Kang Hyun Lee

Paenibacillus pectinilyticus sp. nov., isolated from the gut of Diestrammena apicalis.

During a search for exo-enzyme-producing bacteria in the gut of an insect, Diestrammena apicalis, a novel bacterium capable of degrading pectin was isolated. The isolate, designated strain RCB-08(T), comprised Gram-positive, endospore-forming, motile rods capable of growth at 15-30 degrees C and pH 6.0-8.7. The DNA G+C content of the isolate was 51.5 mol% and the predominant cellular fatty acid was anteiso-C(15 : 0) (74.1 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain RCB-08(T) was affiliated with a cluster within the Paenibacillaceae, and was related most closely to Paenibacillus chondroitinus NBRC 15376(T), with a sequence similarity of 96.7 %. The DNA-DNA relatedness value for strain RCB-08(T) with P. chondroitinus NBRC 15376(T) was 15.0 %. Strain RCB-08(T) hydrolysed pectin, but not cellulose, casein, starch or xylan. Strain RCB-08(T) could be clearly distinguished from other Paenibacillus species on the basis of characteristics observed using a polyphasic approach. Therefore strain RCB-08(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Paenibacillus, for which the name Paenibacillus pectinilyticus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is RCB-08(T) (=KCTC 13222(T)=CECT 7358(T)).

Paenibacillus camelliae sp. nov., isolated from fermented leaves of Camellia sinensis

A novel bacterium, strain blls-2T was isolated from Pu’er tea. The isolate was Gram-positive, endospore-forming motile rod that grew at 15∼42°C and pH 6.0∼10.2. The DNA G+C content was 48.3 mol%, the predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7, and the predominant cellular fatty acid was anteiso-C15:0 (54.2%) followed by C16:0 (15.5%) and iso-C16:0 (8.2%). The polar lipid pattern of blls-2T was characterized by the presence of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylglycerol. Phy-logenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the strain was affiliated within the Paenibacillaceae. The strain was most closely related to Paenibacillus granivorans A30T, with a similarity of 97.1%. Based on the phylogenetic and phenotypic characteristics of strain blls-2T, the isolate is thought to represent a novel taxon in the genus Paenibacillus. The name Paenibacillus camelliae sp. nov. is proposed for the fermented tea isolate; the type strain is blls-2T (= KCTC 13220T= CECT 7361T).

Pontibacter litorisediminis sp. nov., isolated from a tidal flat.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-flagellated, motile by gliding and ovoid or rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated YKTF-7T, was isolated from a tidal flat sediment on the Yellow Sea, South Korea. Strain YKTF-7T grew optimally at pH 7.0-8.0, at 30-37 °C and in the presence of 0.5-2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. A neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain YKTF-7T fell within the clade comprising the type strains of species of the genus Pontibacter, clustering with the type strains of Pontibacterodishensis and Pontibacterkorlensis with which it exhibited 98.0-98.7 % sequence similarity. Strain YKTF-7T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 94.7-96.8 % to the type strains of the other species of the genus Pontibacter and of less than 91.7 % to those of other recognized species. Strain YKTF-7T contained MK-7 as the predominant menaquinone and summed feature 4 (iso-C17 : 1 I and/or anteiso-C17 : 1 B) and iso-C15 : 0 as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine and two unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content of strain YKTF-7T was 54.0 mol%, and its mean DNA-DNA relatedness values with the type strains of P. odishensis and P. korlensis were 25 and 14 %, respectively. Differential phenotypic properties, together with the phylogenetic and genetic distinctiveness, revealed that strain YKTF-7T is separated from recognized species of the genus Pontibacter. On the basis of the data presented, strain YKTF-7T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Pontibacter, for which the name Pontibacterlitorisediminis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YKTF-7T(=KCTC 52252T=NBRC 112298T).

Chryseoglobus frigidaquae gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel member of the family Microbacteriaceae.

A motile, rod-shaped, yellow-pigmented bacterium, designated strain CW1(T), was isolated from a water-cooling system in the Republic of Korea. Cells were Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. Strain CW1(T) formed slender rods with unusual bulbous protuberances. The major fatty acids were iso-C(16 : 1) (33.7 %), anteiso-C(15 : 0) (27.2 %), iso-C(14 : 0) (13.3 %) and C(16 : 0) (10.8 %). The cell-wall peptidoglycan was of type B2beta, containing lysine as the diamino acid. The respiratory quinones were menaquinones with 12, 13 and 14 isoprene units. A phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain CW1(T) formed an evolutionary lineage within the radiation enclosing members of the family Microbacteriaceae and was related to, but distant from, members of the genera Microcella and Yonghaparkia. On the basis of the evidence presented, strain CW1(T) is considered to represent a novel species of a new genus in the family Microbacteriaceae, for which the name Chryseoglobus frigidaquae gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Chryseoglobus frigidaquae is CW1(T) (=KCTC 13142(T) =JCM 14730(T)).

Gryllotalpicola gen. nov., with descriptions of Gryllotalpicola koreensis sp. nov., Gryllotalpicola daejeonensis sp. nov. and Gryllotalpicola kribbensis sp. nov. from the gut of the African mole cricket, Gryllotalpa africana, and reclassification of Curtobacterium ginsengisoli as Gryllotalpicola ginsengisoli comb. nov.

Strains RU-16(T), RU-28, RU-04(T) and PU-02(T) were isolated from the gut of the African mole cricket, Gryllotalpa africana. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the strains belonged to the family Microbacteriaceae. All four strains were most closely related to Curtobacterium ginsengisoli DCY26(T) (below 97% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). These isolates were Gram-stain-positive, motile (by gliding), rod-shaped and exhibited ivory-coloured colonies. Their chemotaxonomic properties included MK-11 as the major respiratory quinone, ornithine as the cell-wall diamino acid, acetyl as the acyl type of the peptidoglycan, cyclohexyl-C(17:0) as the major fatty acid and phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol as the major polar lipids. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses, we propose a new genus in the family Microbacteriaceae, Gryllotalpicola gen. nov., with three novel species, Gryllotalpicola daejeonensis sp. nov. (type strain RU-04(T)  =KCTC 13809(T)  =JCM 17590(T)), Gryllotalpicola koreensis sp. nov. (type strain RU-16(T)  = KCTC 13810(T)  =JCM 17591(T)) and Gryllotalpicola kribbensis sp. nov. (type strain PU-02(T)  =KCTC 13808(T)  =JCM 17593(T)). Gryllotalpicola koreensis is the type species of the genus. Additionally, we propose that Curtobacterium ginsengisoli should be reclassified in the genus as Gryllotalpicola ginsengisoli comb. nov. (type strain DCY26(T)  =KCTC 13163(T)  = JCM 14773(T)).

Pseudidiomarina aestuarii sp. nov., a marine bacterium isolated from shallow coastal seawater

A non-motile, rod-shaped and aerobic marine bacterium, designated strain KYW314(T), was isolated from seawater collected from the South Sea, Republic of Korea. Cells were Gram-negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive and had proteolytic activity. The major fatty acids were iso-C(15 : 0) (17.2 %), C(16 : 0) (11.1 %), iso-C(17 : 0) (10.5 %) and C(18 : 1)ω 7c (10.0 %). The DNA G+C content was 56.4 mol%. A phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain KYW314(T) formed a lineage within the genus Pseudidiomarina (95.4-97.3 % sequence similarity) and a distinct branch within the clade containing Pseudidiomarina taiwanensis PIT1(T) and Pseudidiomarina sediminum c121(T). Phenotypic characteristics could distinguish strain KYW314(T) from members of the genus Pseudidiomarina. On the basis of the data presented, strain KYW314(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Pseudidiomarina aestuarii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KYW314(T) (=KCTC 22740(T) =JCM 16344(T)).

Wickerhamomyces ochangensis sp. nov., an ascomycetous yeast isolated from the soil of a potato field.

A novel ascomycetous yeast, designated strain N7a-Y2(T), was isolated from soil collected in a potato field in Ochang, Korea, and its taxonomic position was studied. A neighbour-joining tree based on the D1/D2 domain of large-subunit rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolate was a member of the Wickerhamomyces clade and that it was closely related to Wickerhamomyces bisporus, Candida quercuum, Candida ulmi and Wickerhamomyces alni. Strain N7a-Y2(T) formed Saturn-shaped ascospores in unconjugated and persistent asci. D1/D2 domain 26S rRNA gene sequence divergences of 11.0-21.1 % between strain N7a-Y2(T) and other members of the Wickerhamomyces clade indicate that the strain represents a novel species of the genus Wickerhamomyces, for which the name Wickerhamomyces ochangensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is N7a-Y2(T) ( = KCTC 17870(T)  = CBS 11843(T)).

Paenibacillus filicis sp. nov., isolated from the rhizosphere of the fern

A Gram-positive and endospore-forming bacterial strain, designated S4T, was isolated from the rhizosphere of ferns in Daejeon, Republic of Korea. This isolate is strictly aerobic, motile, and rod-like in shape, and it is positive for catalase, oxidase, esterase lipase, and β-galactosidase activities. In addition, this strain grows when cultured at temperatures between 15 and 37°C and at pH values ranging from 5.5 to 9.0. The DNA G+C content was determined to be 53.2 mol%. Strain S4T has meso-diaminopimelic acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan; it also contains menaquinone 7 (MK-7) as the predominant isoprenoid quinone and anteiso-C15:0 (57.5%), iso-C16:0 (11.3%), and C16:0 (9.4%) as the major cellular fatty acids. Phylogenetic analysis based on alignments of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that S4T is affiliated with a cluster of strains within the genus Paenibacillaceae and is most closely related to Paenibacillus chinjuensis WN9T, with 96.8% similarity. Based on the phylogenetic and phenotypic characteristics of strain S4T, we believe that this isolate should be distinguished from all type species of the genus Paenibacillus and should thus represent a novel taxon within the genus Paenibacillus. We propose naming this type species Paenibacillus filicis sp. nov. for the rhizosphere isolate; the type strain will be known as S4T (=KCTC 13693T =KACC 14197T =JCM 16417T).

Gaetbulibacter aestuarii sp. nov., isolated from shallow coastal seawater, and emended description of the genus Gaetbulibacter.

A rod-shaped, yellow and strictly aerobic marine bacterium, designated KYW382(T), was isolated from seawater collected from the South Sea, Republic of Korea. Cells were Gram-negative and catalase- and oxidase-positive. The major fatty acids were iso-C(15:1) G, iso-C(15:0), iso-C(17:0) 3-OH, iso-C(15:0) 3-OH and anteiso-C(15:0). The DNA G+C content was 32.4 mol%. A phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain KYW382(T) constituted an evolutionary lineage within the radiation enclosing the members of the genus Gaetbulibacter. The closest neighbour was Gaetbulibacter saemankumensis SMK-12(T) (96.1% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). A number of phenotypic characteristics distinguished strain KYW382(T) from the described members of the genus Gaetbulibacter. On the basis of the data presented in this study, strain KYW382(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Gaetbulibacter aestuarii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KYW382(T) (=KCTC 23303(T) =JCM 17455(T)). An emended description of the genus Gaetbulibacter is also given.

Zhihengliuella aestuarii sp. nov., isolated from tidal flat sediment.

A Gram-stain-positive, ovoid to short rod-shaped, yellow-pigmented bacterium, designated strain DY66(T), was isolated from tidal-flat sediment collected from Deukryang Bay (Republic of Korea), and its taxonomic position was investigated by using a polyphasic approach. Strain DY66(T) grew optimally at 30 °C and pH 8-9 and in 2 % (w/v) NaCl. The peptidoglycan type was A4α, L-Lys-L-Ala-D-Glu, and tyvelose and glucose were the major cell-wall sugars. The predominant menaquinones were MK-10 and MK-9. Major cellular fatty acids (>10 % of total) were anteiso-C(15 : 0) and iso-C(15 : 0). The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, an unknown aminophospholipid and three unknown aminolipids. The DNA G+C content was 59.1 mol%. This chemotaxonomic profile supported the assignment of strain DY66(T) to the genus Zhihengliuella. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences also indicated that strain DY66(T) belonged to the family Micrococcaceae and was related to the genus Zhihengliuella. On the basis of the evidence presented in this study, strain DY66(T) represents a novel species of the genus Zhihengliuella, for which the name Zhihengliuella aestuarii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is strain DY66(T) ( = KCTC 19557(T)  = JCM 16364(T)).