- Volume 63, Issue Pt_2, 2013

A strictly anoxic, Gram-stain-positive, non-motile Blautia -like bacterium, designated strain M25T, was isolated from a human faecal sample. Strain M25T was negative for both catalase and oxidase activity, utilized carbohydrates as fermentable substrates, produced lactate and acetate as the major end products of glucose fermentation in PYG medium, and had a DNA G+C content of 41.6 mol%. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that strain M25T was closely related to Ruminococcus obeum ATCC 29174T (96.40 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and Blautia glucerasea HFTH-1T (96.17 %) within the family Lachnospiraceae . Straight-chain saturated and monounsaturated cellular fatty acids were also detected, the majority being C14 : 0, C16 : 0 and C16 : 0 dimethyl acetal acids. Based on the phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic characteristics presented in this study, strain M25T represents a novel species within the genus Blautia for which the name Blautia faecis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is M25T ( = KCTC 5980T = JCM 17205T).

A phytoplasma was identified in naturally infected wild Balanites triflora plants exhibiting typical witches’ broom symptoms (Balanites witches’ broom: BltWB) in Myanmar. The 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that BltWB phytoplasma had the highest similarity to that of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ziziphi’ and it was also closely related to that of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ulmi ’. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the BltWB phytoplasma clustered as a discrete subclade with Elm yellows phytoplasmas. RFLP analysis of the 16S rRNA gene including the 16S–23S spacer region differentiated the BltWB phytoplasma from ‘Ca. P. ziziphi ’, ‘Ca. P. ulmi ’ and ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma trifolii ’. Analysis of additional ribosomal protein (rp) and translocase protein (secY) gene sequences and phylogenetic analysis of BltWB showed that this phytoplasma was clearly distinguished from those of other ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ’ taxa. Taking into consideration the unique plant host and the restricted geographical occurrence in addition to the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, the BltWB phytoplasma is proposed to represent a novel taxon, ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma balanitae’.

The phylogenetic position and phenotypic characteristics of two non-spore-forming bacilli similar to members of the genus Listeria were studied. The Gram-reaction-positive, slightly motile, facultatively anaerobic strains were isolated from the water plant Lemna trisulca sampled from a freshwater pond in Bavaria, Germany. Although no identification was possible employing the API Listeria test (bioMérieux), 16S rRNA sequence analysis confirmed a close phylogenetic similarity to Listeria rocourtiae DSM 22097T (99.0 % sequence similarity) and a more distant relationship to other Listeria species (96.0 % to Listeria monocytogenes DSM 20600T and 95.0 % similarity to Listeria grayi DSM 20601T). DNA–DNA hybridization analysis between the isolates and Listeria rocourtiae DSM 22097T yielded a similarity of 22.5 %. Analysis of partial sequences of sigB, prs, recA and HSP60 were studied and compared with those of other members of the genus Listeria and Brochothrix thermosphacta DSM 20171T supporting the relationships indicated by 16S rRNA gene sequences. The studied isolates were non-haemolytic and were not associated with cases of human or animal disease. While the results demonstrate that the strains belong to the genus Listeria , phenotypic and genotypic differences from Listeria rocourtiae DSM 22097T suggest that the strains represent a novel species for which the name Listeria weihenstephanensis sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is WS 4560T ( = DSM 24698T = LMG 26374T), with WS 4615 ( = DSM 24699 = LMG 26375) as a second strain of the species.

X-disease is one of the most serious diseases known in peach (Prunus persica). Based on RFLP analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, peach X-disease phytoplasma strains from eastern and western United States and eastern Canada were classified in 16S rRNA gene RFLP group 16SrIII, subgroup A. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the X-disease phytoplasma strains formed a distinct subclade within the phytoplasma clade, supporting the hypothesis that they represented a lineage distinct from those of previously described ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ’ species. Nucleotide sequence alignments revealed that all studied X-disease phytoplasma strains shared less than 97.5 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with previously described ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ’ species. Based on unique properties of the DNA, we propose recognition of X-disease phytoplasma strain PX11CT1R as representative of a novel taxon, ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’. Results from nucleotide and phylogenetic analyses of secY and ribosomal protein (rp) gene sequences provided additional molecular markers of the ‘Ca. Phytoplasma pruni’ lineage. We propose that the term ‘Ca. Phytoplasma pruni’ be applied to phytoplasma strains whose 16S rRNA gene sequences contain the oligonucleotide sequences of unique regions that are designated in the formally published description of the taxon. Such strains include X-disease phytoplasma and - within the tolerance of a single base difference in one unique sequence - peach rosette, peach red suture, and little peach phytoplasmas. Although not employed for taxon delineation in this work, we further propose that secY, rp, and other genetic loci from the reference strain of a taxon, and where possible oligonucleotide sequences of unique regions of those genes that distinguish taxa within a given 16Sr group, be incorporated in emended descriptions and as part of future descriptions of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ’ taxa.

A Gram-positive-staining, aerobic, endospore-forming bacterium, isolated from a necrotic wound of a 35-year-old man was studied in detail to determine its taxonomic position. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity comparisons, strain CCUG 53270T was grouped into the genus Paenibacillus , most closely related to the type strains of Paenibacillus rigui (97.2 %), Paenibacillus xylanisolvens (96.3 %) and Paenibacillus chinjuensis (96.1 %). The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to strains of other Paenibacillus species was ≤96 %. Chemotaxonomic characterization supported the allocation of the strain to the genus Paenibacillus . The major menaquinones were MK-7 (85 %) and MK-6 (15 %). The polar lipid profile contained the major compounds diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. The polyamine pattern contained predominantly spermidine. The major fatty acids were iso- and anteiso-branched fatty acids. The results of physiological and biochemical tests allowed phenotypic differentiation of strain CCUG 53270T from closely related species. Thus, strain CCUG 53270T represents a novel species of the genus Paenibacillus , for which the name Paenibacillus vulneris sp. nov. is proposed, with CCUG 53270T ( = JCM 18268T) as the type strain.

A Gram-staining-negative, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacterium isolated as a contaminant from a biopharmaceutical process (strain CCUG 53591T) was studied for its taxonomic allocation. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity data, this strain was clearly allocated to the genus Herminiimonas . Herminiimonas saxobsidens was shown to be the most closely related species on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (99.9 %), followed by Herminiimonas glaciei (99.6 %) and Herminiimonas arsenicoxydans (98.8 %). Strain ND5, previously reported as H. glaciei , but showing 100 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to strain CCUG 53591T, was included in the comparative study. Similarities to all other species of the genus Herminiimonas were below 98.0 %. Chemotaxonomic data (major ubiquinone, Q-8; major polar lipids, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol; and major fatty acids, C17 : 0 cyclo, C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c and C16 : 0, with C10 : 0 3-OH as hydroxylated fatty acid) supported the affiliation of the isolate to the genus Herminiimonas . DNA–DNA hybridization results (mean values) for strain CCUG 53591T with H. saxobsidens CCUG 59860T (34 %), H. glaciei DSM 21140T (57 %), H. arsenicoxydans DSM 17148T (17 %) and Herminiimonas fonticola S-94T (11 %) clearly supported the separate taxonomic position of this strain. Strain ND5 showed DNA–DNA similarities of 78, 56 and 52 % to strain CCUG 53591T, H. glaciei DSM 21140T and H. saxobsidens CCUG 59860T, respectively. Phenotypic differentiation of the isolate from the most closely related species was possible by various features. Hence, strain CCUG 53591T represents a novel species, for which the name Herminiimonas contaminans sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain CCUG 53591T ( = CCM 7991T). Strain ND5 is a second strain of this species.

A Gram-negative-staining, non-motile, non-spore-forming, aerobic and rod-shaped bacterial strain, DPG-138T, was isolated from seawater on the southern coast in Korea. Strain DPG-138T grew optimally at 30 °C and in the presence of 2–3 % (w/v) NaCl. A neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain DPG-138T fell within the cluster comprising the type strains of four species of the genus Marivita (sequence similarity values of 97.8–98.2 %). The DNA G+C content was 59.9 mol%. The predominant ubiquinone of strain DPG-138T was Q-10, typical for the genus Marivita . The cellular fatty acid profiles of strain DPG-138T and type strains of four species of the genus Marivita were similar with C18 : 1ω7c as the most common fatty acid. The major polar lipids in strain DPG-138T were phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and one unidentified aminolipid. Differential phenotypic properties and genetic distinctiveness of strain DPG-138T demonstrated that this strain is distinguishable from all four recognized species of the genus Marivita . On the basis of the data presented, strain DPG-138T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Marivita , for which the name Marivita geojedonensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DPG-138T ( = KCTC 23882T = CCUG 62112T).

Five strains, JPY461T, JPY359, JPY389, DPU-3 and STM4206 were isolated from nitrogen-fixing nodules on the roots of Mimosa spp. and their taxonomic positions were investigated using a polyphasic approach. All five strains grew at 15–40 °C (optimum, 30–37 °C), at pH 4.0–8.0 (optimum, pH 6.0–7.0) and with 0–1 % (w/v) NaCl [optimum, 0 % (w/v)]. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, a representative strain (JPY461T) showed 97.2 % sequence similarity to the closest related species Burkholderia acidipaludis SA33T, a similarity of 97.2 % to Burkholderia terrae KMY02T, 97.1 % to Burkholderia phymatum STM815T and 97.1 % to Burkholderia hospita LMG 20598T. The predominant fatty acids of the five novel strains were summed feature 2 (comprising C16 : 1 iso I and/or C14 : 0 3-OH), summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c), C16 : 0 , C16 : 0 3-OH, C17 : 0 cyclo, C18 : 1 ω7c and C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c. The major isoprenoid quinone was Q-8 and the DNA G+C content of the strains was 63.0–65.0 mol%. The polar lipid profile consisted of a mixture of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified aminophospholipid, an unidentified aminolipid and several unidentified phospholipids. The DNA–DNA relatedness of the novel strain with respect to recognized species of the genus Burkholderia was less than 54 %. On the basis of 16S rRNA and recA gene sequence similarities, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic data, the five strains represent a novel species in the genus Burkholderia , for which the name Burkholderia diazotrophica sp. nov. is proposed with the type strain, JPY461T ( = LMG 26031T = BCRC 80259T = KCTC 23308T).

A novel species of Fe(III)-reducing bacterium, designated strain OSK6T, belonging to the genus Geobacter , was isolated from lotus field mud in Japan. Strain OSK6T was isolated using a solid medium containing acetate, Fe(III)-nitrilotriacetate (NTA) and gellan gum. The isolate is a strictly anaerobic, Gram-negative, motile, straight rod-shaped bacterium, 0.6–1.9 µm long and 0.2–0.4 µm wide. The growth of the isolate occurred at 20–40 °C with optima of 30–37 °C and pH 6.5–7.5 in the presence of up to 0.5 g NaCl l−1. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was determined by HPLC to be 59.7 mol%. The major respiratory quinone was MK-8. The major fatty acids were 16 : 1ω7c and 16 : 0. Strain OSK6T was able to grow with Fe(III)-NTA, ferric citrate, amorphous iron (III) hydroxide and nitrate, but not with fumarate, malate or sulfate as electron acceptors. Among examined substrates grown with Fe(III)-NTA, the isolate grew on acetate, lactate, pyruvate and succinate. Analysis of the near full-length 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain OSK6T is closely related to Geobacter daltonii and Geobacter toluenoxydans with 95.6 % similarity to the type strains of these species. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis and physiological tests, strain OSK6T is described as a representative of a novel species, Geobacter luticola sp. nov.; the type strain is OSK6T ( = DSM 24905T = JCM 17780T).

A light-yellow-pigmented bacterial strain designated JS43T was isolated from a freshwater spring in Taiwan and was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Cells of strain JS43T were Gram-negative-staining, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped, non-motile and non-spore-forming. Growth occurred at 10–30 °C (optimum, 25 °C), at pH 7.0–10.0 (optimum, pH 7.0–8.0) and with 0–0.5 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0 %). Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain JS43T was a member of the family Rhodobacteraceae of the class Alphaproteobacteria . Sequence similarities to type strains of the genera Gemmobacter and Catellibacterium were between 94.6 and 98.1 %. The highest sequence similarity was found with Gemmobacter aquatilis DSM 3857T. Strain JS43T contained C18 : 1ω7c as the predominant fatty acid (74.4 %). The major isoprenoid quinone was Q-10 and the DNA G+C content was 69.3 mol%. The polar lipid profile consisted of a mixture of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, two uncharacterized aminolipids and three uncharacterized phospholipids. The DNA–DNA relatedness values of strain JS43T with respect to the phylogenetically related Gemmobacter aquatilis DSM 3857T, Catellibacterium aquatile A1-9T and Catellibacterium caeni DCA-1T were less than 70 %. The taxonomic relationship between members of the genera Gemmobacter and Catellibacterium was clarified by means of a direct experimental comparison. Based on phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic data, we propose that all species currently classified in the genus Catellibacterium should be transferred to the genus Gemmobacter . The following new combinations are proposed: Catellibacterium nectariphilum is reclassified as Gemmobacter nectariphilus comb. nov. (type strain, AST4T = DSM 15620T = JCM 11959T = NBRC 100046T), Catellibacterium changlense as Gemmobacter changlensis comb. nov. (type strain, JA139T = CCUG 53722T = DSM 18774T = JCM 14338T), Catellibacterium aquatile as Gemmobacter aquaticus nom. nov. (type strain, A1-9T = CGMCC 1.7029T = NBRC 104254T), Catellibacterium caeni as Gemmobacter caeni comb. nov. (type strain, DCA-1T = CGMCC 1.7745T = DSM 21823T) and Catellibacterium nanjingense as Gemmobacter nanjingensis comb. nov. (type strain, Y12T = CCTCC AB 2010218T = KCTC 23298T). Emended descriptions of the genus Gemmobacter and of Gemmobacter aquatilis are also presented. Strain JS43T could be distinguished from recognized species of the genera Gemmobacter and Catellibacterium . It is suggested, on the basis of genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, that strain JS43T ( = BCRC 80082T = LMG 25376T) represents a novel species for which the name Gemmobacter fontiphilus is proposed.

A Gram-negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming and rod-shaped bacterial strain, CH15-1T, was isolated from a sediment sample taken from Daechung Reservoir, South Korea, during the late-blooming period of cyanobacteria. Strain CH15-1T grew optimally at pH 7.0 and 30 °C. A phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences confirmed that strain CH15-1T belongs to the genus Arenimonas with the similarity range from 92.6–97.4 % and is closely related to Arenimonas oryziterrae YC6267T (97.4 %), Arenimonas composti TR7-09T (95.4 %), Arenimonas metalli CF5-1T (94.7 %), Arenimonas malthae CC-JY-1T (94.6 %) and Arenimonas donghaensis HO3-R19T (92.6 %). However, the DNA–DNA hybridization between strain CH15-1T and the closest strain, Arenimonas oryziterrae YC6267T, was 8.9–12.9 %. The DNA G+C content was 63.9 mol% compared to A. oryziterrae YC626T, 65.8 mol%. Strain CH15-1T included Q-8 as the major ubiquinone and phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine as the major polar lipids. The major fatty acids (>5 %) were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, iso-C14 : 0, iso-C11 : 0 3-OH, iso-C17 : 0 and summed feature 9 (iso-C17 : 1ω9c and/or C16 : 0 10-methyl). On the basis of phylogenetic, phenotypic and genetic data, strain CH15-1T was classified in the genus Arenimonas as a member of a novel species, for which the name Arenimonas daechungensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CH15-1T ( = KCTC 23553T = DSM 24763T).

Two novel bacteria, designated strains Gsoil 634T and Dae 20T, were isolated in South Korea from soil of a ginseng field and freshwater sediment, respectively and were characterized by a polyphasic approach to clarify their taxonomic positions. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that, although they probably represented two distinct species (indicated by a sequence similarity of 96.6 %), both strain Gsoil 634T and strain Dae 20T belonged to the genus Sphingomonas and were most closely related to ‘Sphingomonas humi’ PB323 (97.8 % and 96.7 % sequence similarity, respectively), Sphingomonas kaistensis PB56T (96.8 % and 96.7 %), Sphingomonas astaxanthinifaciens TDMA-17T (96.6 % and 95.4 %) and Sphingomonas jaspsi TDMA-16T (95.6 % and 95.8 %). For both novel strains, the major ubiquinone was Q-10, the major polyamine was homospermidine, the major cellular fatty acids included summed feature 7 (C18 : 1ω7c, C18 : 1ω9t and/or C18 : 1ω12t), C17 : 1ω6c and C16 : 0, and the polar lipids included sphingoglycolipid. These chemotaxonomic data supported the affiliation of both strains to the genus Sphingomonas . However, the DNA–DNA relatedness value between strain Gsoil 634T and ‘Sphingomonas humi’ PB323T was 31 %. Moreover, the results of physiological and biochemical tests allowed the phenotypic differentiation of strains Gsoil 634T and Dae 20T from established members of the genus Sphingomonas . Based on these data, the two isolates represent two novel species in the genus Sphingomonas , for which the names Sphingomonas ginsengisoli sp. nov. (type strain Gsoil 634T = KCTC 12630T = DSM 18094T = LMG 23739T) and Sphingomonas sediminicola sp. nov. (type strain Dae 20T  = KCTC 12629T = DSM 18106T = LMG 23592T) are proposed.

A Gram-staining-negative, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacterium, designated strain E103T, was isolated from the skin of the medical leech Hirudo verbana. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that the isolate was closely related to species of the genus Castellaniella . Castellaniella ginsengisoli DCY36T was shown to be the most closely related (98.4 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), followed by Castellaniella denitrificans NKNTAUT and Castellaniella daejeonensis MJ06T (both 97.8 %), then Castellaniella caeni Ho-11T (97.5 %). Chemotaxonomic data (major ubiquinone, Q-8; major polar lipids, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylserine; predominant polyamine, putrescine with a moderate amount of 2-hydroxyputrescine; and major fatty acids, C17 : 0 cyclo, C16 : 0 and summed feature 4 comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH) supported the affiliation of the isolate to the genus Castellaniella . DNA–DNA hybridization values with the type strains of all species of the genus Castellaniella were 23 % (reciprocal, 18 %) with C. ginsengisoli KCTC 22398T, 20 % (26 %) with C. daejeonensis KCTC 22454T, 11 % (58 %) with C. denitrificans DSM 11046T and 13 % (12 %) with C. caeni KCTC 12197T . Phenotypic differentiation of strain E103T from its closest neighbours was possible. Strain E103T therefore represents a novel species of the genus Castellaniella , for which the name Castellaniella hirudinis sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain E103T ( = CCUG 62394T = LMG 26910T).

A novel bacterial strain designated CJ70T was isolated from tidal flat sediment in Korea. A polyphasic approach was used to identify this strain taxonomically. The isolate was Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, yellow-pigmented, rod-shaped and non-motile. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain CJ70T was related most closely to Stakelama pacifica JLT832T with 95.7 % similarity and formed an independent phyletic line from recognized species of the genus Sphingomonas , comprising a clade with Stakelama pacifica , which is the only recognized species of the genus Stakelama . The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain CJ70T were C18 : 1ω7c (60.0 %), C16 : 0 (21.2 %) and C14 : 0 2-OH (5.8 %). The major isoprenoid quinone was ubiquinone-10. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 61.4 mol%. The results obtained from this study suggested that strain CJ70T represents a novel species of the genus Stakelama , for which the name Stakelama sediminis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CJ70T ( = KACC 16559T = JCM 18079T).

Two strains (JC85T and JC108) of Gram-stain-negative, motile bacteria were isolated from endolithic beach sand samples on an oligotrophic medium. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, both strains were identified as belonging to the genus Rhizobium . Strain JC108 had 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 100 % with Rhizobium pusense NRCPB10T and formed a cluster with this strain. Strain JC85T had 96.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and was 18 % related (based on DNA–DNA hybridization) to Rhizobium borbori DN316T. With other strains of the genus Rhizobium , the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity was less than 96.3 %. Strain JC85T could tolerate up to 3 % salinity, fix N2, was resistant to ampicillin (10 µg) and was positive for catalase and oxidase. The major fatty acid was C18 : 1ω7c (69 %) with minor amounts of C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c (8.9 %), C16 : 0 (6.9 %), C12 : 0 (5.7 %) and C19 : 1ω7c/C19 : 1ω6c (2.2 %). Polar lipids of strain JC85T include two unidentified aminophospholipids (APL1,2), two unidentified phospholipids (PL1,2), phosphatidylcholine and four unidentified lipids (L1–4). Q-10 is the major quinone of strain JC85T. Based on polyphasic taxonomic analysis, strain JC85T represents a novel species for which, the name Rhizobium subbaraonis JC85T is proposed. The type strain is JC85T ( = DSM 24765T = KCTC 23614T).

A yellow pigmented, Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium designated FNE08-7T was isolated from subsurface water of the north-east basin of the bog lake Grosse Fuchskuhle (Brandenburg, Germany). A first analysis of the nearly full-length 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis including environmental 16S rRNA gene sequences derived from freshwater ecosystems showed that strain FNE08-7T is the first cultured representative, to our knowledge, of the freshwater tribe Novo-A2. Further analysis indicates highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to the type strains of Novosphingobium stygium (98.0 %) and Novosphingobium taihuense (97.4 %) and between 94.0 % and 96.9 % sequence similarity to other members of the genus Novosphingobium . Reconstruction of phylogenetic trees showed that strain FNE08-7T formed a distinct cluster with the type strains of N. stygium and N. taihuense supported by high bootstrap values. DNA–DNA hybridization of strain FNE08-7T with N. stygium SMCC B0712T and N. taihuense DSM 17507T revealed low similarity values of 18.4 % (reciprocal: 11.4 %) and 23.1 % (reciprocal: 54.2 %), respectively. The predominant fatty acid of the isolate is C18 : 1ω7c (56.4 %) and two characteristic 2-hydroxy fatty acids, C14 : 0 2-OH (16.5 %) and C15 : 0 2-OH (3.3 %) occur. Ubiquinone Q-10 is the major respiratory quinone. The predominant polar lipids are phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, sphingoglycolipid, phosphatidylcholine and minor amounts of diphosphatidylglycerol. Spermidine is the predominant polyamine. Characterization by genotypic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic analysis indicate that strain FNE08-7T represents a novel species of the genus Novosphingobium within the Alphaproteobacteria . Therefore, we propose the species Novosphingobium fuchskuhlense sp. nov., with FNE08-7T ( = DSM 25065T = CCM 7978T = CCUG 61508T) as the type strain.

A Gram-negative, aerobic, copper-resistant bacterium, designated strain CU4T, was isolated from copper mine soil in Daye, China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed highest similarity to Sphingobium rhizovicinum CC-FH12-1T (98.4 %), followed by Sphingobium francense Sp+T (97.2 %), Sphingobium japonicum UT26T (97.1 %), Sphingobium abikonense NBRC 16140T (97.0 %), Sphingobium xenophagum DSM 6383T (96.9 %) and Sphingobium yanoikuyae DSM 7462T (95.5 %). The major fatty acids (>5 %) were summed feature 7 (C18 : 1ω7c, C18 : 1ω9t and/or C18 : 1ω12t), summed feature 4 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH), C16 : 0 and C14 : 0 2-OH, and the predominant quinone was ubiquinone Q-10. Spermidine was the major polyamine component. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, sphingoglycolipid, phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain CU4T was 64.9 mol%. Comparison of DNA–DNA hybridization, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics between strain CU4T and phylogenetically related strains revealed that the new isolate represents a novel species of the genus Sphingobium , for which the name Sphingobium cupriresistens sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CU4T ( = KCTC 23865T = CCTCC AB 2011146T). An emended description of the genus Sphingobium is also proposed.

Thirteen slow-growing rhizobial strains isolated from root nodules of soybean (Glycine max L.) grown in Daqing city in China were classified in the genus Bradyrhizobium based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Multilocus sequence analysis of IGS, atpD, glnII and recA genes revealed that the isolates represented a novel clade in this genus. DNA–DNA relatedness lower than 42.5 % between the representative strain CCBAU 15774T and the type strains of the closely related species Bradyrhizobium liaoningense USDA 3622T, Bradyrhizobium yuanmingense CCBAU 10071T and Bradyrhizobium betae LMG 21987T, further confirmed that this group represented a novel species. CCBAU 15774T shared seven cellular fatty acids with the three above-mentioned species, but the fatty acids 15 : 0 iso and summed feature 5 (18 : 2ω6,9c and/or 18 : 0 anteiso) were unique for this strain. The respiratory quinone in CCBAU 15774T was ubiquinone-10 and the cellular polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, cardiolipin and unknown aminolipid, polar lipid and phospholipid. In addition, some phenotypic features could be used to differentiate the novel group from the related species. On basis of these results, we propose the name Bradyrhizobium daqingense sp. nov., with CCBAU 15774T ( = LMG 26137T = HAMBI 3184T = CGMCC 1.10947T) as the type strain. The DNA G+C content of the type strain is 61.2 mol% (T m).

A yellow-pigmented bacterial strain, designated LL02T, was isolated from hexachlorocyclohexane-contaminated soil from Spolana Neratovice, a former Czech producer of lindane. A neighbour-joining tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain LL02T occupied a distinct phylogenetic position in the genus Novosphingobium and showed the highest sequence similarity with Novosphingobium resinovorum NCIMB 8767T (98.59 %). DNA–DNA relatedness between strain LL02T and its closest phylogenetic neighbours was <70 %, which indicated that strain LL02T represented a novel species of the genus Novosphingobium . The DNA G+C content of strain LL02T was 67.72±0 mol%. The major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone Q-10. The polar lipid profile of the isolate corresponded to those reported for other members of the genus Novosphingobium (phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine and sphingoglycolipids), thus supporting its classification in the genus. Spermidine was the major polyamine. The major fatty acids were summed feature 3 (consisting of C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c; 40.13 %), summed feature 8 (consisting of C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c; 31.09 %) and C14 : 0 2-OH (23.16 %). The results obtained from DNA–DNA hybridization and biochemical and physiological tests clearly distinguished the isolate from its closest phylogenetic neighbours. Thus, strain LL02T represents a novel species of the genus Novosphingobium , for which the name Novosphingobium barchaimii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LL02T ( = CCM 7980T  = DSM 25411T).