Yuzo Yamada

Asaia bogorensis gen. nov., sp. nov., an unusual acetic acid bacterium in the alpha-Proteobacteria.

Eight Gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped and peritrichously flagellated strains were isolated from flowers of the orchid tree (Bauhinia purpurea) and of plumbago (Plumbago auriculata), and from fermented glutinous rice, all collected in Indonesia. The enrichment culture approach for acetic acid bacteria was employed, involving use of sorbitol medium at pH 3.5. All isolates grew well at pH 3.0 and 30 degrees C. They did not oxidize ethanol to acetic acid except for one strain that oxidized ethanol weakly, and 0.35% acetic acid inhibited their growth completely. However, they oxidized acetate and lactate to carbon dioxide and water. The isolates grew well on mannitol agar and on glutamate agar, and assimilated ammonium sulfate for growth on vitamin-free glucose medium. The isolates produced acid from D-glucose, D-fructose, L-sorbose, dulcitol and glycerol. The quinone system was Q-10. DNA base composition ranged from 59.3 to 61.0 mol% G + C. Studies of DNA relatedness showed that the isolates constitute a single species. Phylogenetic analysis based on their 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the isolates are located in the acetic acid bacteria lineage, but distant from the genera Acetobacter, Gluconobacter, Acidomonas and Gluconacetobacter. On the basis of the above characteristics, the name Asaia bogorensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed for these isolates. The type strain is isolate 71T (= NRIC 0311T = JCM 10569T).

Asaia siamensis sp. nov., an acetic acid bacterium in the alpha-proteobacteria.

Five bacterial strains were isolated from tropical flowers collected in Thailand and Indonesia by the enrichment culture approach for acetic acid bacteria. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the isolates were located within the cluster of the genus Asaia. The isolates constituted a group separate from Asaia bogorensis on the basis of DNA relatedness values. Their DNA G+C contents were 58.6-59.7 mol%, with a range of 1.1 mol%, which were slightly lower than that of A. bogorensis (59.3-61.0 mol%), the type species of the genus Asaia. The isolates had morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics similar to A. bogorensis strains, but the isolates did not produce acid from dulcitol. On the basis of the results obtained, the name Asaia siamensis sp. nov. is proposed for these isolates. Strain S60-1T, isolated from a flower of crown flower (dok rak, Calotropis gigantea) collected in Bangkok, Thailand, was designated the type strain ( = NRIC 0323T = JCM 10715T = IFO 16457T).

Arxula gen. nov. (Candidaceae), a new anamorphic, arthroconidial yeast genus

The new genus Arxula is proposed for the classification of xerotolerant, ascomycetous, anamorphic, arthroconidial yeasts. The genus is considered to be of endomycetaceous affinity.

Kozakia baliensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel acetic acid bacterium in the alpha-proteobacteria.

Four bacterial strains were isolated from palm brown sugar and ragi collected in Bali and Yogyakarta, Indonesia, by an enrichment culture approach for acetic acid bacteria. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the four isolates constituted a cluster separate from the genera Acetobacter, Gluconobacter, Acidomonas, Gluconacetobacter and Asaia with a high bootstrap value in a phylogenetic tree. The isolates had high values of DNA-DNA similarity (78-100%) between one another and low values of the similarity (7-25%) to the type strains of Acetobacter aceti, Gluconobacter oxydans, Gluconacetobacter liquefaciens and Asaia bogorensis. The DNA base composition of the isolates ranged from 56.8 to 57.2 mol% G+C with a range of 0-4 mol%. The major quinone was Q-10. The isolates oxidized acetate and lactate to carbon dioxide and water, but the activity was weak, as with strains of Asaia bogorensis. The isolates differed from Asaia bogorensis strains in phenotypic characteristics. The name Kozakia baliensis gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed for the four isolates. Strain Yo-3T (= NRIC 0488T = JCM 11301T = IFO 16664T = DSM 14400T) was isolated from palm brown sugar collected in Bali, Indonesia, and was designated as the type strain.

Gluconobacter asaii Mason and Claus 1989 is a junior subjective synonym of Gluconobacter cerinus Yamada and Akita 1984.

Five strains received as Gluconobacter cerinus and Gluconobacter asaii were examined for DNA base composition, DNA-DNA similarity, 16S rRNA gene sequences and phenotypic characteristics, including acid production from ethanol, growth on L-arabitol and meso-ribitol and requirement for nicotinic acid. The five strains showed DNA base compositions ranging from 54 to 56 mol% G+C. G. cerinus IFO 3267T and IAM 1832 and G. asaii IFO 3276T and IFO 3275 showed high levels of DNA-DNA similarity (70-100%) between each other and low values of DNA-DNA similarity (16-35%) to Gluconobacter frateurii IFO 3264T and Gluconobacter oxydans IFO 14819T. G. cerinus IFO 3267T and G. asaii IFO 3276T were located at an identical position in a phylogenetic tree deduced from 16S rRNA gene sequences. Two G. cerinus strains and two G. asaii strains did not require nicotinic acid for growth and did not grow on L-arabitol or meso-ribitol. G. cerinus IAM 1832 did not produce acid and required nicotinic acid and/or other growth factors. G. asaii IFO 3265 showed a high degree of DNA-DNA similarity (97%) to G. frateurii IFO 3264T and low similarity values (each 32%) to G. cerinus IFO 3267T and G. asaii IFO 3276T. This strain did not require nicotinic acid and grew well on L-arabitol and meso-ribitol. Therefore, G. asaii IFO 3265 was reclassified as G. frateurii. The results obtained revealed a synonymous relationship between G. cerinus and G. asaii. G. asaii is a junior subjective synonym of G. cerinus because G. cerinus has priority over G. asaii.

Transfer of Acetobacter oboediens Sokollek et al 1998 and Acetobacter intermedius Boesch et al. 1998 to the genus Gluconacetobacter as Gluconacetobacter oboediens comb. nov. and Gluconacetobacter intermedius comb. nov.

Acetobacter oboediens Sokollek et al. 1998 and Acetobacter intermedius Boesch et al. 1998 are transferred to the genus Gluconacetobacter as Gluconacetobacter oboediens comb. nov. and Gluconacetobacter intermedius comb. nov. because, on the basis of their 16S rRNA gene sequences, the type strains of both species are located in the cluster of the genus Gluconacetobacter along with those of Gluconacetobacter xylinus, Gluconacetobacter europaeus, Gluconacetobacter hansenii, Gluconacetobacter liquefaciens (the type species) and Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus. The significance of growth on mannitol agar and the presence of a ubiquinone isoprenologue composed of Q-10 is discussed for characterization of the genus Gluconacetobacter.

Transfer of Gluconacetobacter kakiaceti, Gluconacetobacter medellinensis and Gluconacetobacter maltaceti to the genus Komagataeibacter as Komagataeibacter kakiaceti comb. nov., Komagataeibacter medellinensis comb. nov. and Komagataeibacter maltaceti comb. nov.

Gluconacetobacter kakiaceti, Gluconacetobacter medellinensis and Gluconacetobacter maltaceti are transferred to the genus Komagataeibacter as Komagataeibacter kakiaceti comb. nov. (type strain, G5-1T=JCM 25156T=NRIC 0798T=LMG 26206T), Komagataeibacter medellinensis comb. nov. (type strain, LMG 1693T=NBRC 3288T=Kondo 51T) and Komagataeibacter maltaceti comb. nov. (type strain, LMG 1529T=NBRC 14815T=NCIMB 8752T).

Coenzyme Q systems in ascomycetous black yeasts

Abstract72 Strains belonging to 44 species of ascomycetous black yeasts were analyzed for their coenzyme Q systems. Prevalent were Q-10 and dihydrogenated Q-10 systems. Members of the Dothidealean suborder Dothideineae have Q-10 (H2), while those belonging to the suborder Pseudosphaeriineae mostly have Q-10. The anamorph genus Exophiala Carmichael and the teleomorph genus Capronia Sacc. seem to be heterogenous.

Coenzyme Q system in the classification of some ascosporogenous yeast genera in the families Saccharomycetaceae and Spermophthoraceae.

The Co-Q systems of 11 strains representing the generaSchwanniomyces, Lodderomyces, Lipomyces, Nematospora andMetschnikowia were determined. All the genera were characterized by the Q-9 system except for the genusNematospora with needle-shaped ascospores. The only species,Nem. coryli, was found to have the Q-6 system. These results are discussed from the taxonomic point of view.

The significance of coenzyme Q, carbohydrate composition and septal ultrastructure for the taxonomy of ballistoconidia-forming yeasts and fungi

Summary Septal ultrastructure, coenzyme Q, and carbohydrate composition of whole-cell hydrolyzates were studied in species of the ballistoconidia-forming genera Tilletiopsis, Tilletiaria , and Itersonilia . The first two genera contained coQ 10, glucose, mannose and galactose, and septa having central micropore-like structures or lacking any pore structure. Itersonilia contained coQ 9, glucose, mannose and xylose. Its septa had dolipores without parenthesomes. Taxonomically, the ballistoconidia-forming fungi are polyphyletic and can be assigned to three orders of Heterobasidiomycetes: 1. Ustilaginales; the teleomorph genus Sporidiobolus and the anamorphic genera Sporobolomyces, Bensingtonia and Ballistosporomyces , 2. Tilletiales; the teleomorph genus Tilletiaria and the anamorphic genus Tilletiopsis , and 3. Tremellales; the teleomorph genus Bulleromyces , and the anamorphic genera Bullera, Kockovaella and Itersonilia .