 : 0 (12.1 %). The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-9(H4) and the genomic DNA G+C content was 74.4 mol%. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol-mannosides and phosphatidylinositol. Comparison of phenotypic and phylogenetic characteristics between strain T26T and related organisms revealed that the new isolate represented a novel species of the genus Cellulomonas , for which the name Cellulomonas carbonis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is T26T ( = CGMCC 1.10786T = KCTC 19824T = CCTCC AB2010450T).

A novel actinobacterium, strain A8036T, isolated from soil, was investigated by using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The organism formed extensively branched substrate hyphae that generated spiral chains of spores with irregular surfaces. The cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid (type III) and cell-wall sugars were glucose, madurose, mannose and ribose. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H6) and MK-9(H4). The phospholipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannosides. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0, C17 : 1 cis9, C16 : 0, C15 : 0 and 10-methyl C17 : 0. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the closest phylogenetic neighbours of strain A8036T were Actinomadura meyerae DSM 44715T (99.23 % similarity), Actinomadura bangladeshensis DSM 45347T (98.9 %) and Actinomadura chokoriensis DSM 45346T (98.3 %). However, DNA–DNA relatedness and phenotypic data demonstrated that strain A8036T could be clearly distinguished from the type strains of all closely related Actinomadura species. Strain A8036T is therefore considered to represent a novel species of the genus Actinomadura , for which the name Actinomadura geliboluensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is A8036T ( = DSM 45508T = KCTC 19868T).

A Gram-staining-positive, moderately halophilic bacterium, designated strain BH097T, was isolated from solar saltern soil of Bigeum Island in south-west Korea. Cells were motile rods, producing spherical endospores at a terminal position in swollen sporangia. Strain BH097T was strictly aerobic, grew at pH 5.5–9.5 (optimum, pH 8.0), at 10–52 °C (optimum, 37 °C) and at salinities of 1–22 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 7 % NaCl). On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain BH097T was shown to belong to the genus Gracilibacillus within the phylum Firmicutes , and showed closest sequence similarity to Gracilibacillus saliphilus DSM 19802T (95.8 %), Gracilibacillus thailandensis TP2-8T (95.6 %), Gracilibacillus boraciitolerans DSM 17256T (95.5 %), ‘Gracilibacillus quinghaiensis’ DSM 17858 (95.4 %) and Gracilibacillus halophilus DSM 17856T (95.2 %). The DNA G+C content of this novel isolate was 37.9 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids of strain BH097T were anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and C16 : 0, and its polar lipid pattern consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol two unknown phospholipids and a glycolipid. The isoprenoid quinone was MK-7, and the peptidoglycan type was A1γ, with meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. On the basis of polyphasic evidence from this study, strain BH097T represents a novel species of the genus Gracilibacillus for which the name Gracilibacillus bigeumensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BH097T ( = KCTC 13130T = DSM 19028T).

A Gram-staining-positive, strictly aerobic, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterial strain, CAU 9163T, was isolated from marine sediment collected in the Republic of Korea and its taxonomic position was investigated using a polyphasic approach. The novel strain grew optimally at 30 °C and pH 8.0. In phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain CAU 9163T formed a hitherto unknown lineage within the order Bacillales , which contains the genera Planomicrobium , Planococcus , Sporosarcina , Rummeliibacillus , Viridibacillus , Lysinibacillus and Bacillus . The levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between the novel strain and any established bacterial species were all <95.7 %. The major isoprenoid quinines of strain CAU 9163T were MK-8 (65.2 %) and MK-7 (22.8 %) and the predominant fatty acid was anteiso-C15 : 0. The peptidoglycan was of the A4α type and based on l-Lys-d-Asp. The major whole-cell sugars were ribose and glucose. The polar lipid profile mainly consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified glycolipid and an unidentified polar lipid. The genomic DNA G+C content of the novel strain was 44.3 mol%. These data were sufficient to differentiate the novel strain from established genera in the phylum Firmicutes . Based on the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic evidence, strain CAU 9163T represents a novel species in a new genus for which the name Chungangia koreensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Chungangia koreensis is 9163T ( = KCTC 13729T  = CCUG 59778T).

A cellulose-degrading bacterium, strain FCN3-3T, was isolated from buffalo faeces collected in Nakhonnayok province, Thailand. The strain was characterized based on its phenotypic and genotypic characteristics. Strain FCN3-3T was a Gram-positive, aerobic, spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium. It contained meso-diaminopimelic acid in cell-wall peptidoglycan. The major menaquinone was MK-7. Anteiso-C15 : 0 (52.5 %), iso-C16 : 0 (18.9 %) and C16 : 0 (9.1 %) were the predominant cellular fatty acids, and diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and lysyl-phosphatidylglycerol were the major phospholipids. The DNA G+C content was 58.0 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain FCN3-3T was affiliated to the genus Cohnella and was closely related to Cohnella phaseoli GSPC1T, Cohnella luojiensis HY-22RT and Cohnella hongkongensis HKU3T, with 97.2, 96.8 and 96.3 % sequence similarity, respectively. Strain FCN3-3T could be clearly distinguished from all known species of the genus Cohnella by its physiological and biochemical characteristics as well as its phylogenetic position and level of DNA–DNA relatedness. Therefore, the strain represents a novel species of the genus Cohnella , for which the name Cohnella cellulosilytica sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is FCN3-3T ( = KCTC 13645T = TISTR 1996T = PCU 323T).

A novel aerobic, Gram-positive, motile, coccoid bacterial strain, designated Or1T, was isolated from permafrost active-layer soil collected from the Canadian high Arctic. Strain Or1T was capable of growth over a broad temperature range, including sub-zero growth (below −10 to 37 °C), and at high salinity (0–19 % NaCl), growing optimally at 25 °C, at pH 7.0–8.0 and in the presence of 2 % NaCl. Its taxonomic and phylogenetic position was determined by using a polyphasic approach, which indicated that strain Or1T was a member of the genus Planococcus . Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain Or1T belonged to the genus Planococcus , differing by 0.4–3.6 % from the type strains of all recognized Planococcus species, and was related most closely to Planococcus antarcticus CMS 26orT (98.8 % similarity) and Planococcus donghaensis JH1T (99.6 %). However, DNA–DNA hybridization experiments showed that strain Or1T had low genomic relatedness to Planococcus antarcticus CMS 26orT (18 %) and Planococcus donghaensis JH1T (46 %). The major menaquinones of strain Or1T were MK-7 (55 %), MK-8 (36 %) and MK-6 (9 %) and the major fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1ω7c alcohol and anteiso-C17 : 0. The DNA G+C content of strain Or1T was 40.5 mol%. Differential phenotypic, phylogenetic and genomic data suggest that strain Or1T represents a novel species of the genus Planococcus , for which the name Planococcus halocryophilus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Or1T ( = DSM 24743T = JCM 17719T).

An obligatory anaerobic, moderately halophilic bacterium, designated strain CEJFG43T, was isolated from a sample of sediment collected below the salt crust on the hypersaline El Jerid lake, in southern Tunisia. The cells of this novel strain were Gram-staining-negative, non-sporulating, motile, short rods. They grew in media with 6–30 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 15 %), at 20–60 °C (optimum 45 °C) and at pH 5.5–9.5 (optimum pH 8.3). The micro-organism fermented glucose, fructose, ribose, raffinose, galactose, mannose, sucrose, maltose, xylose, mannitol, pyruvate and glycerol. The products of glucose fermentation were lactate, ethanol, acetate, H2 and CO2. The genomic G+C DNA content of strain CEJFG43T was 33.3 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain CEJFG43T belonged in the genus Halanaerobacter and was most closely related to Halanaerobacter lacunarum DSM 6640T (95.3 % gene sequence similarity) and Halanaerobacter chitinivorans DSM 9569T (95.3 %). The predominant cellular fatty acids were non-branched (C16 : 0 and C16 : 1). Based on the phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, strain CEJFG43T represents a novel species in the genus Halanaerobacter for which the name Halanaerobacter jeridensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CEJFG43T ( = DSM 23230T = JCM 16696T).

Ten atypical Enterococcus strains were isolated from Italian raw milk cheeses. The 16S rRNA gene, phenylalanyl-tRNA synthase alpha subunit (pheS), RNA polymerase alpha subunit (rpoA) and the 16S–23S rRNA intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) PCR and the phenotypic properties revealed that the isolates represent a novel enterococcal species. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the isolates were closely related to Enterococcus hirae ATCC 8043T, Enterococcus durans CECT 411T and Enterococcus faecium ATCC 19434T, with 98.8, 98.9 and 99.4 % sequence similarity, respectively. On the basis of sequence analysis of the housekeeping gene pheS, the reference strain, BT159T, occupied a position separate from E. faecium LMG 16198. The group of isolates could be easily differentiated from recognized species of the genus Enterococcus by 16S–23S rRNA ITS analysis, RAPD-PCR and phenotypic characteristics. The name Enterococcus lactis sp. nov. is proposed, with BT159T ( = DSM 23655T = LMG 25958T) as the type strain.

A Gram-negative, oxidase-positive, catalase-negative, facultatively anaerobic, motile, curved rod-shaped bacterium, strain N384T, was isolated from a marine sponge (Scleritoderma cyanea; phylum Porifera) collected from a depth of 795 feet (242 m) off the west coast of Curaçao. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing, strain N384T was shown to belong to the genus Vibrio , most closely related to Vibrio brasiliensis LMG 20546T (98.8 % similarity), Vibrio nigripulchritudo ATCC 27043T (98.5 %), Vibrio tubiashii ATCC 19109T (98.6 %) and V. sinaloensis DSM 21326T (98.2 %). The DNA G+C content of strain N384T was 41.6 mol%. An analysis of concatenated sequences of five genes (gyrB, rpoA, pyrH, mreB and ftsZ; 4068 bp) demonstrated a clear separation between strain N384T and its closest neighbours and clustered strain N384T into the ‘Orientalis’ clade of vibrios. Phenotypically, the novel species belonged to the arginine dihydrolase-positive, lysine decarboxylase- and ornithine decarboxylase-negative (A+/L−/O−) cluster. The novel species was also differentiated on the basis of fatty acid composition, specifically that the proportions of iso-C13 : 0, iso-C15 : 0, C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, C16 : 0, iso-C17 : 0, C17 : 1ω8c and C17 : 0 were significantly different from those found in V. brasiliensis and V. sinaloensis . The results of DNA–DNA hybridization, average nucleotide identity and physiological and biochemical tests further allowed differentiation of this strain from other described species of the genus Vibrio . Collectively, these findings confirm that strain N384T represents a novel Vibrio species, for which the name Vibrio caribbeanicus sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain N384T ( = ATCC BAA-2122T = DSM 23640T).

A Gram-staining-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium (CF5-1T) was isolated from Hongshan Iron Mine, Daye City, Hubei province, China. The major cellular fatty acids (>10 %) were iso-C16 : 0, iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1ω7c alcohol and iso-C17 : 1ω9c. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The major respiratory quinone was Q-8. The genomic DNA G+C content was 70.5 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain CF5-1T was most closely related to Arenimonas malthae (95.3 % gene sequence similarity), Arenimonas oryziterrae (94.7 %), Arenimonas donghaensis (94.6 %) and Arenimonas composti (94.5 %). A taxonomic study using a polyphasic approach showed that strain CF5-1T represents a novel species of the genus Arenimonas , for which the name Arenimonas metalli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CF5-1T ( = CGMCC 1.10787T = KCTC 23460T = CCTCC AB 2010449T).

An alphaproteobacterium, strain Dia-1T, was isolated from algae-dominated biofilms on stones from the littoral zone of Lake Constance, Germany. This bacterium was isolated after initial enrichment in spent medium obtained after growth of a diatom culture. Numerous sugars and some organic acids and alcohols served as growth substrates. The bacterium grew slowly, was strictly aerobic but microaerophilic, and did not grow in cultures shaken under air. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain Dia-1T was distantly related to representatives of the genera Azospirillum (90–91 % sequence similarity), Skermanella (88–89 %), Rhodocista (87–88 %) and Dongia (88–89 % sequence similarity). Based on this sequence comparison, on phenotypic characterization including substrate utilization patterns, and comparison of cellular fatty acids, quinones, polar lipids and polyamines, this isolate was found to be substantially different from the genera mentioned above. On the basis of these results, a novel genus and species is proposed for this strain. The name Elstera litoralis gen. nov., sp. nov. is suggested, with strain Dia-1T ( = DSM 19532T = LMG 24234T) as the type strain of the type species.