- Volume 67, Issue 7, 2017

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated 2C-7T, was isolated from symptomatic bark of a Populus × euramericana canker. Growth occurred between 10 and 37 °C and between pH 6 and 10, with optimal growth at 30 °C and pH 7.0–8.0. Growth was present under 0–8 % (w/v) salinity conditions (optimum 1–2 %). Growth occurred in the presence of 10 mM chromium (Cr6+). The major fatty acids (≥10 %) of the novel strain were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phospholipid, glycolipid and two unknown lipids. The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone MK-11. The cell wall amino acids were 2,4-diaminobutyric acid, alanine, glutamic acid and glycine. Strain 2C-7T was most similar to Leucobacter celer subsp . celer NAL101T (97.2 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), ‘ Leucobacter kyeonggiensis ’ F3-P9T (97.1 %) and Leucobacter chromiireducens L-1T (97.1 %). In the phylogenetic tree, the isolate formed a single distinct branch separate from those of L. celer subsp . celer NAL101T, ‘ L. kyeonggiensis’ F3-P9T and Leucobacter chironomi DSM 19883T. The DNA–DNA hybridization values between the novel strain and the reference strains were lower than the accepted bacterial threshold level of 70 % for species delineation. The DNA G+C content of strain 2C-7T was 70.0 mol%. Based on the data, strain 2C-7T represents a novel species in the genus Leucobacter , for which the name Leucobacter corticis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 2C-7T (=CFCC 11901T=KCTC 39643T).

A novel actinobacterium, designated YIM 101593T, was isolated from the faeces of a primate (Rhinopithecus roxellanae) living in Yunnan Wild Animal Park in Yunnan province, south-west China. The isolate was Gram-stain-positive, facultatively anaerobic, coccus-shaped, oxidase-negative and motile. The cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as its diagnostic diamino acid, and mannose, ribose, glucose, galactose and arabinose were detected as the main whole-cell sugars. The predominant menaquinone was MK-8(H2). The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, two glycolipids, three unidentified phospholipids and two unidentified lipids. The major fatty acids were C17 : 1ω8c, C15 : 0 and summed feature 4 (anteiso-C17 : 1 B and/or iso-C17 : 1 I). The DNA G+C content was 69.8 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between strain YIM 101593T and Mobilicoccus pelagius was 97.9 %, and the two strains formed a distinct lineage stably on the basis of phylogenetic analysis. In addition, DNA–DNA relatedness between the two strains was 49.0±5.1 %. On the basis of chemotaxonomical and physiological characteristics and the phylogenetic analysis, strain YIM 101593T should be considered to represent a novel species of the genus Mobilicoccus , for which we propose the name Mobilicoccus caccae sp. nov., with the type strain YIM 101593T (=DSM 27611T=CCTCC AB 2013229T).

A novel Gram-stain-positive, irregularly rod-shaped actinomycete, designated strain 002-2T, was isolated from sand beach sediment collected from the Taean seashore, Republic of Korea. Cells were aerobic, oxidase-negative and catalase-positive. Colonies of cells were bright yellow, circular, smooth and convex. The diagnostic diamino acid in the cell wall was ll-diaminopimelic acid. The predominant menaquinone was MK-8(H4). The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unknown phospholipid and two unknown amino phospholipids. The major fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0 and C17 : 1ω8c. The DNA G+C content was 68.8 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain 002-2T belongs to the family Nocardioidaceae and formed a cluster with Nocardioides rubroscoriae Sco-A25T (98.1 % sequence similarity) and Nocardioides plantarum NCIMB 12834T (97.6 %). On the basis of the phenotypic and phylogenetic data, strain 002-2T (=KCTC 39838T=DSM 103718T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Nocardioides , for which the name Nocardioides litoris sp. nov. is proposed.

Fresh samples of intestinal contents of three wild pigs originating from the Central Bohemia region were examined for the presence of bifidobacterial strains. During the study, we isolated many fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase-positive, strictly anaerobic, irregular rod-shaped bacterial isolates. Three of them were preliminarily identified as representing a novel species of the genus Bifidobacterium because their 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with the closest relatives of thermophilic bifidobacteria ( Bifidobacterium boum DSM 20432T, Bifidobacterium thermophilum DSM 20210T, Bifidobacterium thermacidophilum subsp. porcinum LMG 21689T, Bifidobacterium thermacidophilum subsp. thermacidophilum DSM 15837T) was in the range of 97.9 – 98.4 %. All three bacterial isolates had identical 16S rRNA, dnaJ1, fusA, gyrB and rplB gene sequences. Isolate RP115T was chosen as a representative of the bacterial group and DNA G+C content (mol%) determination, biochemical tests and analyses of physiological and morphological characteristics, habitat and chemotaxonomic traits (peptidoglycan structure, cellular fatty acids and polar lipids profile) were performed. The DNA–DNA hybridization analyses of RP115T and species representing the group of thermophilic bifidobacteria revealed values in the range from 33 to 53 %. This fact, together with relatively low sequence similarities of particular phylogenetic markers among examined bacterial strains and the phenotyping and chemotaxonomy results obtained, indicated that the evaluated bacterial isolate should be classified as representing a separate taxon within the specific group of thermophilic bifidobacteria. The name Bifidobacterium apri (of boar) sp. nov. has been proposed for the representative strain RP115T (=CCM 8605T=DSM 100238T=LMG 28779T).

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated SYSU K10001T, was isolated from a limestone sample collected from a karst cave in Xingyi county, Guizhou province, south-western China. The taxonomic position of the strain was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Cells of the strain were aerobic and Gram-stain-positive. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain SYSU K10001T was most closely related to the type strains of the genus Lentzea , Lentzea albida NBRC 16102T (98.8 % similarity) and Lentzea waywayandensis NRRL B-16159T (98.6 %), and is therefore considered to represent a member of the genus Lentzea . DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain SYSU K10001T and related type strains of the genus Lentzea were less than 70 %. In addition, meso-diaminopimelic acid was the diagnostic diamino acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan. The whole-cell sugars were arabinose, fructose, mannose and xylose. The major isoprenoid quinone was MK-9(H4), while the major fatty acids (>10 %) were iso-C16 : 0 and C14 : 0. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, hydroxy-phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside, one unidentified phospholipid and one unidentified lipid. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain SYSU K10001T was 69.4 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic data, strain SYSU K10001T represents a novel species of the genus Lentzea , for which the name Lentzea cavernae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SYSU K10001T (=KCTC 39804T=CGMCC 4.7367T=NBRC 112394T).

Two Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, pink, curved, rod-shaped, non-motile bacterial strains, designated MI-28T and SKY-11, were isolated from freshwater samples taken from a river and fish pond, respectively. Based on characterization using a polyphasic approach, the two strains showed highly similar phenotypic, physiological and genetic profiles. They demonstrated 99.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and a 93–95 % DNA-DNA relatedness value, suggesting that they represent a single genomic species. Phylogenetic analyses, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, showed that strains MI-28T and SKY-11 form a distinct lineage with respect to closely related genera within the family Microbacteriaceae of the class Actinobacteria , which is most closely related to Rhodoluna and Pontimonas, and levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with the type species of related genera were less than 95 %. Cell-wall analysis showed that the peptidoglycan contained 2,4-diaminobutyric acid, alanine, glycine and glutamic acid. The predominant fatty acids were iso-C14 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The polar lipid profile consisted of a mixture of phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, an uncharacterized glycolipid and an uncharacterized aminophospholipid. The major polyamine was putrescine. The major isoprenoid quinone was MK-10. The G+C content of DNA was between 62.6 and 62.9 mol%. On the basis of the genotypic and phenotypic data, strains MI-28T and SKY-11 represent a novel genus and species of the family Microbacteriaceae , for which the name Puzihella rosea gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is MI-28T (=BCRC 80688T=LMG 27848T=KCTC 29239T).

Bacteria with potential probiotic applications are not yet sufficiently explored, even for animals with economic importance. Therefore, we decided to isolate and identify representatives of the family Bifidobacteriaceae , which inhabit the crop of laying hens. During the study, a fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase-positive strain, RP51T, with a regular/slightly irregular and sometimes an S-shaped slightly curved rod-like shape, was isolated from the crop of a 13 -month-old Hisex Brown hybrid laying hen. The best growth of the Gram-stain-positive bacterium, which was isolated using Bifidobacterium -selective mTPY agar, was found out to be under strictly anaerobic conditions, however an ability to grow under microaerophilic and aerobic conditions was also observed. Sequencing of the almost complete 16S rRNA gene (1444 bp) showed Alloscardovia omnicolens CCUG 31649T and Bombiscardovia coagulans BLAPIII/AGVT to be the most closely related species with similarities of 93.4 and 93.1 %, respectively. Lower sequence similarities were determined with other scardovial genera and other representatives of the genus Bifidobacterium . Taxonomic relationships with A. omnicolens and other members of the family Bifidobacteriaceae were also demonstrated, based on the sequences of dnaK, fusA, hsp60 and rplB gene fragments. Low sequence similarities of phylogenetic markers to related scardovial genera and bifidobacteria along with unique features of the bacterial strain investigated within the family Bifidobacteriaceae ( including the lowest DNA G+C value (44.3 mol%), a unique spectrum of cellular fatty acids and polar lipids, cellular morphology, the wide temperature range for growth (15–49 °C) and habitat) clearly indicate that strain RP51T is a representative of a novel genus within the family Bifidobacteriaceae for which the name Galliscardovia ingluviei gen. nov., sp. nov. (RP51T=DSM 100235T=LMG 28778T=CCM 8606T) is proposed.

An extremely halophilic archaeon, designated strain 5-3T, was isolated from a soil sample of Meighan wetland in Iran. Strain 5-3T was strictly aerobic, catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, non-motile and ovoid. Colonies of strain 5-3T were cream-coloured. The isolate showed optimum growth at 4.0 M NaCl, 40 °C and pH 7.0. The major polar lipids of the strain were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester, two unknown phospholipids and three glycolipids (including one that was chromatographically identical to S2-DGD). The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone MK-8. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 61.5 mol%. The closest relative was Natrinema salaciae JCM 17869T with 97.3 % similarity in the orthologous 16S rRNA gene sequence. Analysis of 16S rRNA and rpoB′ gene sequences indicated that strain 5-3T is a member of the genus Natrinema in the family Natrialbaceae and forms a distinct cluster. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis, and phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, a novel species of the family Natrialbaceae , Natrinema soli sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is 5-3T (=IBRC-M 11063T=LMG 29247T).

Two chitin-degrading halophilic archaeal strains, MC-74T and MC-23, were isolated from commercial salt samples. Cells were motile, rod-shaped and stained Gram-negative. Colonies were vermillion-pigmented. Strains MC-74T and MC-23 were able to grow with 1.5–5.1 M NaCl (optimum, 2.6–3.1 M) at pH 6.0–10.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and at 20–50 °C (optimum, 40 °C). The orthologous 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between the two strains was 99.8 %, and the closest phylogenetic relative was Salinarchaeum laminariae JCM 17267T with 99.3–99.5 % similarity. The level of DNA–DNA relatedness between the two strains was 93 and 94 % (reciprocally), and those between the two strains and Salinarchaeum laminariae JCM 17267T were 35–36 % and 38–39 % (reciprocally). The polar lipids of both strains were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester and phosphatidylglycerol sulfate. Glycolipids were not detected. Based on the phenotypic and phylogenetic analyses, the strains represent a novel species of the genus Salinarchaeum , for which the name Salinarchaeum chitinilyticum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MC-74T (=JCM 19597T=KCTC 4262T), isolated from solar salt produced in France. Strain MC-23, isolated from a commercial solar salt sample produced in China, is an additional strain of the species.

Strain N5SSJ16T, a Gram-negative-staining, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped, non-motile bacterium, was isolated from Haloxylon ammodendron stems. The strain grew in the presence of 0–4 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum growth in the absence of NaCl), at pH 7–9 (optimum: pH 8) and at 12–50 °C. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain N5SSJ16T was related phylogenetically to Parapedobacter composti 4M40T (96.5 %) and Parapedobacter luteus 4M29T (95.9 %). The cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c), summed feature 9 (C16 : 0 10-methyl and/or iso-C17 : 1ω9c) and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. MK-7 was the respiratory quinone. The main polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, unidentified aminophospholipid and two unknown lipids. The G+C content of the DNA was 45.8 mol%. On the basis of chemotaxonomic, phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, strain N5SSJ16T represents a novel species of the genus Parapedobacter , for which the name Parapedobacter deserti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is N5SSJ16T (=ACCC 19928T=KCTC 52416T).

A yellow-pigmented, oxidase-positive, catalase-negative, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, aerobic and non-motile bacterial strain designated K3R-10T was isolated from a freshwater source. The strain grew over a temperature range from 4 to 35 °C (optimum, 30 °C), pH range pH 6–8 (optimum, pH 7) and in the presence of 0–0.5 % NaCl (optimum, 0 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain K3R-10T belonged to the genus Flavobacterium and shared close similarities with Flavobacterium succinicans LMG 10402T (97.0 %), Flavobacterium chungangense LMG 26729T (96.4 %), Flavobacterium branchiophilum IFO 15030T (96.4 %) and Flavobacterium piscis 412R-09T (96.3 %), but formed a distinct phylogenetic line of its own in the phylogenetic trees. The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified aminolipid and three unidentified phospholipids. The DNA G+C content was 35.4 mol%, MK-6 was the major isoprenoid quinone, and homospermidine was the predominant polyamine. The predominant cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 3-OH, iso-C15 : 0, a summed feature comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c and iso-C15 : 1 G. The absence of aminophospholipid, acid production from carbohydrates, DNA G+C content and colony morphology differentiated strain K3R-10T from related species of the genus Flavobacterium . Thus, on the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic features, strain K3R-10T evidently represents a novel species in the genus Flavobacterium , for which the name Flavobacterium keumense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is K3R-10T (=JCM 31220T=KCTC 52563T).

A non-motile, red–pink-coloured, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain POB6T, was isolated from a wastewater treatment facility, Republic of Korea. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1ω5c, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω6c and/or C16 : 1ω7c) and summed feature 4 (iso-C17 : 1 I and/or anteiso-C17 : 1 B). The strain contained menaquinone MK-7 as the only isoprenoid quinone, phosphatidylethanolamine as the major polar lipid and sym-homospermidine as the major polyamine. The DNA G+C content was 61 mol%. A phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain POB6T forms a distinct evolutionary lineage within the radiation enclosing the members of the genus Hymenobacter , sharing the highest similarity with Hymenobacter rigui WPCP131T (97.5 %) followed by Hymenobacter xinjiangensis X2-1gT (97.2 %), Hymenobacter perfusus A1-12T (97.2 %) and Hymenobacter gelipurpurascens Txg-1T (97.1 %). A number of phenotypic characteristics distinguished strain POB6T from related members of the genus Hymenobacter . On the basis of the evidence presented in this study, a novel species, Hymenobacter tenuis sp. nov., is proposed, with POB6T (=KCTC 52271T=JCM 31659T) as the type strain.

A rod-shaped, pale yellow-pigmented, aerobic, Gram-staining-negative strain with gliding motility, designated as strain SK-16T, was isolated from the coastal surface water of a semi-enclosed coastal inlet in Misaki, Japan. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that SK-16T represented a member of the family Flavobacteriaceae and was closely related to the genus Algibacter , with sequence similarities ranging from 95.9 to 94.3 % to the type strains of species of the genus Algibacter . The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, iso-C15 : 0 G and iso-C15 : 0 3-OH. Major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, an aminophospholipid and an unidentified phospholipid. The DNA G+C content of SK-16T was 32.3 mol% and MK-6 was the only predominant isoprenoid quinone. On the basis of the results of phenotypic, genotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic studies, it was suggested that SK-16T represents a novel species within the genus Algibacter , with the newly proposed name Algibacter aquaticus. The type strain is SK-16T (=NBRC 110220T=KCTC 32974T).

A strictly aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, motile by gliding and yellow-pigmented bacterium, designated strain 3Alg 18T, was isolated from the Pacific green alga Ulva fenestrata. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the novel strain was affiliated to the family Flavobacteriaceae of the phylum Bacteroidetes , being most closely related to the type strains of recognized species of the genus Olleya , with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 97.9–99.3 %. Strain 3Alg 18T grew in the presence of 0.5–5 % (w/v) NaCl and at 4–37 °C, and hydrolysed aesculin, casein, gelatin, starch and Tweens 20, 40 and 80. The prevalent fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 1 G, iso-C15 : 0 3-OH, iso-C16:0 2-OH, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, summed feature 3, iso-C16 : 0 3-OH, anteiso-C15 : 0 and C15 : 0. The polar lipid profile contained phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified aminolipids and four unidentified lipids. The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone MK-6. The genomic DNA G+C content was 34.6 mol%. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence data, and chemotaxonomic and phenotypic characteristics, strain 3Alg 18T represents a novel species of the genus Olleya , for which the name Olleya algicola sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 3Alg 18T (=KCTC 22024T=KMM 6133T).

During a study of psychrophilic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, two yellow, Gram-staining-negative, non-motile, and rod shaped bacteria, designated R-10-9T and K-4-2 were isolated from oil-contaminated soil from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Both strains were able to grow at 0–32 °C, pH 5.0–9.5, and 0–1 % (w/v) NaCl concentration. These strains were taxonomically characterized by a polyphasic approach. On the basis of the results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, R-10-9T and K-4-2 belong to the genus Flavobacterium and are closely related to Flavobacterium oncorhynchi 631-08T (97.80 and 98.09 % sequence similarity, respectively). The pairwise sequence similarity between R-10-9T and K-4-2 was observed to be 99.72 %. In both strains, the predominant respiratory quinone was menaquinone-6; the major polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine; and the major fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c), iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0 3-OH, antesio-C15 : 0, C16 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, and iso-C15 : 0 3-OH. The genomic DNA G+C contents of R-10-9T and K-4-2 were 35.9 and 35.4 mol%, respectively. The DNA–DNA relatedness between R-10-9T and K-4-2 was higher than 70 % but relatedness values with closely related reference strains were less than 35 %. The morphological, physiological, chemotaxonomic, and phylogenetic analyses clearly distinguished R-10-9T from its closest phylogenetic neighbours. Thus, R-10-9T represents a novel species of the genus Flavobacterium , for which the name Flavobacterium olei sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is R-10-9T (=KEMB 9005-447T=KACC 18997T=JCM 31673T), and strain K-4-2 as an additional strain.

A bright-yellow, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, gliding and aerobic bacterium, designated strain AQ6-291T, was isolated from the Fildes Peninsula, Antarctica, and its taxonomic position was investigated by genotypic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses. Growth occurred at 4–28 °C (optimum 20 °C) and at pH 5.0–8.0 (optimum pH 7.0). Strain AQ6-291T contained iso-C15 : 1 G, iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1ω5c, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c) as the major cellular fatty acids. The main polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, unknown aminophospholipids, unknown phospholipids, five unknown aminolipids and two unknown polar lipids. MK-7 was the major respiratory quinone. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain AQ6-291T belonged to the genus Flavitalea . The DNA G+C content was 48.1 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic data, strain AQ6-291T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Flavitalea , for which the name Flavitalea antarctica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is AQ6-291T (=CCTCC AB 2016109T=KCTC 52491T).