- Volume 65, Issue Pt_2, 2015

This listing of names of prokaryotes published in a previous issue of the IJSEM is provided as a service to bacteriology to assist in the recognition of new names and new combinations. This procedure was proposed by the Judicial Commission [Minute 11(ii), Int J Syst Bacteriol 41 (1991), p. 185]. The names given herein are listed according to the Rules of priority (i.e. page number and order of valid publication of names in the original articles).

Two novel acidothermophilic archaea, strains Ric-AT and Ric-F, were isolated from muddy water samples of a sulfuric hot spring located in Tengchong County, Yunnan Province, PR China. The strains were aerobic and facultatively chemolithoautotrophic. Both strains could oxidize S0 and K2S4O6 for autotrophic growth, and could use organic materials for heterotrophic growth. Growth was observed at 55–75 °C and pH 1.5–6.5. The strains could oxidize metal sulfide ores, showing their potential in bioleaching. The DNA G+C contents of strains Ric-AT and Ric-F were 41.8 and 41.6 mol%, respectively. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the two strains shared 99.8 % sequence similarity to each other, but <97 % to other known species of the genus Metallosphaera . DNA–DNA hybridization indicated that the isolates were different strains of a novel species of the genus Metallosphaera . Strains Ric-AT and Ric-F also shared a number of physiological and biochemical characteristics that distinguished them from recognized species of the genus Metallosphaera . On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic comparisons with their closest relatives, it was concluded that strains Ric-AT and Ric-F represent a novel species of the genus Metallosphaera , for which the name Metallosphaera tengchongensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Ric-AT ( = NBRC 109472T = CGMCC 1.12287T).

Two halophilic archaeal strains, TRM20010T and TRM20345T, were isolated from saline soil of the Lop Nur region in Xinjiang, north-west China. Cells from the two strains were pleomorphic rods, stained Gram-negative and produced red-pigmented colonies. Strains TRM20010T and TRM20345T were able to grow at 30–62 °C (optimum 37 °C), 0.9–5.1 M NaCl (optimum 2.6 and 3.4 M, respectively) and pH 6.0–10.0 (optimum pH 7.0−7.5) and neither strain required Mg2+ for growth. The major polar lipids of the two strains were phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester (PGP-Me), two glycolipids chromatographically identical to galactosyl mannosyl glucosyl diether (TGD-1) and disulfated mannosyl glucosyl diether (S2-DGD). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA and rpoB′ genes revealed that strains TRM20010T and TRM20345T clustered together and formed a distinct clade separated from the related genera Halovivax , Haloterrigena , Halostagnicola , Natronolimnobius and Natrinema . The DNA G+C contents of strains TRM20010T and TRM20345T were 63.9 and 63.8 mol%, respectively. The DNA–DNA hybridization value between strain TRM20010T and strain TRM20345T was 42.8 %. The phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic properties suggested that strains TRM20010T and TRM20345T represent two novel species in a new genus within the family Halobacteriaceae , for which the names Natribaculum breve gen. nov., sp. nov. (type strain TRM20010T = CCTCC AB2013112T = NRRL B-59996T) and Natribaculum longum sp. nov. (type strain TRM20345T = CCTCC AB2013113T = NRRL B-59997T) are proposed.

A Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, rod- or coccoid-shaped actinobacterium, designated strain A33T, was isolated from a forest soil sample from Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, PR China. The strain grew optimally at 30 °C, pH 7.0 and with 3 % NaCl (w/v). Phylogenetic analysis of the strain, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, showed that it was most closely related to Arthrobacter woluwensis (98.4 % sequence similarity), Arthrobacter humicola (97.5 %), Arthrobacter globiformis (97.4 %), Arthrobacter oryzae (97.3 %) and Arthrobacter cupressi (97.0 %). The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0; MK-9(H2) was the predominant respiratory quinone. The polar lipids comprised diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and three glycolipids. Cell-wall analysis revealed that the peptidoglycan type was A3α, based on l-lysine-l-alanine; the cell-wall sugars were galactose and mannose. The genomic G+C content of strain A33T was 66.8 mol%. The low DNA–DNA relatedness values between strain A33T and recognized species of the genus Arthrobacter and many phenotypic properties supported the classification of strain A33T as a representative of a novel species of the genus Arthrobacter , for which the name Arthrobacter nanjingensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is A33T ( = CCTCC AB 2014069T = DSM 28237T).

A Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped and non-motile strain, designated PAMC 27367T, was isolated from rainwater collected on the Bering Sea. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of the strain showed an affiliation with the genus Rhodococcus . Phylogenetic analyses revealed that strain PAMC 27367T formed a robust clade with the type strains of Rhodococcus rhodnii , Rhodococcus aetherivorans and Rhodococcus ruber with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 96.3 %, 95.8 % and 95.5 %, respectively. Cells of the strain grew optimally at 25 °C and at pH 6.5–7.0 in the presence of 0–2 % (w/v) sea salts. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside and three unknown phospholipids. The major cellular fatty acids (>10 %) were iso-C16 : 0, C17 : 1ω8c and 10-methyl C17 : 0. Cell wall analysis showed that strain PAMC 27367T contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. The genomic DNA G+C content was 77.1 mol%. Based on the phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic data presented here, we propose a novel species with the name Rhodococcus aerolatus sp. nov., with PAMC 27367T ( = KCTC 29240T = JCM 19485T) as the type strain.

A novel actinobacterium, strain BC637T, was isolated from a biodeteriogenic biofilm sample collected in 2009 in the Saint Callixstus Roman catacomb. The strain was found to belong to the genus Kribbella by analysis of the 16S rRNA gene. Phylogenetic analysis using the 16S rRNA gene and the gyrB, rpoB, relA, recA and atpD concatenated gene sequences showed that strain BC637T was most closely related to the type strains of Kribbella lupini and Kribbella endophytica . DNA–DNA hybridization experiments confirmed that strain BC637T is a genomic species that is distinct from its closest phylogenetic relatives, K. endophytica DSM 23718T (63 % DNA relatedness) and K. lupini LU14T (63 % DNA relatedness). Physiological comparisons showed that strain BC637T is phenotypically distinct from the type strains of K. endophytica and K. lupini . Thus, strain BC637T represents the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Kribella italica sp. nov. is proposed ( = DSM 28967T = NRRL B-59155T).

Six strains of a rapidly growing scotochromogenic mycobacterium were isolated from pulmonary specimens of independent patients. Biochemical and cultural tests were not suitable for their identification. The mycolic acid pattern analysed by HPLC was different from that of any other mycobacterium. Genotypic characterization, targeting seven housekeeping genes, revealed the presence of microheterogeneity in all of them. Different species were more closely related to the test strains in various regions: the type strain of Mycobacterium moriokaense showed 99.0 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, and 91.5–96.5 % similarity for the remaining six regions. The whole genome sequences of the proposed type strain and that of M. moriokaense presented an average nucleotide identity (ANI) of 82.9 %. Phylogenetic analysis produced poorly robust trees in most genes with the exception of rpoB and sodA where Mycobacterium flavescens and Mycobacterium novocastrense were the closest species. This phylogenetic relatedness was confirmed by the tree inferred from five concatenated genes, which was very robust. The polyphasic characterization of the test strains, supported by the ANI value, demonstrates that they belong to a previously unreported species, for which the name Mycobacterium celeriflavum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is AFPC-000207T ( = DSM 46765T = JCM 18439T).

A Gram-staining-positive, aerobic, motile and non-spore-forming actinobacteria, designated strain F10T, was isolated from a deep-sea sediment of the western Pacific Ocean. Phylogenetic and phenotypic properties of the organism supported that it belonged to the genus Nesterenkonia . Strain F10T shared highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 96.8 % with Nesterenkonia aethiopica DSM 17733T, followed by Nesterenkonia xinjiangensis YIM 70097T (96.7 %) and Nesterenkonia alba CAAS 252T (96.6 %). The organism grew at 4–50 °C, at pH 7.0–12.0 and in the presence of 0–12 % (w/v) NaCl, with optimal growth occurring at 40 °C, at pH 9.0 and in the presence of 1 % (w/v) NaCl. The peptidoglycan type was A4(alpha), l-Lys–Gly–l-Glu. The polar lipid profile of strain F10T consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, two unknown glycolipids and two unknown lipids. The isolate contained MK-9 (92 %) and MK-8 (5.8 %) as the major components of the menaquinone system, and anteiso-C17 : 0 (50.9 %) and anteiso-C15 : 0 (29.8 %) as the predominant fatty acids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain F10T was 66.2 mol%. Based on phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic analyses, strain F10T represents a novel species of the genus Nesterenkonia for which the name Nesterenkonia alkaliphila sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is F10T ( = LMG 28112T = CGMCC 1.12781T = JCM 19766T = MCCC 1A09946T).

A novel Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, facultatively anaerobic and rod-shaped bacterium, strain PSPT56T, was isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of a pen shell (Atrina pectinata). Optimal growth of strain PSPT56T was ascertained to occur at 30 °C, pH 8.0 and in the presence of 1–2 % (w/v) NaCl. The strain was catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. The major cellular fatty acids were C18 : 1ω9c, C16 : 0, C17 : 1ω8c and C17 : 0. Tuberculostearic acid was not present. The major cell-wall sugars were ribose, galactose, glucose and arabinose. Peptidoglycan amino acids were meso-diaminopimelic acid, alanine and glutamic acid. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-8(H2). Strain PSPT56T contained phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified phospholipid, two unidentified lipids and two unidentified amino-lipids. Mycolic acids were detected as constitutive components of the cell wall. A phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity showed that strain PSPT56T was most closely related to Corynebacterium testudinoris M935/96/4T and Corynebacterium felinum M714/95/5T with 98.69 % and 97.01 % similarity, respectively. DNA–DNA hybridization experiments indicated less than 29.9 % relatedness to the phylogenetically closest species. The G+C content of genomic DNA was 67.6 mol%. The phenotypic, phylogenetic and genotypic analyses indicated that strain PSPT56T represents a novel species within the genus Corynebacterium , for which the name Corynebacterium atrinae is proposed. The type strain is PSPT56T ( = KACC 17525T = JCM 19266T).

The remarkable host specificity of the species of the genus Actinobaculum led us to recharacterize these species by a polyphasic approach. A comparative chemotaxonomic study including analysis of whole-cell sugars, amino acid composition of the peptidoglycan, fatty acid methyl esters, respiratory quinones and polar lipids revealed significant differences that, in combination with molecular data, support a dissection of the genus Actinobaculum . The proposals of this study include the reclassification of Actinobaculum schaalii and Actinobaculum urinale as Actinotignum schaalii gen. nov., comb. nov. (type strain DSM 15541T = CCUG 27420T) and Actinotignum urinale comb. nov. (type strain DSM 15805T = CCUG 46093T), respectively. Emended descriptions of the genus Actinobaculum and Actinomyces suis are also provided. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and DNA–DNA hybridization also indicated that the type strain of Actinobaculum massiliense deposited as CCUG 47753T ( = DSM 19118T) should in fact be considered a member of the species Actinobaculum schaalii . In addition, comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing and DNA–DNA relatedness studies of four strains recovered from clinical materials demonstrated that three of the isolates belonged to Actinotignum schaalii; the remaining strain represents a novel species, for which the name Actinotignum sanguinis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is IMMIB L-2199T ( = DSM 26039T = CCUG 64068T).

Fourteen mycobacterial strains isolated from pulmonary samples of independent patients in the state of Pará (Brazil), and three strains isolated in Italy, were characterized using a polyphasic approach. Thorough genetic investigation, including whole-genome sequencing, demonstrated that the strains belong to the M. simiae complex, being most closely related to Mycobacterium interjectum . For 14 of the strains, evidence emerged supporting their inclusion in a previously unreported species of the genus Mycobacterium , for which the name Mycobacterium paraense sp. nov. is proposed (type strain, IEC26T = DSM 46749T = CCUG 66121T). The novel species is characterized by slow growth, unpigmented or pale yellow scotochromogenic colonies, and a HPLC mycolic acid profile different from other known mycobacteria. In different genetic regions, high sequence microheterogeneity was detected.

Two novel Gram-staining-positive, rod-shaped, endospore-forming and moderately thermophilic bacteria, designated strains DX-3T and GIESS002, were isolated from sludge composts from Guangdong Province, China. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolates were closely related to each other with extremely high similarity (99.6 %), and were members of the family Bacillaceae . However, these two isolates formed a novel phylogenetic branch within this family. Their closest relatives were the members of the genera Ornithinibacillus , Oceanobacillus and Virgibacillus . Cells of both strains were facultatively anaerobic and catalase- and oxidase-positive. The cell-wall peptidoglycan type was A1γ (meso-diaminopimelic acid direct). The predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7. The main polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The major cellular fatty acid was iso-C15 : 0. The DNA G+C content was 43.2–43.7 mol%. The results of a polyphasic taxonomic study indicated that strains DX-3T and GIESS002 represent a novel species in a new genus in the family Bacillaceae , order Bacillales , for which the name Compostibacillus humi gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DX-3T ( = KCTC 33104T = CGMCC 1.12360T).

A Gram-stain-positive, moderately halophilic bacterium, designated BH043T, was isolated from saltern soil of Gomso in Korea. Cells were motile rods, producing ellipsoidal endospores at a terminal position in swollen sporangia. Strain BH043T was strictly aerobic, grew at pH 6.0–10.0 (optimal growth at pH 7.5), at 10–55 °C (optimal growth at 30 °C) and at salinities of 1–20 % (w/v) NaCl, growing optimally with 7 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain BH043T belongs to the family Bacillaceae and was most closely related to the type strains of the five recognized species of the genus Pontibacillus , showing sequence similarity to Pontibacillus yanchengensis Y32T (97.5 % similarity), Pontibacillus marinus BH030004T (97.4 %), Pontibacillus chungwhensis BH030062T (97.0 %), Pontibacillus litoralis JSM 072002T (96.4 %) and Pontibacillus halophilus JSM 076056T (96.2 %). The major cellular fatty acids of strain BH043T were iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0. The genomic DNA G+C content was 42.5 mol%. The major isoprenoid quinone was MK-7 and meso-diaminopimelic acid was present in the cell-wall peptidoglycan as the diagnostic diamino acid. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. DNA–DNA relatedness between strain BH043T and the type strains of other species of the genus Pontibacillus , P. yanchengensis CGMCC 1.10680T and P. marinus KCTC 3917T and P. chungwhensis KCTC 3890T, was 35, 24 and 18 %, respectively. On the basis of polyphasic analysis from this study, strain BH043T represents a novel species of the genus Pontibacillus for which the name Pontibacillus salicampi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BH043T ( = KACC 17607T = NBRC 109831T = NCAIM B.02529T).

In order to clarify the taxonomic position of serotypes 20, 22 and 26 of Streptococcus suis , biochemical and molecular genetic studies were performed on isolates (SUT-7, SUT-286T, SUT-319, SUT-328 and SUT-380) reacted with specific antisera of serotypes 20, 22 or 26 from the saliva of healthy pigs as well as reference strains of serotypes 20, 22 and 26. Comparative recN gene sequencing showed high genetic relatedness among our isolates, but marked differences from the type strain S. suis NCTC 10234T, i.e. 74.8–75.7 % sequence similarity. The genomic relatedness between the isolates and other strains of species of the genus Streptococcus , including S. suis, was calculated using the average nucleotide identity values of whole genome sequences, which indicated that serotypes 20, 22 and 26 should be removed taxonomically from S. suis and treated as a novel genomic species. Comparative sequence analysis revealed 99.0–100 % sequence similarities for the 16S rRNA genes between the reference strains of serotypes 20, 22 and 26, and our isolates. Isolate STU-286T had relatively high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with S. suis NCTC 10234T (98.8 %). SUT-286T could be distinguished from S. suis and other closely related species of the genus Streptococcus using biochemical tests. Due to its phylogenetic and phenotypic similarities to S. suis we propose naming the novel species Streptococcus parasuis sp. nov., with SUT-286T ( = JCM 30273T = DSM 29126T) as the type strain.

Halophilic, obligately anaerobic, Gram-stain-negative bacterial strains were isolated from a sediment sample taken from under the salt crust of El-Jerid hypersaline lake in southern Tunisia by using tryptone or glucose as the substrate. One strain, CEJFT1BT, was characterized phenotypically and phylogenetically. Cells were non-motile, non-spore-forming, short rods. Strain CEJFT1BT was able to grow in the presence of 5–30 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 20 %) and at 30–60 °C (optimum 45 °C). It grew at pH 5.5–7.8 and the optimum pH for growth was 6.8. The isolate required yeast extract for growth. Substrates utilized by strain CEJFT1BT as the sole carbon source included glucose, fructose, sucrose, pyruvate, Casamino acids and starch. Individual amino acids such as glutamate, lysine, methionine, serine, tyrosine, and amino acid mixtures formed by the Stickland reaction such as alanine-glycine, valine-proline, leucine-proline, isoleucine-proline were also utilized. Products of glucose fermentation were acetate (major product), butyrate, H2 and CO2. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain CEJFT1BT was 32.3 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain CEJFT1BT should be assigned to the genus Sporohalobacter . The sequence similarity between strain CEJFT1BT and Sporohalobacter lortetii was 98.5 %, but DNA–DNA hybridization between the two strains revealed a relatedness value of 56.4 %, indicating that they are not related at the species level. The combination of phylogenetic analysis, DNA–DNA hybridization data, and differences in substrate utilization support the view that strain CEJFT1BT represents a novel species of the genus Sporohalobacter , for which the name Sporohalobacter salinus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CEJFT1BT ( = DSM 26781T = JCM 19279T).

A novel, psychrotolerant facultative anaerobe, strain WN1359T, was isolated from a permafrost borehole sample collected at the right bank of the Kolyma River in Siberia, Russia. Gram-positive-staining, non-motile, rod-shaped cells were observed with sizes of 1–2 µm long and 0.4–0.5 µm wide. Growth occurred in the range of pH 5.8–9.0 with optimal growth at pH 7.8–8.6 (pH optimum 8.2). The novel isolate grew at temperatures from 0–37 °C and optimal growth occurred at 25 °C. The novel isolate does not require NaCl; growth was observed between 0 and 8.8 % (1.5 M) NaCl with optimal growth at 0.5 % (w/v) NaCl. The isolate was a catalase-negative, facultatively anaerobic chemo-organoheterotroph that used sugars but not several single amino acids or dipeptides as substrates. The major metabolic end-product was lactic acid in the ratio of 86 % l-lactate : 14 % d-lactate. Strain WN1359T was sensitive to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, fusidic acid, lincomycin, monocycline, rifampicin, rifamycin SV, spectinomycin, streptomycin, troleandomycin and vancomycin, and resistant to nalidixic acid and aztreonam. The fatty acid content was predominantly unsaturated (70.2 %), branched-chain unsaturated (11.7 %) and saturated (12.5 %). The DNA G+C content was 35.3 mol% by whole genome sequence analysis. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed 98.7 % sequence identity between strain WN1359T and Carnobacterium inhibens . Genome relatedness was computed using both Genome-to-Genome Distance Analysis (GGDA) and Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI), which both strongly supported strain WN1359T belonging to the species C. inhibens . On the basis of these results, the permafrost isolate WN1359T represents a novel subspecies of C. inhibens , for which the name Carnobacterium inhibens subsp. gilichinskyi subsp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WN1359T ( = ATCC BAA-2557T = DSM 27470T). The subspecies Carnobacterium inhibens subsp. inhibens subsp. nov. is created automatically. An emended description of C. inhibens is also provided.

A thermophilic, agar-degrading bacterium, strain FAB2T, was isolated from sewage sludge compost. According to phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain FAB2T belonged to the family Paenibacillaceae within the phylum Firmicutes . However, FAB2T was different enough at the genus level from closely related species. The percentages of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with related organisms were 90.4 % for Thermobacillus xylanilyticus , 91.8 % for Paenibacillus barengoltzii , 89.4 % for Cohnella lupini , 90.1 % for Fontibacillus aquaticus , and 89.0 % for Saccharibacillus sacchari . Morphological and physiological analyses revealed that the strain was motile, rod-shaped, Gram-stain-positive, aerobic and able to form oval endospores in swollen sporangia. Ammonium was required as a nitrogen source while nitrate, nitrite, urea and glutamate were not utilized. Catalase and oxidase activities were weakly positive and positive, respectively. The bacterium grew in the temperature range of 50–65 °C and in media with pH 7.5 to 9.0. Optimal growth occurred at 60 °C and pH 8.0–8.6. Growth was inhibited at pH≤7.0 and NaCl concentrations ≥2.5 % (w/v). In chemotaxonomic characterization, MK-7 was identified as the dominant menaquinone. Major fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0 and C16 : 0. Dominant polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. Phosphatidylcholine was present in a moderate amount. The diamino acid in the cell wall was meso-diaminopimelic acid. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 49.5 mol% in a nucleic acid study. On the basis of genetic and phenotypic characteristics, strain FAB2T ( = NBRC 109510T = KCTC 33130T) showed characteristics suitable for classification as the type strain of a novel species of a new genus in the family Paenibacillaceae , for which the name Ammoniibacillus agariperforans gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed.

A new, modified culture method that utilizes a transwell plate with a 0.4 µm pore-size microporous membrane was developed. This system allows only trace nutrients from the soil into the liquid culture through the microporous membrane. The method is a more powerful tool for the discovery of novel species from soils than are traditional methods. Such newly identified species could potentially produce useful metabolites. A bacterial strain, T515T, was isolated using this modified culture method. Growth of strain T515T occurred at pH 4–9 in a temperature range between 20 °C and 40 °C and in the presence of 0–2 % (w/v) NaCl on R2A agar. Colonies on the agar plates were tiny, white, and convex after 5 days incubation at 28 °C. Comparative analysis of the nearly full-length 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain T515T revealed close pairwise similarity with species of the genus Bacillus , and strain T515T was most closely related to Bacillus panaciterrae Gsoil 1517T (96.7 %) and Bacillus funiculus NAF001T (96.0 %). The major quinone of strain T515T was menaquinone-7 (MK-7) and the major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 (45.5 %), anteiso-C15 : 0 (23.2 %) and C16 : 0 (10.9 %). The predominant polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. Strain T515T was sensitive to streptomycin and tetracycline, but resistant to rifampicin (0.125 µg ml−1), ampicillin (0.5 µg ml−1) and chloramphenicol (1 µg ml−1). The strain showed antimicrobial activities against the six strains tested: Bacillus subtilis KEMB 51201-001, Staphylococcus aureus KEMB 4659, Pseudomonas aeruginosa KACC 10185, Staphylococcus epidermidis KACC 13234, Paenibacillus larvae KACC 14031 and Escherichia coli KEMB 212-234. Based on these results, strain T515T represents a novel species of the genus Bacillus with the proposed name, Bacillus polymachus sp. nov. The type strain is T515T ( = KEMB 9005-168T = KACC 18242T = NBRC 110614T).

A novel piezophilic, thermophilic, anaerobic, fermentative bacterial strain, designated strain DY22613T, was isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal sulfide deposit at the East Pacific Rise (GPS position: 102.6° W 3.1° S). Cells of strain DY22613T were long, motile rods (10 to 20 µm in length and 0.5 µm in width) with peritrichous flagella and were Gram-stain-negative. Growth was recorded at 44–72 °C (optimum 60–62 °C) and at hydrostatic pressures of 0.1–55 MPa (optimum 20 MPa). The pH range for growth was from pH 5.0 to 9.0 with an optimum at pH 7.0. Growth was observed in the presence of 1 to 8 % (w/v) sea salts and 0.65 to 5.2 % (w/v) NaCl, with optimum salt concentrations at 3.5 % for sea salts and at 2.3 % for NaCl. Under optimal growth conditions, the shortest generation time observed was 27 min (60 °C, 20 MPa). Strain DY22613T was heterotrophic, able to utilize complex organic compounds, amino acids, sugars and organic acids including peptone, tryptone, beef extract, yeast extract, alanine, glutamine, methionine, phenylalanine, serine, threonine, fructose, fucose, galactose, gentiobiose, glucose, mannose, melibiose, palatinose, rhamnose, turanose, pyruvate, lactic acid, methyl ester, erythritol, galacturonic acid and glucosaminic acid. Strain DY22613T was able to reduce Fe(III) compounds, including Fe(III) oxyhydroxide (pH 7.0), amorphous iron(III) oxide (pH 9.0), goethite (α-FeOOH, pH 12.0), Fe(III) citrate and elementary sulfur. Products of fermentation were butyrate, acetate and hydrogen. Main cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C14 : 0 3-OH and C14 : 0. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain DY22613T was 36.7 mol%. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the strain forms a novel lineage within the class Clostridia and clusters with the order Haloanaerobiales (86.92 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). The phylogenetic data suggest that the lineage represents at least a novel genus and species, for which the name Anoxybacter fermentans gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DY22613T ( = JCM 19466T = DSM 28033T = MCCC 1A06456T).

A novel, moderately thermophilic, acidophilic, Gram-variable, rod-shaped, endospore-forming bacterium was isolated from a spoiled mixed vegetable and fruit juice product that had the off-flavour of guaiacol. The bacterium, strain 4FT, grew aerobically at 20–50 °C (optimum 40 °C) and pH 3.0–6.0 (optimum pH 4.0) and produced acid from glycerol, d-galactose and d-glucose. It contained menaquinone-7 (MK-7) as the major isoprenoid quinone and the DNA G+C content was 49.6 mol%. The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain 4FT were ω-alicyclic (ω-cyclohexane fatty acids), which are characteristic of the genus Alicyclobacillus . Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain belongs to the Alicyclobacillus cluster, and is related most closely to the type strains of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris (97.4 % similarity) and Alicyclobacillus fastidiosus (97.3 %). Strain 4FT produced guaiacol from vanillic acid. It can be distinguished from related species by its acid production type and guaiacol production. On the basis of phenotypic characteristics, phylogenetic analysis and DNA–DNA relatedness values, it can be concluded that the strain represents a novel species of the genus Alicyclobacillus , for which the name Alicyclobacillus dauci sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is 4FT ( = DSM 28700T = NBRC 108949T = NRIC 0938T).