- Volume 69, Issue 1, 2019

Recently a number of queries were received about the ways in which requests for validation of names of taxa effectively published in journals other than the IJSEM are approved or denied and about the criteria used by the List Editors of the journal when deciding whether or not a validation request can be approved. As this process may be unclear to some authors of proposals, we would like to clarify the nature of the validation process and the role of the List Editors.

Two marine actinomycete strains, LHW50302T and LHW51701T, were isolated from marine sponges collected in Sansha, Hainan Province, China. The morphological, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic characteristics were consistent with their classification in the genus Streptomyces . The strains formed hooked and looped chains of arthrospores with smooth surfaces. The cell-wall hydrolysates of the strains contained ll-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. MK-9(H₈) was the predominant menaquinone. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol. Major fatty acids of the strains were iso-C_16 : 0, anteiso-C_15 : 0 and anteiso-C_17 : 0. The 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the strains clustered together with Streptomyces albus CGMCC 4.1640T and Streptomyces qinglanensis CGMCC 4.6825T. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) confirmed their relationship. Genome relatedness in forms of average nucleotide identity, digital DNA–DNA hybridization value and MLSA evolutionary distance between each of the strains and its closest relatives showed that they belonged to distinct species. On the basis of these results, strains LHW50302T and LHW51701T belong to two novel species in the genus Streptomyces , for which the names Streptomyces reniochalinae sp. nov. (type strain LHW50302T=CCTCC AA 2018013T=DSM 106194T) and Streptomyces diacarni sp. nov. (type strain LHW51701T=CCTCC AA 2018017T=DSM 106126T) are proposed, respectively.

The taxonomic position of an actinobacterium, designated CPCC 204380T, which was isolated from a rhizosphere soil sample of the plant Calligonum mongolicum collected from Xinjiang Province, China, was established using a polyphasic approach. Vegetative hyphae developed well and globose bodies formed from aged hyphae. Spore chains that differentiated from the vegetative hyphae contained non-motile rod-shaped spores. The peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and 3-hydroxydiaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic amino acids. The acyl type of the peptidoglycan was glycolyl. Glucose, mannose, ribose and xylose were detected in whole-cell hydrolysates. The predominant menaquinone was MK-10(H₈), followed by MK-10(H₆) and MK-10(H₄). The polar lipid profile consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannoside. The major fatty acids were iso-C_15 : 0, iso-C_16 : 0 and C_17 : 1ω9c. The genomic G+C content was 64.9 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain CPCC 204380T should be placed in the family Micromonosporaceae , in which it formed a distinct lineage next to the genera Rhizocola , Catellatospora , Catelliglobosispora , Hamadaea and Allocatelliglobosispora. It shared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with Rhizocola hellebori K12-0602T (96.1 %), Catellatospora chokoriensis 2-25/1T (95.9 %), Catelliglobosispora koreensis DSM 44566T (95.9 %), Hamadaea tsunoensis DSM 44101T (95.3 %) and Allocatelliglobosispora scoriae Sco-B14 T (94.2 %), and less than 94.0 % sequence similarity with other validly described species. The combination of phylogenetic analysis and phenotypic characteristics supported the proposal of strain CPCC 204380T as representing a novel species of a new genus in the family Micromonosporaceae , for which the name Allorhizocola rhizosphaerae gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. CPCC 204380T (=DSM 102292T=KCTC 39746 T) is the type strain of the type species.

An aerobic, spore-forming, actinomycete, designated strain CHM3-46T, was isolated from soil in a hot spring pond located in Chiangmai province, Thailand. The strain exhibited taxonomic characteristics consistent with the genus Thermocatellispora . Strain CHM3-46T produced short, straight chains of warty spores on aerial mycelia. The presence of meso-diaminopimelic acid was observed in the cell-wall peptidoglycan. The whole-cell reducing sugars were glucose, mannose, galacose and ribose. The phospholipids comprised phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, hydroxyphosphatidylmethylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine, hydroxyphosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, four phosphoglycolipids and three unidentified phospholipids. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H₄), MK-9(H₆) and MK-9(H₈). 10-methyl C_17 : 0, C_16 : 0, C_17 : 0 and iso-C_16 : 0 were identified as the main cellular fatty acids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 73.2 mol%. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain CHM3-46T belonged to the genus Thermocatellispora , exhibiting the highest similarity to Thermocatellispora tengchongensis YIM 77521T (98.5 %). Furthermore, a low DNA relatedness value (23.4 %±0.8) and several physiological and biochemical characteristic differences were detected between strain CHM3-46T and its closest relative. Based on the taxonomic data, strain CHM3-46T could be readily distinguished from its closest phylogenetic relative and represents a novel species, for which the name Thermocatellispora soli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CHM3-46T (=TBRC 7649T=NBRC 113148T).

A novel actinobacterium, designated strain SYSU K10002T, was isolated from a soil 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 similarities and phylogenetic analysis, strain SYSU K10002T was most closely related to the type strains of Nocardiaaltamirensis NBRC 108246T (99.0 % sequence similarity) and Nocardiatenerifensis NBRC 101015T (98.8 %) and is therefore considered to represent a member of the genus Nocardia . DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain SYSU K10002T and the closely related type strains of the genus Nocardia 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, ribose and galactose. The major isoprenoid quinone was MK-8(H₄,ω-cycl), while the major fatty acids (>10 %) were C_16 : 0, C_18 : 1ω9c and C_18 : 0 10-methyl. The polar lipids contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside and an unidentified glycolipid. Mycolic acids were present. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain SYSU K10002T was 67.4 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic data, strain SYSU K10002T represents a novel species of the genus Nocardia , for which the name Nocardia aurea sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SYSU K10002T (=KCTC 39849T=DSM 103986T).

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming, coccus-shaped actinobacterium, designated strain 12Sc4-1T, was isolated from a soil sample collected in the Taklamakan desert in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. Strain 12Sc4-1T grew at 8‒35 °C (optimum, 28‒30 °C), pH 6.0‒9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and in the presence of 0‒3 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence suggested that strain 12Sc4-1T belonged to the genus Nakamurella and shared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Nakamurella silvestris S20-107T (96.94 %). Strain 12Sc4-1T showed <96.0 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to all other recognized members of the genus Nakamurella . Chemotaxonomic analyses showed that the isolate possessed meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid of the peptidoglycan, glucose, mannose and galactose as whole-cell sugars, and MK-8(H₄) as the predominant menaquinone. The polar lipids comprised diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified aminophospholipid, phosphatidylinositol, an unidentified phospholipid, an unidentified phosphoglycolipid and an unidentified glycolipid. The major fatty acids were C_16 : 0 and anteiso-C_15 : 0. The DNA G+C content was 72.1 mol% (draft genome sequence). On the basis of phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses, strain 12Sc4-1T represents a novel species of the genus Nakamurella , for which the name Nakamurella deserti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 12Sc4-1T (=KCTC 49114T=CGMCC 1.16555T).

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, short-rod-shaped, non-spore-forming actinobacterial strain, designated M8JJ-5T, was isolated from a surface-sterilized bark of Neriumindicum Mill. collected from Guizhou, China, and investigated by a polyphasic approach to determine its taxonomic position. Strain M8JJ-5T grew optimally without NaCl at 28 °C and at pH 7.0–8.0. Substrate mycelia and aerial mycelia were not formed, and no diffusible pigments were observed on the media tested. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain M8JJ-5T was most closely related to the type strains of genus Amnibacterium , and shared highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 97.29 % to Amnibacterium kyonggiense KSL51201-037T. The DNA G+C content of strain M8JJ-5T was 68.6 mol%. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contained l-2,4-diaminobutyric acid and MK-12, MK-11 were the major menaquinones. The predominant polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified glycolipid, an unidentified phospholipid and an unidentified lipid, while the major fatty acids were iso-C_16 : 0, anteiso-C_15 : 0 and anteiso-C_17 : 0. On the basis of phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic data, strain M8JJ-5T can be characterized to represent a novel species of the genus Amnibacterium , for which the name Amnibacterium flavum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is M8JJ-5T (=KCTC 49089T=CGMCC 1.16390T).

A novel, Gram-stain-negative, non-motile and rod-shaped bacterium, designated YH5T, was isolated from the YonghuCo wetland on the Tibetan Plateau. The strain was able to grow optimally with 1 % (w/v) NaCl and tolerated up to 3 % NaCl. Growth occurred at pH 6–9 (optimum pH 7) and 10–37 °C (optimum 30 °C). Vitamins were not required for growth. The major polar lipid of strain YH5T was phosphatidylethanolamine. The predominant respiratory quinone was menaquinone 6 (MK-6). The major fatty acids were iso-C_15 : 0, C_16 : 0 10-methyl and/or iso-C_17 : 1ω9c, iso-C_17 : 0 3-OH, iso-C_15 : 1 G and iso-C_15 : 0 3-OH. Genome sequencing revealed a genome size of 2.74 Mbp and a G+C content of 33.3 mol%. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain YH5T belonged to the genus Flavobacterium , with the closest neighbours Flavobacterium luticocti xz20T (96.7 % similarity), Flavobacterium jejuense EC11T (96.4 %), Flavobacterium jumunjinense HME7102T (95.9 %) and Flavobacterium dongtanense LW30T (95.6 %). DNA–DNA relatedness between strain YH5T and the closest phylogenetically related strain F. luticocti xz20T was 27.0 %. Strain YH5T was clearly distinguished from the reference type strains based on phylogenetic analysis, DNA–DNA hybridization, fatty acid composition and a range of physiological and biochemical characteristics. Based on its phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, strain YH5T is classified as a representative of a novel species of the genus Flavobacterium , for which the name Flavobacterium tibetense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YH5T (=CICC 24247T=KCTC 62174T).

Strain TAPW14T was isolated from a freshwater creek in Taiwan. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain TAPW14T belonged to the genus Flavobacterium and was most closely related to Flavobacterium akiainvivens IK-1T (96.6 % sequence identity) and Flavobacterium hauense BX12T (96.0 %) and less than 96 % sequence similarity to other members of the genus. Cells of strain TAPW14T were Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, motile by gliding, rod-shaped and formed white colonies. Optimal growth occurred at 20 °C, pH 7 and in the presence of 0.5 % NaCl. Strain TAPW14T contained summed feature 3 (C_16 : 1ω6c and/or C_16 : 1ω7c), iso-C_15 : 0 and C_16 : 0 as the predominant fatty acids. The polar lipid profile consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, three uncharacterized aminophospholipids, one uncharacterized phospholipid and one uncharacterized lipid. The major polyamine was homospermidine. The major isoprenoid quinone was MK-6. The DNA G+C content of the genomic DNA was 46.0 mol%. On the basis of the phylogenetic inference and phenotypic data, strain TAPW14T should be classified as a novel species, for which the name Flavobacteriumniveum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is TAPW14T (=BCRC 81055T=LMG 30057T=KCTC 52808T).

Two isolates of a Gram-positive, non-motile, coccoid or oval-shaped anaerobic bacterium, designated strains N6H1-15T and YH1_16, were isolated from faecal samples obtained from a mature dog. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the isolates belonged to the Blautia coccoides rRNA gene group (cluster XIVa) and were closely related to Blautia hansenii KCTC 5951T, Blautia stercoris KCTC 5981T, Blautia producta producta KCTC 3695T and B. coccoides DSM 15327T, with 96.7, 94.4, 94.2 and 93.9 % sequence similarity, respectively. The two isolates contained m-diaminopimelic acid within their peptidoglycans. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol, and the major fatty acids were C_16 : 0 (18.5 %), C_16 : 0 (18.0 %) and C_18 : 1 cis 9 (16.2 %). The predominant metabolic end products of glucose fermentation were acetic and lactic acids, and the G+C content was 44.2 mol%. Thus, the polyphasic data suggest that the two new isolates represent a new species, proposed as Blautia argi sp. nov. The type strain is N6H1-15T (=KCTC 15426=JCM 31394).

During a screening of Listeria species in food samples in Thailand, a Listeria -like bacterium was recovered from fried chicken and could not be assigned to any known species. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene and on 243 Listeria core genes placed the novel taxon within the Listeria aquatica , Listeria floridensis , Listeria fleishmannii and Listeria costaricensis clade ( Listeria sensu lato), with highest similarity to L. floridensis (98.9 %) and L. costaricensis (98.8 %). Whole-genome sequence analyses based on the average nucleotide blast identity (ANI<86 %), the pairwise amino acid identity (AAI>64 %) and on the percentage of conserved proteins (POCP>77 %) with currently known Listeria species confirmed that the strain constituted a new taxon within the genus Listeria . At the phenotypical level, it differs from other Listeria species by the production of acid from d-tagatose and inositol. The name Listeria thailandensis sp. nov. is proposed for the novel species, and is represented by the type strain CLIP 2015/00305T (=CIP 111635T=DSM 107638T).

Strain 82T, a Gram-stain-positive, coagulase-negative staphylococcus was isolated from an air sample obtained from an industrial rabbit holding in Italy. It is phylogenetically closely related to the coagulase-negative species Staphylococcus saprophyticus , Staphylococcus xylosus and Staphylococcus edaphicus . However, it could be distinguished from these species by sequence differences between the 16S rRNA, hsp60, rpoB, dnaJ and gap genes. At the whole genome level, the isolate had an average nucleotide identity of <95 % and an inferred DNA–DNA hybridization of <70 % when compared to these species. Based on the genotypic results, it is proposed that this isolate is a novel species, with the name Staphylococcus caeli sp. nov. The type strain is 82BT (=NCTC 14063T=CCUG 71912T).

A Gram-stain-positive, facultatively anaerobic, motile and rod-shaped bacterium, designated KNUC7312T, was isolated from salt-accumulated rhizospheric soil in a pepper greenhouse in Miryang city, Republic of Korea. Cell growth of strain KNUC7312T occurred at 10–45 °C (optimum, 30 °C) and pH 7–12 (optimum, pH 7). In addition, this strain was able to tolerate 0–12 % NaCl (w/v) concentration (optimum, 0–1 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the strain KNUC7312T clustered together with other species of the genus Bacillus and was most closely related to Bacillus humi DSM 16318T (98.0 %). The predominant respiratory quinone was menaquinone-7 (MK-7). The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso C_15 : 0, iso-C_15 : 0 and iso-C_14 : 0. The polar lipid profile contained the major components diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and two unidentified aminolipids. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the major diagnostic diamino acid. Strain KNUC7312T showed a low DNA–DNA relatedness value (47.36 %) with B. humi DSM 16318T, which supported that this strain represents a novel Bacillus species. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic evidence, strain KNUC7312T represents a novel species within the genera Bacillus . The name Bacillus salildurans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KNUC7312T (KCTC 33852T=CGMCC 1.13629T).

Paenibacillus shenyangensis and Paenibacillus dauci are Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped and endospore-forming bacteria originally isolated from soil and carrot samples, respectively, in China. Preliminary comparative genomic analysis showed that these bacteria could constitute a single species. Therefore, in this study, their taxonomic statuses were clarified through distinct genomic metrics and phylogenetic analyses. Paenibacillus shenyangensis A9T and P. dauci H9T presented values of average nucleotide identity (ANI) and its derivative metrics (gANI and OrthoANI) ranging from 97.88 to 98.08 %, and digital DNA–DNA hybridization equal to 89.08 %. Furthermore, the identities of 16S rRNA, gyrB, rpoB, recA and recN genes were all equal or higher than 98.7 %. Phylogenies of these marker genes and the concatenated core proteome were congruent in the sense that P. shenyangensis A9T and P. dauci H9T are the closest type-strains of the genus Paenibacillus . A review of their profiles revealed that these strains do not present pronounced differences at the phenotypic and chemotaxonomic levels. Considering phylogenetic, genomic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data, P. dauci should be reclassified as a later heterotypic synonym of P. shenyangensis .

Strain DXL2T, a Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, endospore-forming, motile, aerobic bacterium, was isolated from selenium mineral soil. DXL2T had the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with those of Paenibacillus ginsengarvi Gsoil 139T (96.8 %), Paenibacillus hemerocallicola DLE-12T (95.5 %) and Paenibacillus hodogayensis SGT (95.4 %). The genome size of DXL2T was 7.24 Mb, containing 6243 predicted protein-coding genes, with a DNA G+C content of 60.2 mol%. DXL2T contained meso-diaminopimelic acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C_15 : 0, iso-C_16 : 0 and iso-C_15 : 0. The major quinone was menaquinone 7. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, two aminophospholipids, an unidentified aminolipid, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, an unidentified glycolipid and an unidentified phospholipid. Compared with the other strains, DXL2T had a specific phospholipid and a specific aminolipid, it hydrolyzed Tween 40 and could not assimilate potassium gluconate. On the basis of the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic results, strain DXL2T represents a novel species within the genus Paenibacillus , for which the name Paenibacillus flagellatus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DXL2T (=KCTC 33976T=CCTCC AB 2018054T).