- Volume 64, Issue Pt_9, 2014

Five strains of Gram-stain-positive bacteria were isolated from anomalous fermentations occurring in post-packaging of sealed airtight food-grade plastic pouches of Spanish-style green olives. These isolates could be grouped into two sets, which showed a similarity in their respective 16S rRNA gene sequences of 98.40 and 98.44 % with Propionibacterium acidipropionici NCFB 563 and 98.33 and 98.11 % with Propionibacterium microaerophilum M5T, respectively, and a similarity of 99.41 % between them. The 16S rRNA gene phylogeny revealed that the isolates grouped into two statistically well-supported clusters separate from P. acidipropionici NCFB 563 and P. microaerophilum M5T. Enzymic activity profiles as well as fermentation patterns differentiated these two novel bacteria from other members of the genus Propionibacterium . Finally, phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic data, supported the proposal of two novel species of the genus Propionibacterium , for which the names Propionibacterium olivae sp. nov. (type strain, IGBL1T = CECT 8061T = DSM 25436T) and Propionibacterium damnosum sp. nov. (type strain, IGBL13T = CECT 8062T = DSM 25450T) are proposed.

A novel Gram-staining-positive, aerobic bacterium, designed DCY80T, was isolated from soil of a ginseng field in the Republic of Korea. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain DCY80T belonged to the genus Brachybacterium (95.8–98.2 % similarity) and was most closely related to Brachybacterium faecium DSM 4810T (98.2 %). Colonies were circular, entire, low-convex, opaque and 0.5–1.0 mm in diameter after growth for 2 days on TSA at 30 °C. Growth occurred at 4–34 °C (optimum, 25 °C), at pH 5.0–10.0 (optimum, pH 6.5–7.0) and in the presence of 0–7.0 % NaCl. Strain DCY80T produced siderophores and was sensitive to penicillin G, erythromycin, cefazolin, oleandomycin, ceftazidime, vancomycin, tetracycline, novobiocin, carbamicillin, rifampicin and neomycin. The DNA G+C content was 71.0 mol%. Levels of DNA–DNA relatedness between strain DCY80T and B. faecium DSM 4810T, B. paraconglomeratum KCTC 9916T, B. saurashtrense DSM 23186T and B. conglomeratum KCTC 9915T were 46.9±0.5, 28.9±0.6, 20.4±0.9 and 17.3±0.4 %, respectively. The cell-wall peptidoglycan of strain DCY80T contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. The menaquinones were MK-7 (85.8 %) and MK-8 (14.2 %). The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0 (69.1 %) and anteiso-C17 : 0 (12.2 %). Phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified glycolipid, two unidentified phospholipids and five unidentified polar lipids were found. On the basis of our phenotypic and genotypic analyses, strain DCY80T represents a novel species of the genus Brachybacterium , for which the name Brachybacterium ginsengisoli sp. nov. is proposed (type strain DCY80T = KCTC 29226T = JCM 19356T).

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, motile by gliding, rod-shaped bacterial strain, THG-GM18T, was isolated from soil of a bamboo grove. Strain THG-GM18T was able to grow in the presence of up to 6.0 % (w/v) NaCl, at 4–37 °C and at pH 7.0–10.0 in R2A medium. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strain THG-GM18T was closely related to species of the genus Arthrobacter . The most closely related strains to strain THG-GM18T are Arthrobacter ramosus CCM 1646T (98.5 % similarity), Arthrobacter nitroguajacolicus G2-1T (98.4 %), Arthrobacter nicotinovorans DSM 420T (98.2 %), Arthrobacter aurescens DSM 20116T (98.1 %) and Arthrobacter chlorophenolicus A6T (98.0 %). Strain THG-GM18T possessed chemotaxonomic properties consistent with those of members of the genus Arthrobacter , such as peptidoglycan type A3α (l-Lys–l-Ala–l-Thr–l-Ala), MK-9 as major menaquinone and anteiso- and iso-branched compounds (anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0) as major cellular fatty acids. The polar lipid profile contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified phosphoglycolipid, unidentified phospholipids, unidentified aminolipids, an unidentified glycolipid and unidentified lipids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 61.0 mol%. The DNA–DNA relatedness values between strain THG-GM18T and its closest phylogenetic neighbours were below 26.0 %. The results of physiological and biochemical tests allowed the differentiation of strain THG-GM18T from species of the genus Arthrobacter with validly published names. Arthrobacter bambusae sp. nov. is the proposed name, and the type strain is THG-GM18T ( = KACC 17531T = JCM 19335T).

An actinomycete strain, designated I12A-02593T, was isolated from a desert soil crust sample collected in the Shapotou region of Tengger Desert, north-west China. The isolate grew well on International Streptomyces Project (ISP) media 2, 3, 5 and 7, YS and Bennett’s agar; it produced spherical bodies and formed clumps on the aerial mycelia on ISP 5 agar plates. Chemotaxonomically, the strain contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid, arabinose and galactose as the diagnostic sugars in whole-cell hydrolysates, MK-9(H4) as the sole isoprenoid quinone, and iso-C16 : 0, iso-C16 : 0 2-OH and iso-C16 : 1 H as the major cellular fatty acids, without mycolic acids. The profile of the phospholipids mainly comprised diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and hydroxyphosphatidylethanolamine. The genomic DNA G+C content was 70.1 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain I12A-02593T exhibited 96.4–97.4 % similarities with members of the genus Actinophytocola . In the phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, the isolate formed a robust cluster with Actinophytocola oryzae NBRC 105245T, Aactinophytocola timorensis NBRC 105524T, Actinophytocola corallina NBRC 105525T, Actinophytocola burenkhanensis NBRC 105883Tand Actinophytocola xinjiangensis NBRC 106673T. DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain I12A-02593T and the five species of the genus Actinophytocola were all less than 70 %. On the basis of the polyphasic taxonomy evidence, a novel species of the genus Actinophytocola is proposed, with the name Actinophytocola gilvus sp. nov. The type strain is I12A-02593T ( = CPCC 203543T = DSM 45828T = NBRC 109453T = KCTC 29165T). An emended description of the genus Actinophytocola is also provided.

The taxonomic positions of two novel actinomycetes, designated strains BNT558T and SM3501T, were established by using a polyphasic approach. The organisms had chemical and morphological features that were consistent with their classification in the genus Streptomyces . The whole-cell hydrolysates of the two strains contained ll-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H6) and MK-9(H8) for strain BNT558T and MK-9(H8) and MK-9(H6) for strain SM3501T. Major fatty acids of the strains were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The polar lipid profile of strain BNT558T contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, one unidentified glycolipid and one unidentified aminophospholipid, while that of strain SM3501T consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified atypical aminolipids, one unidentified aminolipid and two unidentified glycolipids. The G+C contents of the genomic DNA were 70.2 and 69.6 mol% for strains BNT558T and SM3501T, respectively. 16S rRNA gene sequence data supported the classification of the isolates in the genus Streptomyces and showed that they formed two distinct branches within the genus. Based on almost-complete 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain BNT558T was related most closely to Streptomyces albiaxialis NRRL B-24327T and strain SM3501T was related most closely to Streptomyces cacaoi subsp. cacaoi NBRC 12748T. DNA–DNA relatedness between each of the isolates and its closest phylogenetic neighbours showed that they belonged to distinct species. The two isolates were readily distinguished from one another and from the type strains of the other species classified in the genus Streptomyces based on a combination of phenotypic and genotypic properties. Based on the genotypic and phenotypic evidence, strains BNT558T and SM3501T belong to two novel species in the genus Streptomyces , for which the names Streptomyces iconiensis sp. nov. (type strain BNT558T = KCTC 29198T = DSM 42109T) and Streptomyces smyrnaeus sp. nov. (type strain SM3501T = KCTC 29214T = DSM 42105T) are proposed, respectively.

A novel strain, designated strain CU3-7T, was isolated from faeces of a two-week-old baby. The isolate was Gram-staining-positive, anaerobic and rod-shaped. Results from 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain CU3-7T was phylogenetically affiliated with members of the genus Bifidobacterium . Strain CU3-7T showed the highest level of sequence similarity with Bifidobacterium adolescentis KCTC 3216T (98.4 %), followed by Bifidobacterium ruminantium KCTC 3425T (97.9 %). Analysis of hsp60 sequences showed that strain CU3-7T was closely related to B. adolescentis KCTC 3216T (94.0 %) and B. ruminantium KCTC 3425T (92.5 %). The DNA–DNA hybridization values with the closely related strains were all below the cut-off value for species delineation, 17.0 % with B. ruminantium KCTC 3425T and 14.9 % with B. adolescentis KCTC 3216T. Fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase activity was detected. The predominant cellular fatty acids were C16 : 0 (27.7 %), C18 : 1ω9c (27.4 %) and C18 : 1ω9c dimethylacetate (15.5 %). The DNA G+C content was 58.6 mol%. On the basis of polyphasic taxonomy, strain CU3-7T should be classified as the type strain of a novel species within the genus Bifidobacterium , for which the name Bifidobacterium faecale sp. nov. is proposed ( = KACC 17904T = JCM 19861T).

A Gram-stain-positive, obligately anaerobic, short rod, designated strain HHRM1715T, was isolated from the blood of a patient with Fournier’s gangrene, complicated by sepsis. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain HHRM1715T was shown to belong to the genus Atopobium and was most closely related to Atopobium minutum (95 % similarity). The results of 16S rRNA-gene-based phylogenetic analysis, cellular fatty acid analysis and differential biochemical tests, showed that strain HHRM1715T represented a novel species of the genus Atopobium . We therefore describe Atopobium deltae sp. nov. with HHRM1715T ( = LMG 27987T = CCUG 65171T) as the type strain and propose an emended description of the genus Atopobium with regard to the DNA G+C content.

A pure culture of an actinobacterium previously described as ‘Candidatus Rhodoluna lacicola ’ strain MWH-Ta8 was established and deposited in two public culture collections. Strain MWH-Ta8T represents a free-living planktonic freshwater bacterium obtained from hypertrophic Meiliang Bay, Lake Taihu, PR China. The strain was characterized by phylogenetic and taxonomic investigations, as well as by determination of its complete genome sequence. Strain MWH-Ta8T is noticeable due to its unusually low values of cell size (0.05 µm3), genome size (1.43 Mbp), and DNA G+C content (51.5 mol%). Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene and RpoB sequences suggested that strain MWH-Ta8T is affiliated with the family Microbacteriaceae with Pontimonas salivibrio being its closest relative among the currently described species within this family. Strain MWH-Ta8T and the type strain of Pontimonas salivibrio shared a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 94.3 %. The cell-wall peptidoglycan of strain MWH-Ta8T was of type B2β (B10), containing 2,4-diaminobutyric acid as the diamino acid. The predominant cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0 (36.5 %), iso-C16 : 0 (16.5 %), iso-C15 : 0 (15.6 %) and iso-C14 : 0 (8.9 %), and the major (>10 %) menaquinones were MK-11 and MK-12. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and two unknown glycolipids. The combined phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data clearly suggest that strain MWH-Ta8T represents a novel species of a new genus in the family Microbacteriaceae , for which the name Rhodoluna lacicola gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is MWH-Ta8T ( = DSM 23834T = LMG 26932T).

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming, cocci-shaped actinobacterium, designated strain EBR4-1-2T, was isolated from a biofilm reactor in Korea. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence studies showed the isolate was clearly affiliated with the class Actinobacteria , and was related most closely to Flaviflexus huanghaiensis H5T, showing 98.9 % similarity. Cells of strain EBR4-1-2T formed yellow colonies on R2A agar, contained MK-9(H4) as the predominant menaquinone, and included C18 : 1ω9c, C16 : 0, C16 : 1ω9c and C14 : 0 as the major fatty acids. The cell-wall peptidoglycan type was A5α (l-Lys–l-Ala–l-Lys–d-Glu). The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain EBR4-1-2T was 65.6 mol%. Thus, the combined genotypic and phenotypic data supported the conclusion that strain EBR4-1-2T represents a novel species of the genus Flaviflexus , for which the name Flaviflexus salsibiostraticola sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is EBR4-1-2T ( = KCTC 33148T = JCM 19016T).

Two novel actinobacteria, strains MUSC 135T and MUSC 137, were isolated from mangrove soil at Tanjung Lumpur, Malaysia. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and DNA–DNA relatedness between strains MUSC 135T and MUSC 137 were 100 % and 83±3.2 %, confirming that these two strains should be classified in the same species. Strain MUSC 135T exhibited a broad-spectrum bacteriocin against the pathogens meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain ATCC BAA-44, Salmonella typhi ATCC 19430T and Aeromonas hydrophila ATCC 7966T. A polyphasic approach was used to study the taxonomy of MUSC 135T, and it showed a range of phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic properties consistent with those of the genus Streptomyces . The diamino acid of the cell-wall peptidoglycan was ll-diaminopimelic acid. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H6), MK-9(H4) and MK-9(H8). Polar lipids detected were a lipid, an aminolipid, a phospholipid, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylethanolamine and two glycolipids. The predominant cellular fatty acids (>10.0 %) were anteiso-C15 : 0 (20.8 %), iso-C16 : 0 (18.0 %), iso-C15 : 0 (12.2 %) and anteiso-C17 : 0 (11.6 %). The whole-cell sugars were ribose, glucose and mannose. These results suggested that MUSC 135T should be placed within the genus Streptomyces . Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence exhibited that the most closely related strains were Streptomyces cinereospinus NBRC 15397T (99.18 % similarity), Streptomyces mexicanus NBRC 100915T (99.17 %) and Streptomyces coeruleofuscus NBRC 12757T (98.97 %). DNA–DNA relatedness between MUSC 135T and closely related type strains ranged from 26.3±2.1 to 49.6±2.5 %. BOX-PCR fingerprint comparisons showed that MUSC 135T exhibited a unique DNA profile. The DNA G+C content determined was 70.7±0.3 mol%. Based on our polyphasic study of MUSC 135T, the strain merits assignment to a novel species, for which the name Streptomyces pluripotens sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MUSC 135T ( = MCCC 1K00252T = DSM 42140T).

A novel strain of the genus Promicromonospora , designated HM 792T, was isolated from soil in Fars Province, Iran. On ISP 2 medium, the yellow-pigmented isolate produced long and branched hyphae that developed into a large number of irregularly shaped spores. It showed growth at 25–30 °C and pH 6.0–9.0 with 0–8 % (w/v) NaCl. Chemotaxonomic and molecular characteristics of the isolate matched those described for members of the genus Promicromonospora . Whole-cell hydrolysates of strain HM 792T contained the amino acids d-glutamic acid, l-alanine and l-lysine along with the sugars glucose and ribose. The main polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, two unknown phospholipids, two unknown glycolipids and two unknown phosphoglycolipids, complemented by minor concentrations of phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylglycerol. MK-9(H4) was the predominant menaquinone. The fatty-acid pattern was composed mainly of the saturated branched-chain acids anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed the highest pairwise sequence identity (96.6–99.0 %) with the members of the genus Promicromonospora . Based on phenotypic and genotypic features, strain HM 792T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Promicromonospora , for which the name Promicromonospora iranensis sp. nov. is proposed. Strain HM 792T ( = DSM 45554T = UTMC00792T = CCUG 63022T) is the type strain.

Strains CUPV261T and CUPV262 were isolated from ropy natural ciders of the Basque Country, Spain, in 2007. Cells are Gram-stain positive, non-spore-forming, motile rods, facultative anaerobes and catalase-negative. The strains are obligately homofermentative (final product dl-lactate) and produce exopolysaccharides from sucrose. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the highest similarity to both isolates corresponded to the type strain of Lactobacillus vini (99.1 %), followed by Lactobacillus satsumensis (96.4 %), and Lactobacillus oeni (96.2 %), and for all other established species, 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities were below 96 %. The species delineation of strains CUPV261T and CUPV262 was evaluated through RAPD fingerprinting. In addition, a random partial genome pyrosequencing approach was performed on strain CUPV261T in order to compare it with the genome sequence of Lactobacillus vini DSM 20605T and calculate indexes of average nucleotide identity (ANI) between them. Results permit the conclusion that strains CUPV261T and CUPV262 represent a novel species of the genus Lactobacillus , for which the name Lactobacillus sicerae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CUPV261T ( = CECT 8227T = KCTC 21012T).

Strains YIM 77562T and YIM 77580, two novel Gram-staining-positive, filamentous bacterial isolates, were recovered from the Rehai geothermal field, Tengchong, Yunnan province, south-west China. Good growth was observed at 50–55 °C and pH 7.0. Aerial mycelium was absent on all media tested. Substrate mycelium was well-developed, long and moderately flexuous, and formed abundant, single, warty, ornamented endospores. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of the two strains indicated that they belong to the family Thermoactinomycetaceae . Similarity levels between the 16S rRNA gene sequences of the two strains and those of type strains of members of the Thermoactinomycetaceae were 88.33–93.24 %; the highest sequence similarity was with Hazenella coriacea DSM 45707T. In both strains, the predominant menaquinone was MK-7, the diagnostic diamino acid was meso-diaminopimelic acid and the major cellular fatty acids were iso-C14 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, unidentified polar lipids and unidentified phospholipids. The genomic DNA G+C contents of strains YIM 77562T and YIM 77580 were 45.5 and 44.2 mol%, respectively. DNA–DNA relatedness data suggest that the two isolates represent a single species. Based on phylogenetic analyses and physiological and biochemical characteristics, it is proposed that the two strains represent a single novel species in a new genus, Geothermomicrobium terrae gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain of Geothermomicrobium terrae is YIM 77562T ( = CCTCC AA 2011022T = JCM 18057T).

A novel Gram-stain-positive, spore-forming, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterium designated strain SD111T that forms red-pigmented colonies was isolated from a marine sediment sample (collected from 5 m depth) from Lakshadweep, India. Strain SD111T grew well on seawater agar at pH 6–10 (optimum pH 7.5±0.2). It showed maximum (97.6 %) 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and formed a monophyletic clade with Domibacillus robiginosus WS 4628T ( = DSM 25058T). The genomic DNA G+C content was 37.4 mol% and the strain showed 37.7 % DNA–DNA relatedness to D. robiginosus DSM 25058T. The major fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0 and MK-6 was the predominant quinone. The polar lipid profile of strain SD111T consisted of unidentified phospholipids (PL1 and PL2), phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG). The cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and the peptidoglycan was of A1γ type. Glucose and ribose were detected as major cell-wall sugars. Results from polyphasic studies indicated that SD111T represents a novel species of the genus Domibacillus for which the name Domibacillus indicus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SD111T ( = MCC 2255T = DSM 28032T).

A bacterial strain designated RLAHU15T was isolated from root nodules of Lupinus albus in Spain. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences placed the isolate in the genus Paenibacillus , with its closest relatives being Paenibacillus catalpae D75T, Paenibacillus glycanilyticus DS-1T, Paenibacillus endophyticus PECAE04T and Paenibacillus xinjiangensis B538T with 98.8 %, 98.9 %, 97.4 % and 97.4 % similarity, respectively. DNA–DNA hybridization studies showed values lower than 45 % between the strain RLAHU15T and any of these species. The isolate was a Gram-stain positive, motile and sporulating rod. Catalase activity was weak and oxidase activity was positive. Casein and starch were hydrolysed but gelatin was not. Growth was supported by many carbohydrates and organic acids as carbon sources. MK-7 was the only menaquinone detected and anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0 were the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, three unidentified phospholipids and an unidentified lipid. meso-Diaminopimelic acid was detected in the peptidoglycan. The DNA G+C content was 54.4 mol%. Phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic analyses showed that strain RLAHU15T represents a novel species of the genus Paenibacillus , for which the name Paenibacillus lupini sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is RLAHU15T ( = LMG 27296T = CECT 8235T).

We previously discovered a symbiotic lactic acid bacterial (LAB) microbiota in the honey stomach of the honeybee Apis mellifera. The microbiota was composed of several phylotypes of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus . 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses and phenotypic and genetic characteristics revealed that the phylotypes isolated represent seven novel species. One grouped with Lactobacillus kunkeei and the others belong to the Lactobacillus buchneri and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subgroups of Lactobacillus . We propose the names Lactobacillus apinorum sp. nov., Lactobacillus mellifer sp. nov., Lactobacillus mellis sp. nov., Lactobacillus melliventris sp. nov., Lactobacillus kimbladii sp. nov., Lactobacillus helsingborgensis sp. nov. and Lactobacillus kullabergensis sp. nov. for these novel species, with the respective type strains being Fhon13NT ( = DSM 26257T = CCUG 63287T), Bin4NT ( = DSM 26254T = CCUG 63291T), Hon2NT ( = DSM 26255T = CCUG 63289T), Hma8NT ( = DSM 26256T = CCUG 63629T), Hma2NT ( = DSM 26263T = CCUG 63633T), Bma5NT ( = DSM 26265T = CCUG 63301T) and Biut2NT ( = DSM 26262T = CCUG 63631T).

A facultatively alkaliphilic, lactic-acid-producing and halophilic strain, designated SG103T, was isolated from a fermented Polygonum indigo (Polygonum tinctorium Lour.) liquor sample for dyeing prepared in a laboratory. 16S rRNA gene sequence phylogeny suggested that SG103T is a member of the genus Gracilibacillus with the closest relatives being ‘Gracilibacillus xinjiangensis’ J2 (similarity: 97.06 %), Gracilibacillus thailandensis TP2-8T (97.06 %) and Gracilibacillus halotolerans NNT (96.87 %). Cells of the isolate stained Gram-positive and were facultatively anaerobic straight rods that were motile by peritrichous flagella. The strain grew at temperatures between 13 and 48 °C with the optimum at 39 °C. It grew in the range pH 7–10 with the optimum at pH 9. The isoprenoid quinone detected was menaquinone-7 (MK-7) and the DNA G+C content was 41.3 mol%. The whole-cell fatty acid profile mainly (>10 %) consisted of iso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0. Unlike other reported species of the genus Gracilibacillus , the strain lacked diphosphatidylglycerol as a major polar lipid. DNA–DNA hybridization experiments with strains exhibiting greater than 96.87 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, ‘G. xinjiangensis’ J2, G. thailandensis TP2-8T and G. halotolerans NNT, revealed 2±4 %, 4±9 % and 3±2 % relatedness, respectively. On the basis of the differences in phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, and the results of phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and DNA–DNA relatedness data from reported species of the genus Gracilibacillus , strain SG103T merits classification as a members of a novel species, for which the name Gracilibacillus alcaliphilus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SG103T ( = JCM 17253T = NCIMB 14683T).