- Volume 65, Issue Pt_1, 2015

A novel Gram-staining-negative, rod-shaped bacterium, designated DCY78T, was isolated from soil of a ginseng field in Yeon-cheon province (38° 04′ 00″ N 126° 57′ 00″ E), Republic of Korea. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain DCY78T belonged to the genus Epilithonimonas and was most closely related to Epilithonimonas lactis DSM 19921T (98.5 % sequence similarity) and Epilithonimonas tenax DSM 16811T (97.8 %). Growth occurred at 10–30 °C with an optimum temperature of 28 °C. The pH range for growth was pH 5.5–8.0. The major polar lipids were found to be phosphatidylethanolamine three unidentified amino lipids and one unidentified polar lipid. The only predominant quinone was MK-6. The major polyamines were sym-homospermidine and spermidine. The major fatty acids were summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω6c and/or C16 : 1ω7c), iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. The DNA G+C content was 37.9 mol%. On the basis of the phenotypic and genotypic analysis, the isolate is classified as representative of a novel species in the genus Epilithonimonas , for which the name Epilithonimonas ginsengisoli is proposed. The type strain is DCY78T ( = KCTC 32174T = JCM 19896T).

A Gram-staining-negative, aerobic, yellow, non-flagellated, non-gliding, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain IMCC1021T, was isolated off the coast of the East Sea. Optimal growth of strain IMCC1021T was observed at 25 °C, pH 7.0–7.5 and in the presence of 3.0–3.5 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the strain belonged to the genus Mesonia , showing a close relationship with Mesonia mobilis KMM 6059T (97.4 % similarity) followed by Mesonia phycicola MDSW-25T (96.1 %). DNA–DNA relatedness between strain IMCC1021T and M. mobilis KMM 6059T was 17.5 % (reciprocal 7.4 %), which indicated that the new isolate represents a novel genomic species of the genus Mesonia . The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, and the G+C content of the genomic DNA was 41.4 mol%. Strain IMCC1021T contained menaquinone-6 (MK-6) as the respiratory quinone, and polar lipids comprising phosphatidylethanolamine, two unknown aminolipids and three unknown polar lipids. On the basis of the phylogenetic distinctions and differential phenotypic characteristics, it is suggested that strain IMCC1021T ( = KCTC 32320T = NBRC 109485T) should be assigned to the genus Mesonia as the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Mesonia aquimarina sp. nov. is proposed.

A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, non-flagellated, non-gliding, oxidase-positive and yellow-pigmented rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain SW169T, was isolated from a surface seawater sample collected from the South Pacific Gyre (27° 55′ S 123° 10′ W) during the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 329. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain SW169T belonged to the genus Spongiibacterium and showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Spongiibacterium flavum A11T (95.9 %). It showed 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 93.2–94.8 % with members of the genera Croceitalea and Flagellimonas in the family Flavobacteriaceae . Optimal growth occurred in the presence of 3–4 % (w/v) NaCl, at pH 8.0 and at 28 °C. The DNA G+C content of strain SW169T was 43.3 mol%. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 1 G, iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, iso-C15 : 0 3-OH and summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c,). The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone-6. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminolipid and one unidentified lipid. On the basis of the polyphasic analyses, strain SW169T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Spongiibacterium , for which the name Spongiibacterium pacificum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SW169T ( = JCM 18379T = LMG 26997T). An emended description of the genus Spongiibacterium is also provided.

Two novel strains, T9T and T10, were isolated from water samples collected from Chishui River flowing through Maotai town, Guizhou, south-west China. The isolates were yellow-pigmented, Gram-reaction-negative, rod-shaped, non-motile and aerobic. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the isolates belonged to the genus Flavobacterium , and showed highest similarities to Flavobacterium hibernum DSM 12611T (97.0 %), followed by Flavobacterium granuli Kw05T (96.7 %) and Flavobacterium pectinovorum DSM 6368T (96.7 %). The novel strains were able to grow at 20–37 °C (optimum 25 °C), pH 7.0–10.0 (optimum pH 7.0–8.0) and with 0–0.5 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 0.5 %). The predominant fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1ω7c, anteiso-C15 : 0, C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 3-OH and iso-C15 : 1ω10c, and menaquinone-6 (MK-6) was the main respiratory quinone. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, one unknown glycolipid, two unknown aminolipids and two unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C contents of strains T9T and T10 were 37.7 and 36.4 mol%, respectively. According to the phenotypic and genetic data, strains T9T and T10 represent a novel species in the genus Flavobacterium , for which the name Flavobacterium maotaiense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is T9T ( = CGMCC 1.12712T = JCM 19927T).

A Gram-staining-negative, yellow-pigmented, aerobic, rod-shaped and non-motile bacterium, PAMC 27130T, was isolated from the marine sediment of the Ross Sea, Antarctica. The temperature, pH and NaCl tolerance ranges for growth were 4–20 °C, pH 6.0–9.0 and 0.5–5.0 % (w/v) NaCl, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain PAMC 27130T belonged to the genus Psychroserpens and was closely related to Psychroserpens mesophilus , Psychroserpens damuponensis and Psychroserpens burtonensis with 97.2, 94.7 and 94.2 % sequence similarities, respectively. Genomic relatedness analyses based on average nucleotide identity and genome-to-genome distance showed that strain PAMC 27130T could be clearly distinguished from other species of the genus Psychroserpens . The genomic DNA G+C content was 32.7 mol%. The major fatty acids (>10 %) were C20 : 4ω6c (13.2 %), iso-C15 : 0 (12.3 %), iso-C15 : 1 G (11.7 %) and iso-C15 : 0 3-OH (10.0 %). The major respiratory isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone-6 (MK-6) and the polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminolipids, an unidentified phospholipid, an unidentified aminophospholipid and three unidentified lipids. On the basis of genotypic and phenotypic data collected in this study, it is proposed that strain PAMC 27130T represents a novel species of the genus Psychroserpens , for which the name Psychroserpens jangbogonensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PAMC 27130T ( = KCTC 42128T = JCM 30228T).

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic or facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped, non-motile, endospore-forming bacterium, strain A9T, was isolated in 1996 from a soil sample collected under a peach tree in Qingnian Park in Shenyang, PR China, and its taxonomic position was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain belonged to the genus Paenibacillus , and was most closely related to the type strain of Paenibacillus hunanensis with a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 96.7 % and a DNA–DNA relatedness value of 51.6 %. The major polar lipids of strain A9T were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The predominant menaquinone was MK-7 and the major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0. The DNA G+C content was 51.9 mol%. Based on these results, it is concluded that strain A9T represents a novel species of the genus Paenibacillus , for which the name Paenibacillus shenyangensis sp. nov. is proposed, with A9T ( = JCM 19307T = CGMCC 2040T) as the type strain.

A novel mineral-weathering bacterium was isolated from weathered rock (potassic trachyte) surfaces collected from Nanjing (Jiangsu, PR China). Cells of strain JN246T were Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped and non-motile. Strain JN246T was aerobic, catalase- and oxidase-positive, and grew optimally at 28 °C and pH 7.0. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain JN246T belonged to the genus Chitinophaga and the closest phylogenetic relatives were Chitinophaga eiseniae YC6729T (98.5 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Chitinophaga terrae KP01T (96.8 %), and Chitinophaga jiangningensis JN53T (96.3 %). The major respiratory quinone was MK-7 and the major polyamine was homospermidine. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1ω5c, C16 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. The polar lipid profile of strain JN246T consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, unknown aminolipids and unknown lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain JN246T was 48.8 mol%. Based on the low level of DNA–DNA relatedness of strain JN246T (ranging from 22.6 % to 42.4 %) to the type strains of other species of the genus Chitinophaga and unique phenotypic characteristics, strain JN246T represents a novel species of the genus Chitinophaga , for which the name Chitinophaga qingshengii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JN246T ( = CCTCC AB 2014201T = JCM 30026T).

During the study of bacteria associated with bats affected by white-nose syndrome hibernating in caves in the Czech Republic, we isolated two facultatively anaerobic, Gram-stain-negative bacteria, designated strains 12T and 52T. Strains 12T and 52T were motile, rod-like bacteria (0.5–0.6 µm in diameter; 1–1.3 µm long), with optimal growth at 20–35 °C and pH 6–8. On the basis of the almost complete sequence of their 16S rRNA genes they should be classified within the genus Serratia ; the closest relatives to strains 12T and 52T were Serratia quinivorans DSM 4597T (99.5 % similarity in 16S rRNA gene sequences) and Serratia ficaria DSM 4569T (99.5 % similarity in 16S rRNA gene sequences), respectively. DNA–DNA relatedness between strain 12T and S. quinivorans DSM 4597T was only 37.1 % and between strain 52T and S. ficaria DSM 4569T was only 56.2 %. Both values are far below the 70 % threshold value for species delineation. In view of these data, we propose the inclusion of the two isolates in the genus Serratia as representatives of Serratia myotis sp. nov. (type strain 12T = CECT 8594T = DSM 28726T) and Serratia vespertilionis sp. nov. (type strain 52T = CECT 8595T = DSM 28727T).

The genus Leptolyngbya Anagnostidis & Komárek (1988) was described from a set of strains identified as ‘LPP-group B’. The morphology within this group is not particularly informative and underestimates the group’s genetic diversity. In the present study, two new pseudanabaenacean genera related to Leptolyngbya morphotypes, Pantanalinema gen. nov. and Alkalinema gen. nov., are described under the provisions of the International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi and Plants, based on a polyphasic approach. Pantanalinema gen. nov. (type species Pantanalinema rosaneae sp. nov.) has sheaths and trichomes with slight gliding motility, which distinguish this genus from Alkalinema gen. nov. (type species Alkalinema pantanalense sp. nov.), which possesses trichomes arranged in an ornate (interwoven) pattern. 16S rRNA gene sequences of strains of Pantanalinema and Alkalinema exhibited low identity to each other (≤91.6 %) and to other sequences from known pseudanabaenacean genera (≤94.3 and 93.7 %, respectively). In a phylogenetic reconstruction, six sequences from strains of Pantanalinema and four from strains of Alkalinema formed two separate and robust clades (99 % bootstrap value), with the genera Oculatella and Phormidesmis, respectively, as the closest related groups. 16S–23S rRNA intergenic spacer sequences and secondary structures of strains of Pantanalinema and Alkalinema did not correspond to any previous descriptions. The strains of Pantanalinema and Alkalinema were able to survive and produce biomass at a range of pH (pH 4–11) and were also able to alter the culture medium to pH values ranging from pH 8.4 to 9.9. These data indicate that cyanobacterial communities in underexplored environments, such as the Pantanal wetlands, are promising sources of novel taxa.