- Volume 70, Issue 2, 2020

A Gram-stain-positive, moderately halophilic, strictly aerobic, endospore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium, strain JSM 102062T, was isolated from a non-saline farm soil sample collected from Dehang Canyon in Hunan, PR China. Growth occurred with 0.5–20 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 4–7 %) at pH 5.5–11.0 (optimum pH 8.0) and at 20–50 °C (optimum 30–35 °C). Contained cell-wall peptidoglycan based on meso-diaminopimelic acid and possessed menaquinone-7 (MK-7) as the major respiratory isoprenoid quinone. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The polar lipid pattern consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, five unidentified phospholipids and an unidentified glycolipid. The DNA G+C content was 44.1 mol%. Phylogeny based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain JSM 102062T belonged to the genus Sediminibacillus , sharing high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to Sediminibacillus halophilus EN8dT (99.4 %) and Sediminibacillus albus NHBX5T (98.3 %). The whole genomic analysis showed that strain JSM 102062T constituted a different taxon separated from the recognized Sediminibacillus species. Combined data from phenotypic and genotypic studies demonstrated that strain JSM 102062T represents a noval species of the genus Sediminibacillus , for which the name Sediminibacillus terrae sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is JSM 102062T (=CCTCC AB 2014166T = CGMCC 1.12957T=DSM 28949T=KCTC 33541T).

A strain of obligately anaerobic, spore-forming, Gram-positive rods was isolated from child faeces and characterized both phenotypically and genotypically. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene and whole genome sequencing revealed the strain to represent a member of the family Ruminococcaceae distant from described species and genera. The strain was moderately saccharolytic with mannose as the preferred substrate and produced lactic acid, acetic acid and H2 as the end products. The major cellular long-chain fatty acids were C16 : 0 and C16 : 0 aldehyde. The genomic DNA G+C content was 52.3 mol%. On the basis of chemotaxonomic and genomic properties it was concluded that the strain represents a novel species in a new genus within the family Ruminococcaceae , for which the name Hydrogeniiclostidium mannosilyticum gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Hydrogeniiclostidium mannosilyticum is ASD2818T (=VKM B-3268T=JCM 33295T).

In this work, we succeeded in the isolation of a novel species out of a mesophilically operated biogas fermenter fed with maize silage. Strains GS7-6-2T, GS-7K2 and GS-0K3 were isolated from three individual enrichment cultures. 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons indicated that the isolates had 100 % sequence identity and were most closely related to Anaerosphaera amininiphila WN036T, with which they shared a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 93.1 %. As a representative, strain GS7-6-2T was further characterized. Strain GS7-6-2T was mesophilic with its growth optimum at 30 °C and a pH range from pH 5.5 to 9.5 (optimum, pH 6.0–8.5). Cells were spherical and sometimes arranged into short chains. Growth was possible with up to 3.6 % (w/v) NaCl, but best without additional NaCl. Strain GS7-6-2T produced butyric acid and acetic acid as main fermentation products while growing on GS2 medium. The major cellular fatty acids were C18 : 1ω7c, C16 : 0 and C16 : 1ω9c. The Gram-stain result was negative. The DNA G+C content was 32.8 mol%. Strain GS7-6-2T was able to ferment 16 (comprising four carbohydrates, five amino acids, four organic acids and three nucleotides) out of the 95 tested substrates. Due to the ecological, genetic and phenotypic differences from the most closely affiliated and validly named organism, A. amininiphila WN036T, the isolates represent a novel species within the genus Anaerosphaera , family Peptoniphilaceae , for which the name Anaerosphaera multitolerans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is GS7-6-2T (=DSM 107952T=CECT 9705T).

A Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped (0.3–0.4×1.2–2.0 µm), strictly aerobic and beige-pigmented bacterium, designated B3227T, was isolated from the sediment of a sea cucumber culture pond in Rongcheng, China (122.2° E 36.9° N). Its biochemical characteristics analysis revealed that the cells of this bacterium were catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. Cell growth occurred at 15–45 °C (optimum, 37 °C), pH 6.5–9.0 (pH 7.5–8.0) and in the presence of 0.0–22.0 % (w/v) NaCl (6.0–9.0 % NaCl). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated that strain B3227T exhibited similarities of 95.7, 95.5, 95.5 and 95.3 % to the type strains of Filobacillus milensis , Piscibacillus salipiscarius , Halalkalibacillus halophilus and Piscibacillus halophilus , respectively, and the results of physiological analyses revealed that strain B3227T was most similar to the genus Halalkalibacillus . The cells were endospore-forming and comprised an A1-γ-meso-diaminopimelic acid-type peptidoglycan. The respiratory quinone of strain B3227T was MK-7, and the dominant fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The genomic DNA G+C content was 38.7 mol%. The average nucleotide identity values between strain B3227T and H. halophilus JCM 14192T (ANIb 69.5%, ANIm 84.2 %) and F. milensis JCM 12288T (ANIb 70.1 %, ANIm 84.1 %) were below the cut-off level (95–96  %) for species delineation. The results of kegg analysis revealed that strain B3227T could biosynthesize shikimate acid, a base compound for the formulation of the swine flu drug. Based on its morphological and physiological properties, as well as phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain B3227T should be placed into the genus Halalkalibacillus as a representative of a new species, for which the name Halalkalibacillus sediminis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is B3227T (=KCTC 33093T=MCCC 1H00193T).

Borrelia species are vector-borne parasitic bacteria with unusual, highly fragmented genomes that include a linear chromosome and linear as well as circular plasmids that differ numerically between and within various species. Strain CA690T, which was cultivated from a questing Ixodes spinipalpis nymph in the San Francisco Bay area, CA, was determined to be genetically distinct from all other described species belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. The genome, including plasmids, was assembled using a hybrid assembly of short Illumina reads and long reads obtained via Oxford Nanopore Technology. We found that strain CA690T has a main linear chromosome containing 902176 bp with a blast identity ≤91 % compared with other Borrelia species chromosomes and five linear and two circular plasmids. A phylogeny based on 37 single-copy genes of the main linear chromosome and rooted with the relapsing fever species Borrelia duttonii strain Ly revealed that strain CA690T had a sister-group relationship with, and occupied a basal position to, species occurring in North America. We propose to name this species Borrelia maritima sp. nov. The type strain, CA690T, has been deposited in two national culture collections, DSMZ (=107169) and ATCC (=TSD-160)

A novel filamentous, spore-forming, Gram-stain-positive bacterium, designated SCAWS-G2T, was isolated from red soil in Jiangxi Province, PR China. The strain grew at 25–45 °C and at pH 4.0–7.0, and was able to tolerate up to 50 mM Zn2+. The complete genome of strain SCAWS-G2T was a circular chromosome of ~11.34 Mb, which contained four 16S rRNA genes with three sequence types (0.4–0.8 % differences). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain SCAWS-G2T formed a distinct lineage within the order Ktedonobacterales , showing <89.2 % sequence similarities to the recognized taxa of this order. The whole-genome based phylogenomic tree separated strain SCAWS-G2T from the recognized families within Ktedonobacterales . The genome-wide average nucleotide identity values between strain SCAWS-G2T and the related type strains were <68.2 %. The strain can also be differentiated from the recognized families by a number of phenotypic characteristics. The polar lipids of SCAWS-G2T were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, seven unidentified glycolipids and one unidentified lipid. The peptidoglycan amino acids contained ornithine, glycine, glutamic acid and alanine, and the cell-wall sugars were mainly galactose and rhamnose. The major fatty acids were C16 : 1 2-OH, C16 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0. Based on all these data, we propose that strain SCAWS-G2T represents a novel genus and species, Ktedonosporobacter rubrisoli gen. nov., sp. nov., within the new family Ktedonosporobacteraceae fam. nov. of the order Ktedonobacterales . The type strain of Ktedonosporobacter rubrisoli is SCAWS-G2T (=CGMCC 1.16132T=DSM 105258T).

A novel aerobic moderately thermophilic bacterium, strain 3753OT, was isolated from a Chukotka hot spring (Arctic, Russia) using the newly developed technology of laser engineering of microbial systems. Сells were regular short rods, 0.4×0.8–2.0 µm in size, with a monoderm-type envelope and a single flagellum. The temperature and pH ranges for growth were 42–60 °C and pH 6.5–8.5, the optima being 50–54 °C and pH 7.3. Strain 3753OT grew chemoorganoheterotrophically on a number of carbohydrates or peptidic substrates and volatile fatty acids, and chemolithoautotrophically with siderite (FeCO3) as the electron donor. The major cellular fatty acid was branched C19 : 0. Phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and two unidentified phospholipids as well as two yellow carotenoid-type pigments were detected in the polar lipid extract. Strain 3753OT was inhibited by chloramphenicol, polymyxin B, vancomycin, streptomycin, neomycin and kanamycin, but resistant to the action of novobiocin and ampicillin. The DNA G+C content was 69.9 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene as well as 51 conservative protein sequence-based phylogenetic analyses placed strain 3753OT within the previously uncultivated lineage OLB14 in the phylum Chloroflexi . Taking into account the phylogenetic position as well as phenotypic properties of the novel isolate, the novel genus and species Tepidiforma bonchosmolovskayae gen. nov., sp. nov., within the Tepidiformaceae fam. nov., the Tepidiformales ord. nov. and the Tepidiformia classis nov. are proposed. The type strain of Tepidiforma bonchosmolovskayae is 3753OT (=VKM B-3389T=KTCT 72284T).

The family Gemmataceae accommodates aerobic, chemoorganotrophic planctomycetes, which inhabit various freshwater ecosystems, wetlands and soils. Here, we describe a novel member of this family, strain PX52T, which was isolated from a boreal eutrophic lake in Northern Russia. This isolate formed pink-pigmented colonies and was represented by spherical cells that occurred singly, in pairs or aggregates and multiplied by budding. Daughter cells were highly motile. PX52T was an obligate aerobic chemoorganotroph, which utilized various sugars and some heteropolysaccharides. Growth occurred at pH 5.0–7.5 (optimum pH 6.5) and at temperatures between 10 and 30 °C (optimum 20–25 °C). The major fatty acids were C18 : 1ɷ7c, C18 : 0 and βOH-C16:0; the major intact polar lipid was trimethylornithine, and the quinone was MK-6. The complete genome of PX52T was 9.38 Mb in size and contained nearly 8000 potential protein-coding genes. Among those were genes encoding a wide repertoire of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) including 33 glycoside hydrolases (GH) and 87 glycosyltransferases (GT) affiliated with 17 and 12 CAZy families, respectively. DNA G+C content was 65.6 mol%. PX52T displayed only 86.0–89.8 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to taxonomically described Gemmataceae planctomycetes and differed from them by a number of phenotypic characteristics and by fatty acid composition. We, therefore, propose to classify it as representing a novel genus and species, Limnoglobus roseus gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain is strain PX52T (=KCTC 72397T=VKM B-3275T).

Two strains of anaerobic, coccoid, saccharolytic, Gram-stain-negative bacteria were isolated from samples of anoxic hypersaline sediments of evaporation ponds in Tavira (Portugal) and Mallorca (Spain). Both isolates were moderately halophilic, neutrophilic and had a temperature optimum at 37 °C. The highest 16S rRNA gene sequence identity values were found with members of the genus Sedimentisphaera (84.9–88.2 %) within the order Sedimentisphaerales, class Phycisphaerae . The strain SM-Chi-D1T could be assigned to the family Sedimentisphaeraceae , while phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and genomic data indicate that strain ST-NAGAB-D1T is both a member of a novel genus and a novel family. SM-Chi-D1T could be distinguished from other cultured members of the Sedimentisphaeraceae mainly by the stimulatory effect of sulfur on growth, lack of ethanol production during fermentation and several differences in the cellular fatty acids and polar lipids patterns. Main differential characteristics of ST-NAGAB-D1T were a polytrichous flagellation, the absence of branched chain fatty acids and presence of large proportions of the unsaturated cellular fatty acids C16 : 1  c9 and C18 : 1  c11. On the basis of genomic, chemotaxonomic, biochemical and physiological data, we propose the novel species and genera Anaerohalosphaera lusitana gen. nov., sp. nov., and Limihaloglobus sulfuriphilus gen. nov., sp. nov., represented by the type strains ST-NAGAB-D1T (=DSM 103484T=JCM 31926T=KCTC 15600T) and SM-Chi-D1T (=DSM 100118T=JCM 31927T=KCTC 15601T), respectively. In addition, we propose the novel family Anaerohalosphaeraceae fam. nov. to accommodate the genus Anaerohalosphaera.

Polyphasic taxonomic analysis was performed to characterize a novel bacterium, which was isolated from surface sediment of the Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica, and designated as R04H25T. The cells of the isolate were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, slightly curved rods. Growth occurred at 4–42 °C, pH 7.0–9.5, and in 1–15 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain R04H25T formed an independent lineage within the genus Pseudidiomarina and its nearest neighbours were Pseudidiomarina donghaiensis 908033T (98.2 %), Pseudidiomarina marina PIM1T (98.1 %), Pseudidiomarina woesei W11T (97.8 %), Pseudidiomarina maritima 908087T (97.1 %) and Pseudidiomarina tainanensis PIN1T (97.0 %). The average nucleotide identities between strain R04H25T and the nearest neighbours were 76.2–77.7 %. The major fatty acids were iso-C17 : 0, summed feature 9, iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0 and iso-C11 : 0 3-OH. The polar lipids comprised phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified aminophospholipid, three unidentified glycolipids and two unidentified lipids. The predominant respiratory quinone was ubiquinone 8. The genomic DNA G+C content was 48.2 mol%. On the basis of the phylogenetic, physiological and chemotaxonomic results, we propose a novel species named as Pseudidiomarina gelatinasegens sp. nov. in the genus Pseudidiomarina , with the type strain R04H25T (=GDMCC 1.1503T=KCTC 62911T).

Two strains, designated 2251T and 3058, that were aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, coccoid or short rod-shaped bacilli, have recently been isolated from Tibetan antelopes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The results of phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strains 2251T and 3058 represent a new species within the genus Paracoccus and are most similar to ‘ Paracoccus gahaiensis ’ CUG00006T (98.9 and 99.3 %), Paracoccus nototheniae I-41R45T (98.3 and 98.7 %) and Paracoccus hibiscisoli THG-T2.31T (97.6 and 97.8 %). Results of genomic sequence-based phylogenomic analysis agreed with those from 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Optimal growth was achieved at pH 7.0–7.5 and 28 °C with marine medium. Cells contained C18 : 1 ω7c as the major cellular fatty acid and ubiquinone-10 as the predominant menaquinone. The polar lipids comprised phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phospholipid, glycolipid and an unidentified lipid. The cell-wall peptidoglycan amino acids were meso-2,6-diaminopimelic acid, alanine and glutamic acid; the major cell-wall sugar was galactose. The G+C content of strain 2251T was 66.5 mol%. Both strains (2251T and 3058) had DNA–DNA relatedness values less than 50 % with all available genomes of the genus Paracoccus in the ncbi database. Differential genotypic inferences, together with phenotypic and biochemical characteristics, demonstrated that strains 2251T and 3058 should be classified as a novel species of the genus Paracoccus , for which the name Paracoccus liaowanqingii sp. nov. is suggested. The type strain is 2251T (=CGMCC 1.16490T=DSM 106269T).

A novel short-rod-shaped bacterial strain with poly-β-hydroxybutyric acid granules inside, designated as Z7-4T, was isolated from a culture of a marine dinoflagellate with palytoxin-producing capacity, Ostreopsis lenticularis OS06, collected from the East China Sea. Cells of Z7-4T were Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, strictly aerobic, 0.9–1.2 µm wide and 2.0–3.9 µm long. Growth occurred in 1–4 % (w/v) NaCl, at 15–37 °C and at pH 5.0–10.0, with optimum growth in 3.5 % (w/v) NaCl, at 30 °C and at pH 7.0. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that Z7-4T shared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with Nioella aestuarii JCM 30752T (98.8 %), followed by Nioella sediminis KCTC 42144T (98.6 %) and Nioella nitratireducens KCTC 32417T (96.9 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on nearly complete 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that Z7-4T clearly represented a member of the genus Nioella within the family Rhodobacteraceae . The respiratory quinone of Z7-4T was identified as Q-10. Polar lipids of Z7-4T were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified aminophospholipids and one unidentified phospholipid. The major fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c) and C16 : 0. The DNA G+C content of Z7-4T was 63.0 mol%. DNA–DNA hybridization values of the isolate against the closely related type strains were far below the 70 % limit for species delineation. The average nucleotide identity and in silico DNA–DNA genome hybridization relatedness between Z7-4T and the closely related members of the genus Nioella , N. sediminis KCTC 42144T and N. nitratireducens KCTC 32417T, were 91.1 and 46.3 %, and 79.3 and 19.4 %, respectively. On the basis of the results of polyphasic analysis, Z7-4T is proposed to represent a novel species of the genus Nioella , for which the name Nioella ostreopsis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Nioella ostreopsis is Z7-4T (=KCTC 62459T=CCTCC AB 2017231T)

A Gram-stain-negative, cocci or short rod-shaped, yellow-pigmented bacterium, designated strain S2-4-2T, was isolated from coastal sediment of Spartina alterniflora in Quanzhou Bay, PR China. Growth was observed at 15–40 °C (optimum, 30 °C) and pH 6.0–8.0 (optimum, pH 7.0). Strain S2-4-2T tolerated 0–10 % NaCl (optimum, 1 %). The 16S rRNA gene of strain S2-4-2T showed highest sequence similarity to Croceicoccus pelagius Ery9T (98.2 %), followed by Croceicoccus naphthovorans PQ-2T, Croceicoccus marinus E4A9T and Croceicoccus mobilis Ery22T (97.6%, 96.3 and 96.3 %, respectively). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and phylogenomic analysis based on 92 up-to-date bacterial core gene sets indicated that strain S2-4-2T forms a distinct monophyletic branch affiliated to the genus Croceicoccus . The average nucleotide identity value between strain S2-4-2T and its close relatives were estimated to be 74.8–85.7 %. The respiratory quinone was found to be Q-10. The predominant fatty acids (>10 %) were identified as summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c) and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and C16 : 1ω6c). The polar lipids were identified as phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, sphingoglycolipid and an unidentified phospholipid. The draft genome size of strain S2-4-2T was 3.5 Mb with a genomic G+C content of 63.0 mol%. Based on these results, strain S2-4-2T is concluded to represent a novel species within the genus Croceicoccus , for which the name Croceicoccus sediminis sp. nov. is proposed with the type strain S2-4-2T (=MCCC 1K03706T=KCTC 72146T).

A bacterial strain, BIT-26T, was isolated from the gut of plastic-eating mealworm Tenebrio molitor L. The taxonomic position of this new isolate was investigated by using a polyphasic approach. Cells of the strain were Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, motile rods with peritrichous flagella. The 16S rRNA gene sequence (1412 bp) of strain BIT-26T showed the highest similarity (97.4 %) to Erwinia piriflorinigrans CFBP 5888T, followed by Citrobacter sedlakii NBRC 105722T (97.3 %), Mixta calida LMG 25383T (97.3 %), Cronobacter muytjensii ATCC 51329T (97.2 %) and Mixta theicola QC88-366 T (97.2 %). The results of phylogenetic analyses, based on the 16S rRNA gene and concatenated sequences of four housekeeping genes (atpD, gyrB, infB and rpoB), placed strain BIT-26T within the genus Mixta of the family Erwiniaceae . This affiliation was also supported by the chemotaxonomic data. Strain BIT-26T had similar predominant fatty acids, including C12 : 0, C14 : 0, C16 : 0, C17 : 0 cyclo and C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c, to species of the genus Mixta . In silico DNA–DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity calculations plus physiological and biochemical tests allowed the genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of strain BIT-26T from other species of the genus Mixta with validly published names. Therefore, strain BIT-26T is considered to represent a novel species, for which the name Mixta tenebrionis sp. nov is proposed. The type strain is BIT-26T (=CGMCC 1.17041T=KCTC 72449T).

Strain ICH-3T, isolated from a freshwater pond in Taiwan 9ROC), was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomy approach. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and an up-to-date bacterial core gene set (92 protein clusters) indicated that ICH-3T is affiliated with the species in the genus Rubrivivax . ICH-3T was most closely related to Rubrivivax benzoatilyticus JA2T and Rubrivivax gelatinosus NCIB 8290T with 97.5 and 97.4 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization identity between ICH-3T and the two closely related strains were 77.3 and 20.9–21.0 %, respectively, indicating that ICH-3T represents a novel species of the genus Rubrivivax . Cells were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped and formed white colonies. Optimal growth occurred at 30 °C, pH 7.5–8.0 and with 0.5 % NaCl. The major fatty acids (>20 %) of ICH-3T were summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c) and C16 : 0. The polar lipid profile consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, an uncharacterized aminophospholipid and two uncharacterized phospholipids. The major isoprenoid quinone was Q-8. The genomic DNA G+C content of ICH-3T was 70.3 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic properties and phylogenetic inference, strain ICH-3T should be classified as representing a novel species of the genus Rubrivivax , for which the name Rubrivivax albus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ICH-3T (=BCRC 81155T=LMG 30930T=KCTC 62866T).

A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium, without flagellum and designated ZYF765T, was isolated from seawater sampled at a depth of 4000 m in the Mariana Trench. Strain ZYF765T grew with 1–15 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 4 %), at 16–37 °C (28 °C) and at pH 6.0–10.0 (pH 7.0–8.0). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain ZYF765T formed a lineage within the family Hyphomonadaceae , and was distinct from the most closely related species Glycocaulis abyssi , Glycocaulis albus and Glycocaulis alkaliphilus with 16S rRNA gene sequences similarities ranging from 98.42 to 98.63 %. The major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10 (Q-10). The polar lipids comprised three unidentified glycolipids, one unidentified aminophospholipid, one unidentified phospholipid and one unidentified aminolipid. The predominant fatty acids (more than 10 % of total fatty acids) were C18 : 1ω7c (46.2 %) and C18 : 0 (14.1 %). The DNA G+C content was 67.7 mol%. On the basis of the results of polyphasic taxonomic analysis, strain ZYF765T is considered to represent a novel species within the genus Glycocaulis , for which the name Glycocaulis profundi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ZYF765T (=JCM 33028T=MCCC 1K03554T).

A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, non-motile and non-pigmented spirillum, designated strain LZ-5T, was isolated from cultures of the paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxin-producing marine dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella LZT09 collected from the Zhoushan sea area in the East China Sea during an algal bloom. The isolate grew at 4–40 °C (optimum, 25–33 °C) and pH 5.0–9.0 (optimum, 7.5) in the presence of 0.5–10 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 4.0 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain LZ-5T clearly belonged to the genus Saccharospirillum of the family Saccharospirillaceae . Strain LZ-5T shared highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Saccharospirillum impatiens EL-105T (98.9 %), Saccharospirillum mangrovi HK-33T (97.2 %), Saccharospirillum correiae CPA1T (96.8 %), Saccharospirillum salsuginis YIM-Y25T (96.8 %) and Saccharospirillum aestuarii IMCC 4453T (95.1 %). The average nucleotide identity and in silico DNA–DNA hybridization between strain LZ-5T and the two most closely related Saccharospirillum strains, S. impatiens EL-105T and S. mangrovi HK-33T, were 82.2 and 19.3 %, and 72.2 and 13.2 %, respectively. The predominant respiratory quinone of strain LZ-5T was Q-8, and the major fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c), summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c) and C16 : 0. The polar lipids of strain LZ-5T were diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylcholine (PC), glycolipid (GL), two unidentified glycophospholipids (GPLs), three unidentified aminophospholipids (APLs) and two unidentified lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content was 57.2 mol%. On the basis of this polyphasic characterization, strain LZ-5T represents a novel species of the genus Saccharospirillum , for which the name Saccharospirillum alexandrii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LZ-5T (=KCTC 62460T=CCTCC AB2017232T).

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, non-motile, poly-β-hydroxybutyrate-accumulating and aerobic bacterial strain, designated CHR27T, was isolated and characterized by using the polyphasic taxonomy approach. The results of phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and coding sequences of an up-to-date bacterial core gene set (92 protein clusters) indicated that strain CHR27T is affiliated with species in the genus Sphingobium . 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity results indicated that strain CHR27T was closely related to species of the genus Sphingobium (94.3–97.0 %), and had the highest sequence similarity to Sphingobium qiguonii X23T (97.0 %). Strain CHR27T showed 19.4–22.1 % digital DNA–DNA hybridization values and 73.2–74.8 % average nucleotide identity values with the strains of other Sphingobium species. Optimal growth occurred at 25 °C, pH 7.5 and in the absence of NaCl. The major fatty acids of strain CHR27T were C18 : 1ω7c and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c). The predominant hydroxy fatty acid was C14 : 0 2-OH. The polar lipid profile consisted of a mixture of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine, two unidentified sphingoglycolipids and an unidentified aminophospholipid. Strain CHR27T contained spermidine as the major polyamine and putrescine as a minor component. The only isoprenoid quinone was ubiquinone-10. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain CHR27Twas 61.8 mol%. On the basis of the phylogenetic inference and phenotypic data, strain CHR27T was considered a representative of a novel species within the genus Sphingobium . The name Sphingobium fluviale sp. nov. is proposed, with strain CHR27T (=BCRC 81121T=LMG 30596T=KCTC 62510T) as the type strain.

A novel strain S29T with high nitrogen fixing ability was isolated from surface-sterilized leaf tissues of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) growing in Science Park II, Singapore. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene analysis and multilocus sequence typing with the rpoB, gyrB, infB and atpD genes, strain S29T was a member of the genus Phytobacter , with Phytobacter ursingii ATCC 27989T and Phytobacter diazotrophicus LS 8T as its closest relatives. Unique biochemical features that differentiated strain S29T from its closest relatives were the ability to utilize melibiose, α-cyclodextrin, glycogen, adonital, d-arabitol, m-inositol and xylitol. The major fatty acids were C14 : 0, C16 : 0, C17 : 0, C16 : 1 ω5c and summed feature 2 containing C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c. The polar fatty acid profile consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified aminophospholipid and aminolipids. The draft genome of strain S29T comprised 5, 284, 330 bp with a G + C content of 52.6 %. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain S29T and the phylogenetically related Enterobacterales species were lower than 95 % and 70 %, respectively. Thus, the polyphasic evidences generated through the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genomic methods confirmed that strain S29T represents a novel species of the genus Phytobacter , for which we propose the name Phytobacter palmae sp. nov. with the type strain of S29T (=DSM 27342T=KACC 17598T).