- Volume 63, Issue Pt_5, 2013

In the course of a study aimed at isolating bacteria from Arctic soils by a method that selectively enriches for rare bioactive actinomycetes, a Gram-stain-negative, pigmented, non-motile rod, designated MN12-7T, was isolated. The salmon-pink strain was, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, found to be affiliated with the family Sphingobacteriaceae . Strain MN12-7T was catalase-, oxidase- and cellulase-positive and lacked gelatinase, urease, lipase and pectinase. The predominant cellular fatty acids were summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c), iso-C15 : 0 and C15 : 1ω6c. The major respiratory quinone of strain MN12-7T was MK-7, and the major polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine in addition to phosphatidylserine, seven unidentified lipids and six unidentified aminolipids. The DNA G+C content of strain MN12-7T was 38 mol%. Strain MN12-7T formed a separate lineage in a cluster containing ‘Candidatus comitans’, with which it shared 92.3 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. Based on the phenotypic characteristics and phylogenetic inference, strain MN12-7T is proposed as a representative of a novel species in a new genus, Arcticibacter svalbardensis gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain of the type species is MN12-7T ( = KCTC 32015T = CIP 110422T).

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, non-motile and yellow-pigmented bacterial strain, designated strain JJ013T, was isolated from an artificial lake in Jeollabuk-do, South Korea, and characterized using a polyphasic approach. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain JJ013T indicated that the isolate belonged to the family Flavobacteriaceae and exhibited similarity levels of 96.6 % to the type strains of Flavobacterium cheonanense and Flavobacterium koreense and 96.5 % to the type strain of Flavobacterium chungnamense . Growth was observed at 20–30 °C and pH 5.0–7.0. The major cellular fatty acids of the novel strain were iso-C15 : 0 (27.5 %), iso-C15 : 1 G (17.8 %), iso-C17 : 0 3-OH (9.4 %) and iso-C15 : 0 3-OH (9.2 %). Flexirubin-type pigments were present. The DNA G+C content of strain JJ013T was 33.9 mol%, the major respiratory quinone was menaquinone-6 (MK-6) and the major polyamine was sym-homospermidine. The polar lipid profile of the strain JJ013T consisted of a phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), two unknown aminolipids (AL1–2), three unidentified lipid (L1–3) and an unknown glycolipid (GL). On the basis of the morphological and physiological properties and biochemical evidence presented, it is concluded that strain JJ013T represents a novel species of the genus Flavobacterium , for which the name Flavobacterium aciduliphilum sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is JJ013T ( = KACC 16594T = JCM 18211T). Since C15 : 0, which is known as a predominant fatty acid of the genus Flavobacterium was not detected in the novel strain and other reference strains, we propose an emended description of the genus Flavobacterium .

A Gram-staining-negative, rod-shaped, gliding and pale-pink-pigmented bacterium, designated strain ZLM-10T, was isolated from a soil sample collected from an arid area in Xinjiang province, China, and characterized in a taxonomic study using a polyphasic approach. The novel strain grew optimally at 30–37 °C and in the presence of 2 % (w/v) sea salts. The only respiratory quinone detected was MK-7 and the major cellular fatty acids were summed feature 3 (iso-C15 : 0 2-OH and/or C16 : 1ω7c), iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. The polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified aminolipid and two unidentified aminophospholipids. The DNA G+C content was 45.4 mol%. Flexirubin-type pigments were not produced. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain ZLM-10T was a member of the phylum Bacteroidetes and appeared most closely related to Cesiribacter roseus 311T (90.2 % sequence similarity), Marivirga sericea LMG 13021T (89.2 %), Cesiribacter andamanensis AMV16T (89.1 %) and Marivirga tractuosa DSM 4126T (89.1 %). On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic data and phylogenetic inference, strain ZLM-10T should be classified as a novel species of a new genus in the family Flammeovirgaceae , for which the name Nafulsella turpanensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is ZLM-10T ( = CCTCC AB 208222T = KCTC 23983T).

A novel Gram-negative, rod–coccus shaped, non-motile, strain, RS-3T, was isolated from a sediment sample collected from the marine transect of Kongsfjorden, Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Arctic. Colonies and broth cultures were yellowish in colour due to the presence of carotenoids. Strain RS-3T was positive for oxidase, aesculinase, caseinase, gelatinase and urease activities and negative for amylase, catalase, lipase, lysine decarboxylase, ornithine decarboxylase, DNase and β-galactosidase activities. The predominant fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 (18.0), anteiso-C15 : 0 (16.8), iso-C15 : 1 G (14.2), anteiso-C15 : 1 A (6.0) and iso-C15 : 0 3-OH (6.8). Strain RS-3T contained MK-6 (72.42 %) and MK-7 (27.58 %) as the major respiratory quinones and phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminolipids and two unidentified lipids make up the polar lipid composition. The DNA G+C content of strain RS-3T was 34.7±1.2 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that Winogradskyella pacifica and Winogradskyella thalassocola are the most closely related species with sequence similarities to the type strains of these species of 98.5 and 97.7 %, respectively. However, DNA–DNA hybridization with Winogradskyella pacifica KCTC 22997T and Winogradskyella thalassocola DSM 15363T showed a relatedness of 22 and 42.5 % with respect to strain RS-3T. Based on the DNA–DNA hybridization values, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics and phylogenetic inference, strain RS-3T is proposed as a novel species of the genus Winogradskyella , for which the name Winogradskyella psychrotolerans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Winogradskyella psychrotolerans sp. nov. is RS-3T ( = CIP 110154T = NBRC 106169T). An emended description of the genus Winogradskyella is provided.

A taxonomic study was carried out on a novel bacterial strain, designated MIC3010T, which was isolated from a freshwater pond in Jeonju, Republic of Korea. Cells of the isolate were Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped and non-motile. Comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the isolate belonged to the family Flavobacteriaceae , with Flavobacterium haoranii LQY-7T as its closest relative, with a similarity of 94.2 %. The predominant fatty acids of strain MIC3010T were iso-C15 : 1 G, iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. The polar lipid profile of strain MIC3010T revealed the presence of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and one unidentified lipid (L1) as major components. In addition, two aminolipids (AL1, AL2) and one glycolipid were present in small amounts. The DNA G+C content of the strain was 41.0 mol%. The strain contained MK-6 as the major quinone and sym-homospermidine as the predominant polyamine. On the basis of the evidence presented, it is concluded that strain MIC3010T represents a novel species of the genus Flavobacterium , for which the name Flavobacterium fontis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MIC3010T ( = KACC 16593T = JCM 18212T).

A Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, non-motile and non-spore-forming rod that produced white, viscous colonies, designated QHT, was isolated from bulking sludge collected from a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Beijing, China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain QHT belonged to the genus Terrimonas and shared 96.3 % sequence similarity with Terrimonas lutea DYT, 94.1 % with Terrimonas ferruginea ATCC 13524T and 93.8 % with Terrimonas aquatica RIB1-6T. Strain QHT contained iso-C15 : 0, summed feature 3 (comprising one or more of C16 : 1ω7c, C16 : 1ω6c and iso-C15 : 0 2-OH) and iso-C15 : 1 G as the predominant fatty acids. The predominant polar lipid of strain QHT and members of the genus Terrimonas was phosphatidylethanolamine. The major isoprenoid quinone of strain QHT was MK-7 and the DNA G+C content was 41.0 mol%. DNA–DNA relatedness between strain QHT and T. lutea BCRC 17944T, T. ferruginea BCRC 17943T and T. aquatica BCRC 17941T was 32, 23 and 22 %, respectively. On the basis of phylogenetic inference, differential phenotypic data and low DNA–DNA relatedness with members of the genus Terrimonas , strain QHT represents a novel species, for which the name Terrimonas pekingensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is QHT ( = CICC 10452T  = NCCB 100397T). The descriptions of the genus Terrimonas and T. ferruginea , T. lutea and T. aquatica are also emended.

Three Gram-negative, non-motile, strictly aerobic strains, designated LNM-20T, LCM-1 and LAM-13, were isolated from thalli of the marine red alga Porphyra yezoensis. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolates were associated with the genus Polaribacter in the family Flavobacteriaceae and were most closely related to Polaribacter dokdonensis DSW-5T (96.2 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and Polaribacter gangjinensis K17-16T (95.0 %). The DNA G+C content of the isolates was 28.6–29.2 mol%. DNA–DNA hybridization analysis showed that the isolates belonged to a single species distinct from both of their closest relatives. The only isoprenoid quinone detected was menaquinone-6. The main polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminolipids and two unidentified lipids. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 1ω10c and iso-C15 : 0 3-OH. The phenotypic features of strain LNM-20T differed from those of their closest relatives in several regards (colony colour, growth with 1 % NaCl and on TSA plus 2.5 % NaCl, hydrolysis of Tweens 40 and 80, and oxidization of five carbon compounds). On the basis of phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic analysis, the isolates represent a novel species in the genus Polaribacter , for which the name Polaribacter porphyrae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LNM-20T ( = LMG 26671T  = NBRC 108759T). Emended descriptions of the genus Polaribacter and P. dokdonensis and P. gangjinensis are also proposed.

The yellow-pigmented, non-motile, Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, rod-shaped bacterial strain VI.18T was isolated from the Mediterranean sponge Axinella verrucosa collected off the coast near Sdot Yam, Israel. Results from 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that the isolate belonged to the family Flammeovirgaceae . The highest nucleotide similarity (91.4 %) occurred with Aureibacter tunicatorum A5Q-118T. The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain VI.18T were iso-C15 : 0 (56.0 %), iso-C17 : 1ω9c (22.8 %) and C16 : 0 (7.4 %) and its major respiratory quinone was MK-7. The DNA G+C content was 47.5 mol%. The strain could readily be distinguished from its phylogenetically closest relatives by phenotypic, physiological and chemotaxonomic properties. On the basis of the data from the present polyphasic study, we propose a novel genus and species within the family Flammeovirgaceae , with the name Fulvitalea axinellae gen. nov., sp. nov. Strain VI.18T ( = ATCC BAA-2395T  = LMG 26722T) is the type strain of Fulvitalea axinellae.

A Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, aerobic, non-flagellated, non-gliding rod, designated YCS-9T, was isolated from seawater in the South Sea, South Korea. Strain YCS-9T grew optimally at 25 °C, at pH 7.0–8.0 and in the presence of 2 % (w/v) NaCl. In the neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain YCS-9T fell within the family Flavobacteriaceae and formed a cluster with Fulvibacter tottoriensis MTT-39T with a bootstrap resampling value of 75.4 %. Strain YCS-9T showed 92.3 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to F. tottoriensis MTT-39T and 89.0–93.7 % sequence similarity to the other strains used in the phylogenetic analysis. Strain YCS-9T contained MK-6 as the only menaquinone and iso-C15 : 1 G, iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids were one unidentified lipid and one unidentified aminolipid. The DNA G+C content was 34.2 mol%. Strain YCS-9T could be differentiated from F. tottoriensis NBRC 102624T by differences in fatty acid composition, polar lipid profile and some phenotypic properties. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic data, strain YCS-9T represents a novel species in a new genus within the phylum Bacteroidetes , for which the name Pseudofulvibacter geojedonensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Pseudofulvibacter geojedonensis is YCS-9T ( = KCTC 23884T  = CCUG 62114T). An emended description of the genus Fulvibacter is also presented.

An orange-coloured and slender rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain PSC32T, was isolated from the gut microflora of a mussel collected from Gwangyang Bay, South Sea (Republic of Korea). Cells were Gram-reaction-negative, strictly aerobic, and catalase- and oxidase-positive. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, iso-C15 : 1 G and iso-C15 : 0 3-OH. The only isoprenoid quinone of strain PSC32T was MK-6 and the DNA G+C content was 36.9 mol%. Phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminolipid and two unidentified polar lipids were found as major polar lipids. A phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain PSC32T forms an evolutionary lineage within the genus Aquimarina and is closely related to Aquimarina spongiae A6T (97.0 % similarity) and to other members of the genus Aquimarina (94.4–96.5 %). Genomic DNA–DNA relatedness between strain PSC32T and A. spongiae A6T was 40.7 %. A number of phenotypic characteristics distinguished strain PSC32T from described members of the genus Aquimarina . On the basis of the evidence presented in this study, strain PSC32T represents a novel species, for which the name Aquimarina gracilis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PSC32T ( = KCTC 23301T = JCM 17453T). An emended description of Aquimarina spongiae is given.

A taxonomic study was carried out on a novel bacterial strain, designated AM1R11T, which was isolated from seawater of Jeju Island in Korea. Cells of the isolate were found to be Gram-negative, rod-shaped and non-motile. Comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the isolate belonged to the family Cytophagaceae , with Dyadobacter ginsengisoli Gsoil 043T as its closest relative, with a similarity of 96.6 %. It contained summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c, 36.9 %), iso-C15 : 0 (16.5 %) and C16 : 1ω5c (16.3 %) as the major fatty acids and MK-7 as the predominant menaquinone. The polar lipid profile of strain AM1R11T revealed the presence of phosphatidylethanolamine, one aminolipid and four unidentified lipids (L1, L2, L3 and L4). The DNA G+C content of strain AM1R11T was 45.1 mol%. On the basis of the evidence presented, it is concluded that strain AM1R11T represents a novel species of the genus Dyadobacter , for which the name Dyadobacter jejuensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is AM1R11T ( = KACC 16446T = JCM 17918T).

A Gram-staining-negative, non-flagellated, non-gliding, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium, designated DPS-8T, was isolated from coastal sediment of Geoje island in the South Sea, South Korea, and subjected to a polyphasic study. Strain DPS-8T grew optimally at 30 °C, at pH 7.0–7.5 and in the presence of 2 % (w/v) NaCl. A neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain DPS-8T joined the clade comprising the type strains of Winogradskyella species with a high bootstrap resampling value of 93.5 %. Phylogenetic trees constructed using maximum-likelihood and maximum-parsimony algorithms revealed that strain DPS-8T belonged to the genus Winogradskyella . Strain DPS-8T exhibited 94.1–96.5 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to the type strains of species of the genus Winogradskyella . Strain DPS-8T contained MK-6 as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C15 : 1 G, iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and C16 : 1ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids of strain DPS-8T were phosphatidylethanolamine and two unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content of strain DPS-8T was 34.7 mol%. Differential phenotypic properties, together with its phylogenetic distinctiveness, revealed that strain DPS-8T is separate from recognized species of the genus Winogradskyella . On the basis of the data presented, strain DPS-8T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Winogradskyella , for which the name Winogradskyella litorisediminis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DPS-8T ( = KCTC 32110T = CCUG 62215T).

Two Gram-staining-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming rod-shaped, non-motile bacteria, designated strains R156-2T and T58-2 were isolated from the roots of Cymbidium goeringii. The colonies were yellow-pigmented. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strains R156-2T and T58-2 were shown to be members of the genus Chitinophaga . Strains R156-2T and T58-2 showed the greatest level of sequence similarity with Chitinophaga niabensis (96.0–96.3 %). The major menaquinone was MK-7. The main cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1ω5c and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. Phenotypic and genotypic analyses indicated that strains R156-2T and T58-2 could not be assigned to any recognized species. Therefore, strains R156-2T and T58-2 represent a novel species of the genus Chitinophaga , for which the name Chitinophaga cymbidii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is R156-2T ( = ACCC 05363T = KCTC 23738T). The DNA G+C content of this strain is 51.9 mol%.

A coccoid and amorphous-shaped, non-gliding, proteorhodopsin-containing, yellow bacterium, designated strain SG-18T, was isolated from seawater in the western North Pacific Ocean near Japan. The strain was Gram-stain-negative, obligately aerobic, heterotrophic and oxidase-positive. It hydrolysed aesculin but not DNA, urea, gelatin or agar. Growth occurred in the presence of 1–5 % NaCl, with optimum growth at 2 % NaCl. The strain grew at 15–37 °C with an optimum temperature of 25–30 °C. The DNA G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain SG-18T was 47.0 mol% (HPLC). The predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-6, and major cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 1 G, iso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 3-OH. Phylogenetic trees generated by using 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain SG-18T belonged to the family Flavobacteriaceae and showed 92.7 % sequence similarity to the most closely related species, Croceitalea eckloniae DOKDO 025T. On the basis of phenotypic and phylogenetic features, strain SG-18T is classified as representing a novel species of a new genus within the family Flavobacteriaceae , for which the name Aureicoccus marinus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is SG-18T ( = NBRC 108814T = KCTC 23967T).

The genus Leptospira currently comprises 16 named species. In addition, four unnamed hybridization groups were designated Leptospira genomospecies 1, 3, 4 and 5. These groups represent valid species-level taxa, but were not assigned names in the original description by Brenner et al. [Int J Syst Bacteriol 49, 839–858 (1999)]. To rectify this situation, it is proposed that Leptospira genomospecies 1, genomospecies 3, genomospecies 4 and genomospecies 5 should be classified as Leptospira alstonii sp. nov., Leptospira vanthielii sp. nov., Leptospira terpstrae sp. nov. and Leptospira yanagawae sp. nov., respectively, with strains L. alstonii 79601T ( = ATCC BAA-2439T), L. vanthielii WaZ HollandT ( = ATCC 700522T), L. terpstrae LT 11-33T ( = ATCC 700639T) and L. yanagawae Sao PauloT ( = ATCC 700523T) as the type strains. The type strains are also available from the culture collections of the WHO Collaborating Centres in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Brisbane, Australia.

A Gram-negative, rod-shaped, aerobic bacterial strain, designated EBTL01T, was isolated from activated sludge by using metabolites of microalgae Ankistrodesmus gracilis SAG278-2. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain EBTL01T belongs to the family Verrucomicrobiaceae , class Verrucomicrobiae , and is related most closely to Luteolibacter pohnpeiensis A4T-83T (95.5 % sequence similarity) and Luteolibacter algae A5J-41-2T (95.2 %). The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain EBTL01T was 56.3 mol% and the menaquinone MK-9 was detected as the predominant quinone. Major fatty acid components were iso-C14 : 0, C16 : 1ω7c and C16 : 0. The amino acids of the cell-wall peptidoglycan contained muramic acid and meso-diaminopimelic acid. These profile results supported the affiliation of strain EBTL01T to the genus Luteolibacter . On the other hand, based on chemotaxonomic properties and phenotypic characteristics, strain EBTL01T could be clearly differentiated from its phylogenetic neighbours. Therefore, strain EBTL01T represents a novel species of the genus Luteolibacter , for which the name Luteolibacter yonseiensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is EBTL01T ( = KCTC 23678T = JCM 18052T).

Twenty-three yeast strains traditionally identified as Zygosaccharomyces bailii were studied in order to clarify their taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships. The molecular phylogeny from rRNA gene sequences showed that these yeasts were well divided into three major groups, and two of the groups could be clearly distinguished from the type strain of Z. bailii at the species level. Therefore, we propose Zygosaccharomyces parabailii sp. nov. (type strain ATCC 56075T  = NBRC 1047T  = NCYC 128T  = CBS 12809T) and Zygosaccharomyces pseudobailii sp. nov. (type strain ATCC 56074T  = NBRC 0488T  = CBS 2856T) to accommodate the yeasts belonging to the two groups. By conventional physiological tests, Z. bailii and the two novel species are not clearly distinguished from one another, as variations exist more frequently between individual strains and are not species-specific. However, the conclusions from rRNA gene sequence analyses are well supported by genome fingerprinting patterns as well as other protein-coding gene sequence comparisons.

The morphology and morphogenesis of the stylonychine hypotrich Rigidohymena candens (Kahl, 1932) Berger, 2011, isolated from garden soil in Qingdao, China, were investigated using live observation and protargol impregnation methods. The Qingdao isolate possesses all diagnostic morphological characters of R. candens. The main events during binary fission are as follows: (i) the proter retains the parental adoral zone of membranelles entirely, whereas the old undulating membranes dedifferentiate into an anlage that gives rise to the leftmost frontal cirrus and the new undulating membranes of the proter; (ii) five streaks of fronto-ventral-transverse cirral anlagen are segmented in the pattern 3 : 3 : 3 : 4 : 4 from left to right, which form two frontal, four frontoventral, one buccal, five ventral and five transverse cirri, respectively; (iii) dorsal morphogenesis is in the typical Oxytricha pattern; (iv) three caudal cirri are formed, one at the posterior end of each of dorsal kineties 1, 2 and 4; and (v) the postoral ventral cirrus V/3 is not involved in primordia formation. The morphological and morphogenetic observations and phylogenetic analyses based on the small-subunit rDNA sequence data support the validity of Rigidohymena Berger, 2011 and its systematic position in the subfamily Stylonychinae.

‘Holospora acuminata’ infects micronuclei of Paramecium bursaria (Protozoa, Ciliophora), whereas ‘Holospora curviuscula’ infects the macronucleus in other clones of the same host species. Because these micro-organisms have not been cultivated, their description has been based only on some morphological properties and host and nuclear specificities. One16S rRNA gene sequence of ‘H. curviuscula’ is present in databases. The systematic position of the representative strain of ‘H. curviuscula’, strain MC-3, was determined in this study. Moreover, for the first time, two strains of ‘H. acuminata’, KBN10-1 and AC61-10, were investigated. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that all three strains belonged to the genus Holospora , family Holosporaceae , order Rickettsiales within the Alphaproteobacteria .