- Volume 73, Issue 5, 2023

An actinobacterium strain, PPF5-17T, was isolated from hot spring soil collected from Chiang Rai province, Thailand. The strain exhibited morphological and chemotaxonomic properties similar to those of members of the genus Micromonospora . Colonies of PPF5-17T were strong pinkish red and turned black after sporulation in ISP 2 agar medium. Cells formed single spores directly on the substrate mycelium. Growth was observed from 15 to 45 °C and at pH 5–8. Maximum NaCl concentration for growth was 3 % (w/v). PPF5-17T was found to have meso-diaminopimelic acid, xylose, mannose and glucose in the whole-cell hydrolysate. Diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositolmannosides were observed as the membrane phospholipids. MK-10(H6), MK-9(H6), MK-10(H4) and MK-9(H4) were the major menaquinones. The predominant cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. PPF5-17T shared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Micromonospora fluminis LMG 30467T (99.3 %). A genome-based taxonomic study revealed that PPF5-17T was closely related to Micromonospora aurantinigra DSM 44815T in the phylogenomic tree with an average nucleotide identity by blast (ANIb) of 87.7 % and a digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) value of, 36.1 % which were below the threshold values for delineation of a novel species. Moreover, PPF5-17T could be distinguished from its closest neighbours, M. fluminis LMG 30467T and M. aurantinigra DSM 44815T, with respect to a broad range of phenotypic properties. Thus, PPF5-17T represents a novel species, for which the name Micromonospora solifontis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PPF5-17T (= TBRC 8478T = NBRC 113441T).

The taxonomic relationship of Cellulosimicrobium fucosivorans SE3T and Cellulosimicrobium composti BIT-GX5T was re-evaluated. The type strains of the two species shared 99.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, and whole genome sequence comparisons showed that the two species shared a 86.3 % digital DNA‒DNA hybridization (dDDH) value, a 98.5 % average nucleotide identity (ANI) score and a 98.2 % average amino acid identity (AAI) value. These values were higher than the recommend novel species recognition threshold values of 16S rRNA gene similarity of 98.6 %, dDDH cutoff value of 70 %, and ANI and AAI cutoff values of 95–96 %. In addition, the phylogenetic tree based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences as well as the phylogenomics tree based on whole genomes supported these two strains being closely related. Based on the principle of priority, we propose that Cellulosimicrobium fucosivorans is a later heterotypic synonym of Cellulosimicrobium composti .

Two related anaerobic strains, designated as SWB101512T and SWB19611, were isolated from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of two lung cancer patients. Cells were Gram-stain-positive, non-motile and non-spore-forming. Growth could be observed at 26–45 °C (optimum, 37 °C), pH 5.0–8.5 (optimum, pH 7.0) and with 0.5–2.0 % (v/w) NaCl (optimum, 1.0%). The 16S rRNA gene sequences of SWB101512T and SWB19611 showed the highest similarities to Denitrobacterium detoxificans DSM 21843T (91.1 and 91.3 %, respectively). The phylogenetic tree based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences and the core genome sequences demonstrated that the two strains clustered together and formed a distinct lineage within the family Eggerthellaceae . The DNA G+C contents of strains SWB101512T and SWB19611 were 62.0 and 61.9 mol%, respectively. The predominant cellular fatty acids of strains SWB101512T and SWB19611 were C16 : 0 DMA (27.8 and 28.8 %, respectively). The respiratory menaquinone in both strains was menaquinone 6 and the polar lipid profile consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, two phospholipids, three glycolipids and three unidentified lipids. Based on evidence from phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genomic analyses, a new genus and species belonging to the family Eggerthellaceae , named Curtanaerobium respiraculi gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SWB101512T (=GDMCC 1.2991T=JCM 35330T).

A novel bacterial strain, designated as WHS-Z9T, was isolated from marine sponge Hymeniacidon sp. collected from Weihai (37° 25′ N, 121° 58′ E), Shandong Province, PR China. Cells of strain WHS-Z9T were Gram-stain-positive, non-spore-forming, non-motile, short-rod-shaped and light yellow-pigmented. The strain could grow at 10–40 °C (optimum, 20 °C), pH 4.5–9.5 (optimum, pH 8.5) and 2–14 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 4 %). The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain WHS-Z9T showed 98.7  % similarity to that of Brevibacterium epidermidis NBRC 14811T, 98.5  % to Brevibacterium sediminis FXJ8.269T and 98.4 % to Brevibacterium oceani BBH7T. The phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain WHS-Z9T was clustered with Brevibacterium limosum o2T. The whole genome of WHS-Z9T was approximately 4 217 721 bp in size with a G+C content of 65.2  %. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values among WHS-Z9T and other Brevibacterium type strains were 83.3–85.5 % (ANI based on blast), 86.4–87.9  % (ANI based on MUMmer) and 41.9–57.5 % (dDDH). Percentage of conserved protein values between the genomes of strain WHS-Z9T and members of genera Brevibacterium were 76.8–82.9 %, while the average amino acid identity (AAI) values were 83.7–87.0  %. The dDDH, ANI, AAI and POCP values were below the standard cut-off criteria for the delineation of bacterial species. The sole respiratory quinone in strain WHS-Z9T was MK-8(H2), and the predominant fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0. The major polar lipids of WHS-Z9T consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol and glycolipid. The diagnostic cell-wall diamino acid of strain WHS-Z9T was meso-diaminopimelic acid. Based on the data obtained in this study, strain WHS-Z9T (=MCCC 1K07845T=KCTC 49848T) should be classified as the type strain of a novel species of the genus Brevibacterium , for which the name Brevibacterium spongiae sp. nov. is proposed.

A polyphasic taxonomic characterization of two novel strain pairs (designated zg-579T/zg-578 and zg-536T/zg-ZUI104) isolated from the faeces of Marmota himalayana was conducted based on phylogenetic analysis of the nearly full-length 16S rRNA gene and genome, digital DNA–DNA hybridization, ortho-average nucleotide identity (Ortho-ANI), and phenotypic and chemotaxonomic traits. Comparative analysis of the nearly full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain zg-579T was most closely related to Nocardioides dokdonensis FR1436T (97.57 %) and Nocardioides deserti SC8A-24T (97.36 %), whereas strain zg-536T had the highest similarity to Nocardioides caeni MN8T (98.33 %), Nocardioides convexus W2-2-3T (98.26 %) and Nocardioides daeguensis 2C1-5T (98.19 %). Low levels of DNA–DNA relatedness and Ortho-ANI values (19.8–31.0 %/78.6–88.2 %, zg-579T; 19.9–31.3 %/78.8–86.2 %, zg-536T) between the two new type strains and previously known species within the genus Nocardioides support the hypothesis that the four newly characterized strains could be considered to represent two novel species within this genus. The dominant cellular fatty acids found in strain pair zg-536T/zg-ZUI104 were iso-C16 : 0 and C18 : 1  ω9c, whereas C17 : 1  ω8c was major component in zg-579T/zg-578. Galactose and ribose were the main cell-wall sugars in these two new strain pairs. Diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) were the major polar lipids in zg-579T, whereas DPG, PG and PI predominated in zg-536T. Both strain pairs had MK8(H4) as the major respiratory quinone and ll-diaminopimelic acid as the major cell-wall peptidoglycan. The optimal growth conditions for the two novel strain pairs were 30 °C, pH 7.0 and 0.5 % NaCl (w/v). Based on these polyphasic characterizations, two novel species within the genus Nocardioides are proposed, i.e. Nocardioides marmotae sp. nov. and Nocardioides faecalis sp. nov., with zg-579T (=CGMCC 4.7663T=JCM 33892T) and zg-536T (=CGMCC 4.7662T=JCM 33891T) as the type strains.

Three bacterial strains, H21R-40T and H21R-36 from garlic (Allium sativum) and H25R-14T from onion (Allium cepa), were isolated from plant rhizospheres sampled in the Republic of Korea. Results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed the highest sequence similarity of strain H21R-40T to Leucobacter celer subsp. astrifaciens CBX151T (97.3 %) and Leucobacter triazinivorans JW-1T (97.2 %), and strain H25R-14T to Leucobacter insecticola HDW9BT (98.8 %) and Leucobacter humi Re6T (98.4 %), while the sequence similarity between strains H21R-40T and H21R-36 was 99.8 %. According to the phylogenomic tree, strains H21R-40T with H21R-36 formed an independent clade separable from other Leucobacter species within the genus Leucobacter and strain H25R-14T clustered with Leucobacter insecticola HDW9BT, Leucobacter coleopterorum HDW9AT and Leucobacter viscericola HDW9CT. Strains H21R-40T and H21R-36 had orthologous average nucleotide identity (OrthoANI) and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values (98.1 % and 86.9 %, respectively) higher than the threshold ranges for species delineation (95–96 % and 70 %, respectively). The OrthoANI and dDDH values between two strains (H21R-40T and H25R-14T) and the type strains of species of the genus Leucobacter were lower than 81 and 24 %, respectively. The peptidoglycan type of three strains was type B1. The major menaquinones and major polar lipids of the strains were MK-11 and MK-10, and diphosphatidylglycerol, phatidylglycerol and an unidentified glycolipid, respectively. The major fatty acids (more than 10 % of the total fatty acids) of strains H21R-40T and H21R-36 were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0, and those of strain H25R-14T were anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic data obtained in this study showed that the strains represent two novel species of the genus Leucobacter , named Leucobacter allii sp. nov. (H21R-40T and H21R-36) and Leucobacter rhizosphaerae sp. nov. (H25R-14T). The respective type strains are H21R-40T (=DSM 114348T=JCM 35241T=KACC 21839T=NBRC 115481T) and H25R-14T (=DSM 114346T=JCM 35239T=KACC 21837T=NBRC 115479T).

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming and rod-shaped actinobacterium, designated strain 10Sc9-8T, was isolated from Taklamakan desert soil sampled in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. Strain 10Sc9-8T grew at 8‒37 °C (optimum, 28‒30 °C), pH 6.0‒10.0 (optimum, pH 7.0–8.0) and in the presence of 0‒15 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0–3 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence suggested that strain 10Sc9-8T was affiliated with members of the genus Georgenia and showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Georgenia yuyongxinii Z443T (97.4 %). Phylogenomic analysis based on the whole genome sequences indicated that strain 10Sc9-8T should be assigned into the genus Georgenia . The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values calculated from the whole genome sequences indicated that strain 10Sc9-8T was clearly separated from other closely related species of the genus Georgenia with values below the thresholds for species delineation. Chemotaxonomic analyses showed that the cell-wall peptidoglycan was in a variant of A4α type with an interpeptide bridge comprising l-Lys–l-Ala–Gly–l-Asp. The predominant menaquinone was MK-8(H4). The polar lipids comprised diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside, several unidentified phospholipids, glycolipids and one unidentified lipid. The major fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 1 A and C16 : 0. The genomic DNA G+C content was 72.7 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic, phylogenetic and phylogenomic data, strain 10Sc9-8T represents a novel species of the genus Georgenia , for which the name Georgenia halotolerans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 10Sc9-8T (=JCM 33946T=CPCC 206219T).

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic actinomycete strain, designated KLBMP 8922T, was isolated from a soil sample collected from weathering dolomite crust in Guizhou Province, PR China. KLBMP 8922T showed the 16S rRNA gene similarities to Yinghuangia seranimata CCTCC AA 206006T (98.7 %), Yinghuangia catbensis VN07A0015T (98.3 %) and Yinghuangia aomiensis M24DS4T (98.2 %). The taxonomic status of this strain was investigated by using a polyphasic approach. The aerial mycelia of KLBMP 8922T formed spore chains, and spores were cylindrical with smooth surfaces. The whole-cell sugars were ribose, mannose and galactose with traces of glucose and xylose. The diagnostic amino acids of the cell wall were ll-diaminopimelic acid, alanine and glutamic acid. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H6) and MK-9(H8). The diagnostic phospholipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositolmannoside, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified phospholipid and an unidentified lipid. The major cellular fatty acids (>10 %) were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0 and iso-C16 : 1H. The genomic DNA G+C content was 72.0 mol%. The digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) value between KLBMP 8922T and Y. seranimata CCTCC AA 206006T was 24.1 %, and the average nucleotide identity (ANI) value was 81.0 %. On the basis of a combination of morphological, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic characteristics, strain KLBMP 8922T represents a novel species of the genus Yinghuangia for which the name Yinghuangia soli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain was KLBMP 8922T (= CGMCC 1.19360T = NBRC 115572T).

Six facultative anaerobic, Gram-stain-positive, oxidase-negative, rod-shaped bacteria (strains zg-B89T, zg-B12, zg-Y338T, zg-Y138, zg-Y908T and zg-Y766), were isolated from the intestinal contents of Marmota himalayana in Qinghai Province, PR China. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that zg-B89T showed highest similarity to Cellulomonas iranensis NBRC 101100T (99.5 %), zg-Y338T to Cellulomonas cellasea DSM 20118T (98.7 %), and zg-Y908T to Cellulomonas flavigena DSM 20109T (99.0 %). Phylogenetic and phylogenomic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene and 881 core genes revealed that these six strains formed three separate clades in the genus Cellulomonas . Average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between these three novel species and all members of the genus Cellulomonas were below species thresholds (95–96 % for ANI and 70 % for dDDH). The DNA G+C contents of zg-B89T, zg-Y338T and zg-Y908T were 73.6, 72.9 and 74.5 %, respectively. Strains zg-B89T and zg-Y908T had anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 1 A, and zg-Y338T had anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0 as the main fatty acids. All novel type strains had MK-9 (H4) as the predominant respiratory quinone, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannoside as the major polar lipids, and rhamnose, ribose and glucose as the cell-wall sugars. The peptidoglycan amino acids of zg-B89T, zg-Y338T and zg-Y908T contained ornithine, alanine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid (except for zg-Y338T). Based on genotypic, phenotypic, phylogenetic and biochemical properties, the six uncharacterized strains represent three novel species in the genus Cellulomonas , for which the names Cellulomonas xiejunii sp. nov. (type strain zg-B89T=GDMCC 1.2821T=KCTC 49756T), Cellulomonas chengniuliangii sp. nov. (type strain zg-Y338T=GDMCC 1.2829T=KCTC 49754T) and Cellulomonas wangsupingiae sp. nov. (type strain zg-Y908T=GDMCC 1.2820T=KCTC 49755T) are proposed, respectively.

A novel actinobacterium strain (M4I6T) was isolated from marine sediment collected in Megas Gialos, Syros, Greece. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain M4I6T was indicated as belonging to the genus Actinoplanes , with high similarity to ‘Actinoplanes solisilvae’ LAM7112T (97.9 %), Actinoplanes ferrugineus IFO 15555T (97.6 %), Actinoplanes cibodasensis LIPI11-2-Ac042T (97.2 %) and Actinoplanes bogorensis LIPI11-2-Ac043T (97.2 %). Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain M4I6T showed that the strain formed a stable subclade with ‘A. solisilvae’ LAM7112T. The cell wall of the novel isolate contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and the whole-cell sugars were xylose, glucose and ribose. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H4), MK-9(H2) and MK-9(H8). The phospholipid profile comprised phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol mannosides and an unknown phospholipid. The major fatty acids (>5 %) were anteiso-C16 : 0, iso-C17 : 0, 10-methyl-C16 : 0, C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0 and C17 : 0. Genome sequencing showed a DNA G+C content of 70.9 mol%. However, the low average nucleotide identity value, digital DNA–DNA hybridization and average amino acid identity values demonstrated that strain M4I6T could be readily distinguished from its closest related species. Based on data from this polyphasic study, strain M4I6T represents a novel species of the genus Actinoplanes , for which the name Actinoplanes maris sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is M4I6T (=DSM 101017T=CGMCC 4.7854T).

Strain 0141_2T was isolated from a temperate grassland soil in Germany and was found to be affiliated with the order Solirubrobacterales . It is most closely related to Baekduia soli BR7-21T, with 98.1 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. Cells are rod-shaped, non-motile, stain Gram-positive and can have multiple vesicles in the cell surface. Polyhydroxybutyrate is accumulated within the cells. Catalase- and oxidase-positive. It is a mesophilic aerobe and grows best around neutral to slightly acidic pH in R2A medium. The major fatty acids are C18 : 1  ω9c, iso-C16 : 0, C18 : 0, C16 : 0, C16 : 1  ω7c and C17 : 1  ω8c. Diphosphatidylglycerol is present. The predominant respiratory quinone is MK-7(H4). Meso-diaminopimelic acid is the diagnostic diamino acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan. The G+C content of genomic DNA is 72.9 mol%. Based on the results of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, genomic and phylogenetic analysis, we propose the novel species Baekduia alba sp. nov. with the type strain 0141_2T (=DSM 104299T=LMG 30000T=CECT 9239T).

Two endophytic actinobacteria, designated as strains 7R015T and 7R016T, were isolated from the roots of Barleria lupulina collected in Thailand. The morphological characteristics and results of chemotaxonomic studies and 16S rRNA gene analysis indicated that both strains represented members of the genus Streptomyces . They contained ll-diaminopimelic acid in the peptidoglycan. Ribose and glucose were detected as the whole-cell sugars. MK-9(H4), MK-9(H6) and MK-9(H8), were found as the membrane menaquinone. The predominant cellular fatty acids detected were iso-C16 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0. The genomes of both strains harboured biosynthetic gene clusters for melanin, terpene, lanthipeptide, polyketides, non-ribosomal peptide synthetase, siderophore and ectoine. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of 7R015T showed the highest similarity to that of Streptomyces pseudovenezuelae DSM 40212T (98.6 %), Streptomyces cyaneus NRRL B2296T (98.6 %) and Streptomyces curacoi DSM 40107T (98.6 %). Strain 7R016T showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Streptomyces gilvifuscus NBRC 110904T (98.2 %), which is lower than the threshold value for 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity for differentiation at the species level (98.65 %). Comparative genome analysis revealed that the genomes of 7R015T, 7R016T and the closely related type strains had an average nucleotide identity (ANI) of less than 95 % and a digital DNA–DNA hybridisation (dDDH) of less than 70 %, the thresholds for species demarcation. On the basis of the results of the polyphasic study, strains 7R015T and 7R016T represent novel species of the genus Streptomyces and are named herein as Streptomyces cylindrosporus sp. nov. (=NBRC 115200T = TBRC 14542T) for strain 7R015T and Streptomyces spinosisporus sp. nov. (=NBRC 115201T = TBRC 14543T) for strain 7R016T.

Four extremely halophilic archaeal strains, LYG-108T, LYG-24, DT1T and YSSS71, were isolated from salted Laminaria produced in Lianyungang and saline soil from the coastal beach at Jiangsu, PR China. The four strains were found to be related to the current species of Halomicroarcula (showing 88.1–98.5% and 89.3–93.6% similarities, respectively) as revealed by phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA and rpoB′ genes. These phylogenies were fully supported by the phylogenomic analysis, and the overall genome-related indexes (average nucleotide identity, DNA–DNA hybridization and average amino acid identity) among these four strains and the Halomicroarcula species were 77–84 %, 23–30 % and 71–83 %, respectively, clearly below the threshold values for species demarcation. Additionally, the phylogenomic and comparative genomic analyses revealed that Halomicroarcula salina YGH18T is related to the current species of Haloarcula rather than those of Halomicroarcula , Haloarcula salaria Namwong et al. 2011 is a later heterotypic synonym of Haloarcula argentinensis Ihara et al. 1997, and Haloarcula quadrata Oren et al. 1999 is a later heterotypic synonym of Haloarcula marismortui Oren et al. 1990. The major polar lipids of strains LYG-108T, LYG-24, DT1T and YSSS71 were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester, phosphatidylglycerol sulphate, sulphated mannosyl glucosyl diether and additional glycosyl-cardiolipins. All these results showed that strains LYG-108T (=CGMCC 1.13607T=JCM 32950T) and LYG-24 (=CGMCC 1.13605=JCM 32949) represent a new species of the genus Halomicroarcula , for which the name Halomicroarcula laminariae sp. nov. is proposed; strains DT1T (=CGMCC 1.18928T=JCM 35414T) and YSSS71 (=CGMCC 1.18783=JCM 34915) also represent a new species of the genus Halomicroarcula , for which the name Halomicroarcula marina sp. nov. is proposed.

Two novel halophilic archaeal strains, Gai3-17T and XZYJT26T, were isolated from the sediment of Gaize salt lake and the saline soil of Mangkang ancient solar saltern in Tibet, PR China, respectively. Strains Gai3-17T and XZYJT26T were related to each other (96.5 and 89.7% similarity, respectively) and showed 97.5–95.4 and 91.5–87.7% similarities to the current members of Halobacterium based on 16S rRNA and rpoB′ genes. The phylogenomic analysis indicated that strains Gai3-17T and XZYJT26T formed two distinct clades and clustered with the Halobacterium species. The two strains can be differentiated from the type strains of the six species with validly published names based on several phenotypic characteristics. The phospholipids of the two strains were phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester. One major glycolipid, sulphated galactosyl mannosyl glucosyl diether, was detected in strain Gai3-17T, while four glycolipids, mannosyl glucosyl diether, sulphated mannosyl glucosyl diether, disulphated mannosyl glucosyl diether and sulphated galactosyl mannosyl glucosyl diether were observed in strain XZYJT26T. The average nucleotide identity, digital DNA–DNA hybridization and amino acid identity values among the two strains and the members of Halobacterium were no more than 81, 25 and 77 %, respectively. These overall genome-related indices were below the threshold values for species boundary, indicating that strains Gai3-17T and XZYJT26T represent two novel species of Halobacterium . Thus, two novel species, Halobacterium wangiae sp. nov. and Halobacterium zhouii sp. nov., are proposed to accommodate strains Gai3-17T (=CGMCC 1.16101T=JCM 33551T) and XZYJT26T (=CGMCC 1.16682T=JCM 33556T), respectively.

A Gram-stain-negative, facultative anaerobic, motile, rod-shaped and orange bacterium, designated A06T, was obtained off the coast of Weihai, PR China. Cells were 0.4–0.5×0.6–1.0 µm in size. Strain A06T grew at 20–40 °C (optimum, 33 °C), at pH 6.0–8.0 (optimum, pH 6.5–7.0) and in the presence of 0–8 % NaCl (w/v) (optimum, 2 %). Cells were oxidase and catalase positive. Menaquinone-7 was detected as the major respiratory quinone. The dominant cellular fatty acids were identified as C15:0 2-OH, iso-C15:0, anteiso-C15:0 and iso-C15:1  ω6c. The DNA G+C content of strain A06T was 46.1 mol%. The polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, one aminolipid, one glycolipid and three unidentified lipids. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain A06T is a member of the family Prolixibacteraceae and exhibited the highest sequence similarity to Mangrovibacterium diazotrophicum DSM 27148T (94.3 %). Based on its phylogenetic and phenotypic characteristics, strain A06T is considered to represent a novel genus in the family Prolixibacteraceae , for which the name Gaoshiqia gen. nov. is proposed. The type species is Gaoshiqia sediminis sp. nov., with type strain A06T (=KCTC 92029T=MCCC 1H00491T). The identification and acquisition of microbial species and genes in sediments will help broaden the understanding of microbial resources and lay a foundation for its application in biotechnology. Strain A06T uses an enrichment method, so the isolation of strain A06T is of great significance to the enrichment of marine microbial resources.

A Gram-stain-negative marine bacterium, designated as WX04T, was isolated from the South China Sea. The genome of strain WX04T contained a complete photosynthetic gene cluster and is the first identified photoheterotroph of the genus Shimia with high photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm=0.705±0.010), indicating its diverse metabolic and growth strategies, and unique evolution in the genus Shimia . The genome size of strain WX04T is 3.78 Mbp, and the G+C content is 58.8 %. Its isolate formed pink colonies and the cells were non-flagellated and rod-shaped. Growth was observed at 15–35 °C (optimum, 30 °C), at pH 5.0–11.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and in the presence of 3–5 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 3 %). Both catalase activity and oxidase activity were found to be negative. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses revealed that this isolate represents a novel species within the genus Shimia , sharing 96.8 and 95.6% sequence identities with Shimia aestuarii DSM 15283T and Shimia marina DSM 26895T, respectively. The respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10 (100 %). The primary cellular fatty acids (>5 %) were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1  ω7c and/or C18 : 1  ω6c), C18 : 0,C18 : 1  ω7c 11-methyl and C10 : 0 3-OH. The dominant polar lipids of strain WX04T comprised phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. The combined polyphasic data shows that strain WX04T is a novel species within the genus Shimia , which is proposed as Shimia ponticola sp. nov., and the type strain is WX04T (=KCTC 62628T=MCCC 1K02295T).