- Volume 68, Issue 11, 2018

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, non-motile, aerobic and orange-pigmented marine bacterium, designated strain L53T, was isolated from an oyster sample collected from the coast of Weihai, China (122.0° E 37.5° N). Growth of strain L53T occurred at 4–40 °C (optimum, 33 °C), at pH 6.5–8.0 (optimum, pH 7.5) and with 1.0–7.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 3.0 %). Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain L53T was closely related to Bizionia echini KCTC 22015T (96.9 %) and Hanstruepera neustonica JCM 19743T (96.1 %). Strain L53T was located in a distinct phyletic lineage in a discrete clade associated with H. neustonica JCM 19743T. The DNA G+C content of strain L53T was 33.5 mol%. The sole menaquinone was MK-6. The polar lipids comprised one phosphatidylethanolamine, four unidentified aminolipids and four unidentified lipids. The major fatty acids were iso-C_15 : 0, iso-C_17 : 0 3-OH and iso-C_15 : 0 G. Based on morphological, physiological and molecular properties as well as on phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain L53T should be placed in the genus Hanstruepera as representing a novel species, for which the name Hanstruepera crassostreae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is L53T (=KCTC 62247T=MCCC 1H00246T).

We here describe a novel species in the Staphylococcus intermedius Group (SIG) which is phenotypically similar to Staphylococcus pseudintermedius but is genomically distinct from it and other SIG members, with an average nucleotide identity of 90.2 % with its closest relative S. intermedius . The description of Staphylococcus cornubiensis sp. nov. is based on strain NW1T (=NCTC 13950T=DSM 105366T) isolated from a human skin infection in Cornwall, UK. Although pathogenic, NW1T carries no known virulence genes or mobilizable antibiotic resistance genes and further studies are required to assess the prevalence of this species in humans as well as its potential presence in companion animals.

A novel mesophilic, anaerobic, Gram-stain-negative bacterium was isolated from the cecum of a healthy white leghorn chicken, and designated AJH120T. Cells were coccoid or diplococcoid with an average size of 0.8–1.8 µm and were non-motile with no evidence of spores. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed this organism to be a member of the genus Megasphaera , with the closest relatives being Megasphaera elsdenii (95 % sequence identity) and Megasphaera cerevisiae (95 % sequence identity). Growth was observed between 30 and 50 °C and between pH 5.0 and 9.0. AJH120T utilized a variety of carbon sources, including succinate, gluconate, fructose, ribose and pyruvate, as well as many individual amino acids. The DNA G+C content for the genome sequence of AJH120T was 52.1 mol%. Digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH), average nucleotide identity (ANI) and average amino acid identity (AAI) between AJH120T and close taxonomic relatives, indicated divergence consistent with the strain representing a novel species. The major fatty acid methyl esters of the organism were C_12 : 0, C_14 : 0 3-OH, C_18 : 1ω9c, C_16 : 0 and C_16 : 1ω9c. AJH120T was able to produce several short chain fatty acids, including butyrate, acetate, propionate and isovalerate. Together, these data indicate that AJH120T represents a novel species within the genus Megasphaera . We propose the name Megasphaera stantonii sp. nov. for the species. The type strain of this species is AJH120T (=DSM 106750T=CCUG 71842T).

A thermophilic, spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium isolated from the Yumthang hot spring in North Sikkim, India was subjected to taxonomic studies. The thermophilic bacterial isolate was designated as strain AYN2T. Cells were Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, motile, rod-shaped, catalase-positive and methyl red-negative. Strain AYN2T was able to grow in the pH range from 6 to 10 (optimum, pH 7.5–8.0), at 40–70 °C (60 °C) and in NaCl concentrations of 0–4 % (1 %). The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C_15 : 0 (12.8 %), iso-C_16 : 0 (13.9 %) and iso-C_17 : 0 (13.8 %). No matches were found in the rtsba6 Sherlock libraries. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 42.11 mol%. Based on phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain AYNT showed highest sequence similarity to the type strain of Geobacillus toebii (96 %). However, the phenotypic properties of strain AYN2T were clearly distinct from those of G. toebii and related species. On the basis of polyphasic analysis, strain AYN2T represents a novel species in the genus Geobacillus , for which the name Geobacillus yumthangensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is AYN2T(MTCC=12749=KCTC=33950= JCM 32596).

A novel Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, motile, spore-forming, strictly aerobic, alkali- and halo- tolerant bacterium, designated strain AK72T, was isolated from a water sample collected from Sambhar salt lake, Rajasthan, India. The colony appears circular, shiny, smooth, translucent or slightly pale in colour and convex with an entire margin after 48 h incubation at 37 °C with pH 9. Growth of the bacterium occurred at 10–42 °C (optimum, 25–37 °C), at salinities of 0.5–10 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 3–5 % NaCl) and pH of 6–10 (optimum pH 9). Strain AK72T was positive for oxidase, catalase, nitrate reductase, phenylalanine deaminase, ornithine decarboxylase, aesculinase, lipase and urease activities. The predominant fatty acids were iso-C_15 : 0, anteiso-C_15 : 0 and iso-C_16 : 0 and the cell-wall peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. The major polar lipids of the strain were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified aminophospholipid, three unidentified phospholipids and three unidentified lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content of the strain AK72T was 36.8 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain AK72T was closely related to Bacillus cellulosilyticus (96.5 %) and Bacillus vedderi (96.3 %), but the novel strain AK72T formed a separate clade with Bacillus aurantiacus whereas B. cellulosilyticus and B. vedderi were clustered in a separate clade. The above data in combination with the phenotypic characteristics and phylogenetic data inferred that strain AK72T represents a novel species of the genus Bacillus , for which the name Bacillus shivajii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is AK72T (=MTCC 12636T=KCTC 33981T=JCM 32183T).

A Gram-stain-positive, motile, rod-shaped, obligately anaerobic bacterium, designated FRIFIT, was isolated from human ileostoma effluent and characterized. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strain FRIFIT was most closely related to the species Romboutsia ilealis CRIBT (97.7 %), Romboutsia lituseburensis DSM 797T (97.6 %) and Romboutsia sedimentorum LAM201T (96.6 %). The level of DNA–DNA relatedness between strain FRIFIT and R. ilealis CRIBT was 13.9±3.3 % based on DNA–DNA hybridization. Whole genome sequence-based average nucleotide identity between strain FRIFIT and closely related Romboutsia strains ranged from 78.4–79.1 %. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain FRIFIT was 27.8 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids of strain FRIFIT were saturated and unsaturated straight-chain C12–C19 fatty acids as well as cyclopropane fatty acids, with C_16 : 0 being the predominant fatty acid. The polar lipid profile comprised five phospholipids and six glycolipids. These results, together with differences in phenotypic features, support the proposal that strain FRIFIT represents a novel species within the genus Romboutsia , for which the name Romboutsia hominis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is FRIFIT (=DSM 28814T=KCTC 15553T).

A novel Gram-stain-positive, coccoid or short rod-shaped, moderate-orange-pigmented, halotolerant and psychrotolerant bacterium, designated strain SCU63T, was isolated from a saline soil sample in China, and characterized by a polyphasic taxonomic approach. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of strain SCU63T to species in the genera Planococcus and Planomicrobium ranged from 96.5 to 98.6 %. Phylogenetic trees as well as diagnostic signature nucleotides in the 16S rRNA gene sequence supported the view that this strain should be assigned to the genus Planococcus . Further, average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization analyses confirmed the separate species status of strain SCU63T relative to the closely related taxa. The isolate grew at 0–40 °C (optimum, 30–35 °C), at pH 6.5–9.0 (pH 7.0–7.5) and in the presence of 0–15 % (w/v) NaCl (3 %). The principal fatty acids were anteiso-C_15 : 0, C_16 : 1ω7c alcohol, iso-C_16 : 0 and iso-C_14 : 0, and the dominant isoprenoid quinones were MK-8 and MK-7. The peptidoglycan type was determined to be A4α (l-Lys–d-Glu), and the polar lipids contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminophospholipid and one unidentified lipid. The DNA G+C content was 44.6 mol%. Based on the genotypic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data, strain SCU63T can be classified as a novel species in the genus Planococcus , for which the name Planococcus halotolerans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SCU63T (=CGMCC 1.13628T=KCTC 43001T).

A strictly aerobic, haloalkali-tolerant, Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain SMB4T, was isolated from a water sample collected from Sambhar salt lake, Rajasthan, India. Growth occurred at 25–50 °C, 4–12 % (w/v) NaCl and pH of 5–9. Strain SMB4T was positive for β-galactosidase, oxidase, catalase and urease activities. The fatty acids were dominated by branched forms of fatty acids with iso- and anteiso-saturated fatty acids, with a high abundance of anteiso-C_15 : 0, anteiso-C_17 : 0 and C_18 : 0. The cell-wall peptidoglycan of strain SMB4T contained meso-diaminopimelic acid, while the polar lipids included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified phospholipid and three unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content of strain SMB4T was 49.1 mol%. A blast sequence similarity search based on 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that Salibacterium halochares , Salibacterium halotolerans and Salibacterium qingdaonense were the nearest phylogenetic neighbours, with a pair-wise sequence similarities of 98.4, 98.2 and 97.0 % respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that strain SMB4T was clustered with S. halochares and together clustered with S. halotolerans and S. qingdaonense. DNA–DNA hybridization of strain SMB4T with S. halochares DSM 21373T, S. halotolerans S7T and S. quigdaonense DSM 21621T showed a relatedness values of only 39.8, 26.3 and 42.8 %, respectively. Based on its phenotypic characteristics and on phylogenetic inference, strain SMB4T represents a novel species of the genus Salibacterium , for which the name Salibacterium nitratireducens sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SMB4T (=MTCC 12633T=KCTC 33876T=JCM 32187T).

Three strains, JCM 5343T, JCM 5344 and JCM 1130, currently identified as Lactobacillus gasseri , were investigated using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Although these strains shared high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with L. gasseri ATCC 33323T (99.9 %), they formed a clade clearly distinct from ATCC 33323T based on whole-genome relatedness. The average nucleotide identity and in silico DNA–DNA hybridization values of these three strains compared to L. gasseri ATCC 33323T were 93.4–93.7 and 53.1–54.1 %, respectively, and both were less than the widely accepted threshold to distinguish two species (95 and 70 %, respectively). The three strains were Gram-stain positive, non-motile, non-spore-forming, catalase-negative and rod-shaped bacteria. They grew at 25–45 °C and in the presence of 2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. The major fatty acids of the three strains were C_16 : 0 and C_18 : 1 ω9c. Based on phylogenetic analyses of the phenylalanyl-tRNA synthase alpha subunit and RNA polymerase alpha subunit genes, and on phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, strains JCM 5343T, JCM 5344 and JCM 1130 represent a novel species distinct from L. gasseri , for which we propose the name Lactobacillus paragasseri sp. nov. In addition, a large portion of genomes currently labelled as L. gasseri in the public sequence database should be reclassified as L. paragasseri based on whole-genome relatedness.

A novel anaerobic, non-spore-forming bacterium was isolated from a faecal sample of a healthy adult. The isolate, designated strain YIT, was cultured in a basal liquid medium under a gas phase of H₂/CO₂ supplemented with yeast extract (0.1 g l−1). Cells of strain YIT were short rods (0.4–0.7×2.0–2.5 µm), appearing singly or in pairs, and stained Gram-positive. Catalase activity and gelatin hydrolysis were positive while oxidase activity, indole formation, urease activity and aesculin hydrolysis were negative. Growth was observed within a temperature range of 20–45 °C (optimum, 35–37 °C), and a pH range of 5.0–8.0 (optimum pH 7.0–7.5). Doubling time was 2.3 h when grown with glucose at pH 7.2 and 37 °C. Besides acetogenic growth, the isolate was able to ferment a large range of monomeric sugars with acetate and butyrate as the main end products. Strain YIT did not show respiratory growth with sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate or nitrate as electron acceptors. The major cellular fatty acids of the isolate were C_16 : 0 and C_18 : 0. The genomic DNA G+C content was 47.8 mol%. Strain YIT is affiliated to the genus Eubacterium , sharing highest levels of 16S rRNA gene similarity with Eubacterium limosum ATCC 8486T (97.3 %), Eubacterium callanderi DSM 3662T (97.5 %), Eubacterium aggregans DSM 12183T (94.4 %) and Eubacterium barkeri DSM 1223T (94.8 %). Considering its physiological and phylogenetic characteristics, strain YIT represents a novel species within the genus Eubacterium , for which the name Eubacterium maltosivorans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIT (=DSM 105863T=JCM 32297T).

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, motile, endospore-forming and rod-shaped bacterium, designated RA17T, was isolated from Dafan, Hubei Province, China. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity comparisons, strain RA17T was most closely related to Paenibacillus taihuensis THMBG22T (97.4 %), Paenibacillus rhizoryzae ACCC 1ZS3-5T (97.4 %) and Paenibacillus sacheonensis DSM SY01T (96.5 %). Analysis of the rpoB gene also indicated that RA17T had the highest similarity to P. rhizoryzae ACCC 1ZS3-5T (92.3 %), P. taihuensis THMBG22T (88.4 %) and P. sacheonensis DSM SY01T (85.5 %). The DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain RA17T and the two type strains, P. taihuensis THMBG22T and P. rhizoryzae ACCC 1ZS3-5T, were 36.8 and 22.9 %, respectively. Its genome size was 6.17 Mb, comprising 5677 predicted genes with a DNA G+C content of 52.82 mol %. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C_15 : 0, iso-C_15 : 0 and iso-C_16 : 0. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphoglycolipid, four aminophospholipids, an unidentified phospholipid and an unidentified polar lipid. The major quinone was menaquinone 7. The diagnostic diamino acid of the cell wall was meso-diaminopimelic acid. The low DNA–DNA hybridization values, physiological and biochemical differences, such as growth at 4 °C, acid production from inositol, lack of α-chymotrypsin activity, no casein hydrolysis, and negative for acid production from d-fructose, melibiose and sucrose, could distinguish strain RA17T from its closely related species. Consequently, strain RA17T represents a novel species of the genus Paenibacillus , for which the name Paenibacillus montanisoli sp. nov. is proposed, with RA17T (=KCTC 33894T=CCTCC AB 2017053T) as the type strain.

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, rod-shaped, endospore-forming bacterium, designated strain M4BSY-1T, was originally isolated from a surface-sterilized leaf of Paeonia lactiflora Pall. in Guizhou, China. The bacterium was characterized by a polyphasic approach to determine its taxonomic position. 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison revealed that strain M4BSY-1T belongs to the genus Paenibacillus and most closely to Paenibacillus pinioli NB5T (98.31 % similarity). Neither substrate nor aerial mycelia formed, and no diffusible pigments were observed on the media tested. Strain M4BSY-1T grew in the pH range 7.0–13.0 (optimum, 7.0–8.0), at temperatures between 10–37 °C (optimum, 30 °C) and at 0–5 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 1–2 %). The predominant menaquinone was MK-7. The major fatty acids were anteiso-C_15 : 0, C_16 : 0 and iso-C_16 : 0. The polar lipids comprised diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified unknown aminophospholipids and three unidentified phospholipids. The DNA G+C content was 48.8 mol%. According to the phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic evidence, strain M4BSY-1T was clearly distinguishable from other species with validly published names in the genus Paenibacillus and should therefore be classified as a novel species, and we suggest the name Paenibacillus paeoniae sp. nov. The type strain is M4BSY-1T (=KCTC 33997T=CGMCC 1.13667T).

A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, short-rod-shaped bacterium, motile by a single polar flagellum, designated OUC007T, was isolated from seawater at a depth of 1000 m in the Mariana Trench. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain OUC007T formed a lineage within the family Salinisphaeraceae that was distinct from the most closely related genera Oceanococcus and Salinisphaera , with 16S rRNA gene sequences similarities ranging from 89.3 to 90.8 %, respectively. Strain OUC007T grew with 0–7 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2–3 %), at 10–45 °C (37 °C) and at pH 7.0–9.0 (7.0–8.0). The major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-8 (Q-8). The polar lipids of strain OUC007T comprised one phosphatidylethanolamine and three unidentified polar lipids. The predominant fatty acid (more than 10 % of total fatty acids) was summed feature 8 (C_18 : 1ω7c or/and C_18 : 1ω6c). The DNA G+C content of strain OUC007T was 63.1 mol%. On the basis of polyphasic taxonomic analysis, the strain OUC007T is considered to represent a novel species in a new genus of the family Salinisphaeraceae , for which the name Abyssibacter profundi gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is OUC007T (=KCTC 52933T=MCCC 1K03450T).

A Gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming and rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated SK3863T, was isolated from rotten biji (residue remaining after making tofu). This bacterium was characterized in order to determine its taxonomic position by using the polyphasic approach. Strain SK3863T grew well at 25–37 °C on Reasoner’s 2A agar plates. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strain SK3863T belonged to the family Comamonadaceae and was related to Ottowia beijingensis GCS-AN-3T (96.5 % sequence similarity) and Ottowia pentelensis RB3-7T (96.4 %). Lower sequence similarities (96.2 %) were found to all of the other recognized members of the genus Ottowia . The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 65.8 mol%. The major respiratory lipoquinone was ubiquinone 8 and the major fatty acids were C_16 : 1 ω6c/C_16 : 1ω7c, C_16 : 0 and C_18 : 1 ω7c/C_18 : 1ω6c. Strain SK3863T could be differentiated genotypically and phenotypically from the recognized species of the genus Ottowia . The isolate therefore represents a novel species, for which the name Ottowia konkukae sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain SK3863T (=KCCM 43236T=DSM 105395T).

A Gram-stain-negative bacterium, strain BH-SD19T, that was isolated from a marine sediment sample collected from the Bohai Sea, was subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Cells of BH-SD19T are non-flagellated, non-gliding, oval-shaped rods, 0.5–1.0 µm wide and 1.0–2.0 µm long. BH-SD19T is strictly aerobic, and oxidase- and catalase-positive. Growth occurs at 15–40 °C (optimum 35 °C), at pH 6.0–8.5 (optimum 7.0–7.5) and with 1–10 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 2 %). The predominant fatty acids are C_19 : 0cyclo ω8c (46.5 %), C_16 : 0 (20.3 %) and C_18 : 1ω7c and/or C_18 : 1ω6c (10.6 %). The major respiratory quinone is Q-10. The major polar lipids are phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and an unidentified phospholipid. The DNA G+C content is 64.0 mol%. BH-SD19T shows the highest 16S rRNA sequence similarity to Pontibaca methylaminivorans (95.2 %) and strains of species of the genus Roseovarius (93.4–95.2 %). Sequence similarity values between BH-SD19T and other phylogenetically related species are all below 95.0 %. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicate that BH-SD19T forms a distinct lineage and does not join any known genera in the trees. Phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic data indicate that BH-SD19T represents a novel genus and species in the family Rhodobacteraceae , for which the name Pelagivirga sediminicola gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BH-SD19T (=CCTCC AB 2017074T=KCTC 62202T).

A Gram-stain-negative, motile, aerobic and rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated T17T, was isolated from benthic sediment sampled at Jiaozhou Bay, Bohai Sea, China, and its taxonomic position was investigated. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain T17T exhibited the highest similarity values to those of the type strain Marinobacter lacisalsi FP2.5 (96.2 %) and Marinobacter koreensis DD-M3T (96.2 %). Strain T17T grew optimally at 35 °C, pH 7.0–8.0 and in the presence of 6.0–10.0 % (w/v) NaCl. The predominant ubiquinone in strain T17T was identified as Q-9. The major fatty acids of strain T17T were C_12 : 0, C_16 : 0 and C_16 : 0 10-CH₃. The major polar lipids of strain T17T were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidglycerol, an unidentified aminolipid and an unidentified phospholipid. The DNA G+C content of strain T17T was 63.0 mol%. The draft genome sequence of strain T17T includes 4 755 891 bp in total (N50=2 856 325 bp) with a medium read coverage of 100.0x and 11 scaffolds. In silico DNA–DNA hybridization with the three type strains showed 20.3, 19.7 and 19.9 % relatedness to Marinobacter santoriniensis NKSG1T, Marinobacter segnicrescens SS11B1-4T and Marinobacter daqiaonensis CGMCC 1.9167T, respectively. On the basis of the phenotypic, phylogenetic, genomic and chemotaxonomic properties, strain T17T is considered to represent a novel species within the genus Marinobacter , for which the name Marinobacter bohaiensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is T17T (=KCTC 52710T=MCCC 1K03282T).

Pectobacterium isolates SS95T, SS54 and SS56 were collected from a potato field in the Chiniot district in the plains of the Punjab province, Pakistan. Sequencing of the gapA barcode revealed that these strains belong to a novel phylogenetic group separated from P.ectobacterium wasabiae and Pectobacterium parmentieri species. Furthermore, multilocus sequence analyses of 13 housekeeping genes (fusA, rpoD, acnA, purA, gyrB, recA, mdh, mtlD, groEL, secY, glyA, gapA and rplB) clearly distinguished the type strain, SS95T, from its closest relatives, i.e. P. parmentieri RNS 08-42-1AT and P. wasabiae CFBP3304T, as well as from all the other known Pectobacterium species. In silico DNA–DNA hybridization (<44.1 %) and average nucleotide identity (<90.75 %) values of strain SS95T compared with other Pectobacterium type strains supported the delineation of a new species. Genomic and phenotypic comparisons permitted the identification of additional traits that distinguished the Pakistani isolates from all other known Pectobacterium type strains. The name Pectobacterium punjabense sp. nov. is proposed for this taxon with the type strain SS95T (=CFBP 8604T=LMG 30622T).

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile and ovoid or rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated BPTF-M20T, was isolated from tidal flat sediment in the Yellow Sea, Republic of Korea. Strain BPTF-M20T grew optimally at 30 °C, at pH 7.0–8.0 and in the presence of 2.0–3.0 % (w/v) NaCl. A neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain BPTF-M20T fell within the clade comprising the type strains of Pseudoruegeria species. Strain BPTF-M20T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 97.4–98.3 % to the type strains of Pseudoruegeria haliotis , Pseudoruegeria lutimaris , ‘ Pseudoruegeria litorisediminis’ and Pseudoruegeria sabulilitoris and 96.4–96.9 % to the type strains of the other Pseudoruegeria species. Strain BPTF-M20T contained Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone and C_18 : 1 ω7c as the major fatty acid. The major polar lipids detected in strain BPTF-M20T were phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified aminolipid and one unidentified glycolipid. The DNA G+C content of strain BPTF-M20T was 63.2 mol%. Mean DNA–DNA relatedness values of strain BPTF-M20T with the type strains of P. haliotis , P. lutimaris , P. sabulilitoris and ‘P. litorisediminis’ were 18–27 %. Differential phenotypic properties, together with the phylogenetic and genetic data, revealed that strain BPTF-M20T was separated from recognized Pseudoruegeria species. On the basis of the data presented here, strain BPTF-M20T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Pseudoruegeria , for which the name Pseudoruegeria insulae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BPTF-M20T (=KACC 19614T=KCTC 62422T=NBRC 113188T).

Seventy-three strains of Sorangium have been isolated from soil samples collected from all over the world. The strains were characterized using a polyphasic approach and phenotypic, genotypic and chemotype analyses clarified their taxonomic relationships. 16S rRNA, xynB1, groEL1, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ioniziation time-of-flight mass spectrometry and API-ZYM analyses were conducted. In addition, from selected representative strains, fatty acids, quinones and phospholipids were analysed. In silico DNA–DNA hybridization and DNA–DNA hybridization against the current type species of Sorangium cellulosum strain Soce 1871T (DSM 14627T) completed the analyses. Finally, our study revealed seven new species of Sorangium : Sorangium ambruticinum (Soce 176T; DSM 53252T, NCCB 100639T, sequence accession number ERS2488998), Sorangium arenae (Soce 1078T; DSM 105768T, NCCB 100643T, ERS2489002), Sorangium bulgaricum (Soce 321T; DSM 53339T, NCCB 100640T, ERS2488999), Sorangium dawidii (Soce 362T; DSM 105767T, NCCB 100641T, ERS2489000), Sorangium kenyense (Soce 375T; DSM 105741T, NCCB 100642T, ERS2489001), Sorangium orientale (Soce GT47T; DSM 105742T, NCCB 100638T, ERS2501484) and Sorangium reichenbachii (Soce 1828T; DSM 105769T, NCCB 100644T, ERS2489003).