Bacteroides luti sp. nov., an anaerobic, cellulolytic and xylanolytic bacterium isolated from methanogenic sludge

A mesophilic, anaerobic, cellulolytic and xylanolytic strain, UasXn-3T, was isolated from anaerobic granular sludge in a mesophilic upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor, which was used to treat municipal sewage. The cells were Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, and non-spore-forming rods. The optimal temperature for growth was 37–40 °C and the optimal pH for growth was pH 6.5–7.0. Strain UasXn-3T could grow on several polysaccharides and sugars, including cellulose, cellobiose, xylan, xylose, glucose, fructose, arabinose, mannose, raffinose, trehalose and starch. The DNA G+C content was 44.4 mol%. On the basis of comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain UasXn-3T was identified as a member of the genus Bacteroides and most closely related to Bacteroides oleiciplenus , B. intestinalis , B. cellulosilyticus and B. graminisolvens (sequence similarities of 91.3–91.6 %). Since the genetic and phenotypic properties suggest that strain UasXn-3T represents a novel species, we propose the name Bacteroides luti sp. nov. The type strain is UasXn-3T ( = JCM 19020T = DSM 26991T).

Draconibacterium orientale gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from two distinct marine environments, and proposal of Draconibacteriaceae fam. nov

The taxonomic characteristics of two bacterial strains, FH5T and SS4, isolated from enrichment cultures obtained from two distinct marine environments, were determined. These bacteria were Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic rods. Growth occurred at 20–40 °C (optimum, 28–32 °C), pH 5.5–9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0–7.5) and in the presence of 1–7 % NaCl (optimum, 2–4 %). The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0. Menaquinone 7 (MK-7) was the sole respiratory quinone. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, an unkown phospholipid and an unknown lipid. The DNA G+C contents of strains FH5T and SS4 were both determined to be 42.0 mol%. The results of DNA–DNA hybridization studies indicated that the FH5T and SS4 genomes share greater than 95 % relatedness. The strains formed a distinct phyletic line within the class Bacteroidia , with less than 89.4 % sequence similarity to their closest relatives with validly published names. On the basis of physiological and biochemical characteristics, 16S rRNA gene sequences and chemical properties, a novel genus and species, Draconibacterium orientale gen. nov., sp. nov., within the class Bacteroidia , are proposed, with strain FH5T ( = DSM 25947T = CICC 10585T) as the type strain. In addition, a new family, Draconibacteriaceae fam. nov., is proposed to accommodate Draconibacterium gen. nov.

Non-contiguous finished genome sequence and description of Bacteroides neonati sp. nov., a new species of anaerobic bacterium

Bacteroides neonati strain MS4(T), is the type strain of Bacteroides neonati sp. nov., a new species within the genus Bacteroides. This strain, whose genome is described here, was isolated from a premature neonate stool sample. B. neonati strain MS4(T) is an obligate anaerobic Gram-negative bacillus. Here we describe the features of this organism, together with the complete genome sequence and annotation. The 5.03 Mbp long genome exhibits a G+C content of 43.53% and contains 4,415 protein-coding and 91 RNA genes, including 9 rRNA genes.

Alkalitalea saponilacus gen. nov., sp. nov., an obligately anaerobic, alkaliphilic, xylanolytic bacterium from a meromictic soda lake

A Gram-positive, obligately anaerobic, motile, slender, flexible rod, designated SC/BZ-SP2(T), was isolated from mixed alkaline water and sediment of Soap Lake, Washington State, USA. Strain SC/BZ-SP2(T) formed salmon to pink colonies and was alkaliphilic. The isolate grew at pH(35 °C) 7.5-10.5 (optimum pH(35 °C) 9.7), at 8-40 °C (optimum 35-37 °C) and with 0.35-1.38 M Na(+) (optimum 0.44-0.69 M Na(+)). The isolate utilized L-arabinose, D-ribose, D-xylose, D-fructose, D-mannose, D-galactose, cellobiose, maltose, sucrose, trehalose, sorbitol, xylan, malate and yeast extract as carbon and energy sources; best growth was observed with L-arabinose, cellobiose, maltose and trehalose. The major fermentation products from beechwood xylan were propionate and acetate. The dominant fatty acids were iso-C(15:0), anteiso-C(15:0), iso-C(17:0) 3-OH, C(17:0) 3-OH and C(15:0) 3-OH. The cell-wall sugars were ribose, xylose, galactose and glucose. Thiosulfate and sulfite could be reduced to sulfide. The genomic DNA G+C content was 39.5 ± 0.9 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain SC/BZ-SP2(T) belonged to the family Marinilabiliaceae of the order Bacteroidales, class Bacteroidia. The most closely related strains were Alkaliflexus imshenetskii Z-7010(T) (91.8% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Marinilabilia salmonicolor Cy s1(T) (91.0%) and Anaerophaga thermohalophila Fru22(T) (90.4%). On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic features, strain SC/BZ-SP2(T) represents a novel species in a new genus of the family Marinilabiliaceae, for which the name Alkalitalea saponilacus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Alkalitalea saponilacus is SC/BZ-SP2(T) (=ATCC BAA-2172(T) =DSM 24412(T)).

Identification and classification of the genus Bacteroides by multilocus sequence analysis

Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) was performed on representative species of the genus Bacteroides. Internal fragments of the genes selected, dnaJ, gyrB, hsp60, recA, rpoB and 16S rRNA, were amplified by direct PCR and then sequenced from 38 Bacteroides strains representing 35 species. Neighbour-joining (NJ), maximum-likelihood (ML) and maximum-parsimony (MP) phylogenies of the individual genes were compared. The data confirm that the potential for discrimination of Bacteroides species is greater using MLSA of housekeeping genes than 16S rRNA genes. Among the housekeeping genes analysed, gyrB was the most informative, followed by dnaJ. Analyses of concatenated sequences (4816 bp) of all six genes revealed robust phylogenetic relationships among different Bacteroides species when compared with the single-gene trees. The NJ, ML and MP trees were very similar, and almost fully resolved relationships of Bacteroides species were obtained, to our knowledge for the first time. In addition, analysis of a concatenation (2457 bp) of the dnaJ, gyrB and hsp60 genes produced essentially the same result. Ten distinct clades were recognized using the SplitsTree4 program. For the genus Bacteroides, we can define species as a group of strains that share at least 97.5% gene sequence similarity based on the fragments of five protein-coding housekeeping genes and the 16S rRNA gene. This study demonstrates that MLSA of housekeeping genes is a valuable alternative technique for the identification and classification of species of the genus Bacteroides.

Propioniciclava tarda gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from a methanogenic reactor treating waste from cattle farms

Two facultatively anaerobic bacterial strains, designated WR061T and WR054, were isolated from rice-straw residue in a methanogenic reactor treating waste from cattle farms in Japan. The two strains were phylogenetically positioned close to one another and had almost the same phenotypic properties. Cells were Gram-reaction-positive, non-motile, non-spore-forming, irregular rods. Cobalamin (vitamin B12) was required for growth. The strains utilized various carbohydrates, including hexoses and disaccharides, and produced acetate and propionate from these carbohydrates. Pentoses and polysaccharides were not utilized. They grew at 20–37 °C (optimum 35 °C) and pH 5.3–8.0 (optimum pH 6.8–7.5). Catalase and nitrate-reducing activities were detected. Aesculin was hydrolysed. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0 and C15 : 0 DMA, the major respiratory quinone was menaquinone MK-9(H4) and the genomic DNA G+C content was 69.3–69.5 mol%. The diagnostic diamino acid in the peptidoglycan was meso-diaminopimelic acid. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences placed the strains in the phylum Actinobacteria. Both strains were remotely related to the species in the family Propionibacteriaceae and Propionibacterium propionicum JCM 5830T was the most closely related type strain with a sequence similarity of 91.6 %. Based on phylogenetic, physiological and chemotaxonomic analyses, the two novel strains together represent a novel species of a new genus, for which the name Propioniciclava tarda gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WR061T ( = JCM 15804T  = DSM 22130T).

Transition of microbial communities during the adaption to anaerobic digestion of carrot waste

In this study a microbial community suitable for anaerobic digestion of carrot pomace was developed from inocula obtained from natural environmental sources. The changes along the process were monitored using pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. As the community adapted from a diverse natural community to a community with a definite function, diversity decreased drastically. Major bacterial groups remaining after enrichment were Bacilli (31-45.3%), Porphyromonadaceae (12.1-24.8%) and Spirochaetes (12.5-18.5%). The archaeal population was even less diverse and mainly represented by a single OTU that was 99.7% similar to Methanosarcina mazei. One enrichment which failed to produce large amounts of methane had shifts in the bacterial populations and loss of methanogenic archaea.

Bacteroides stercorirosoris sp. nov. and Bacteroides faecichinchillae sp. nov., isolated from chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) faeces

Strains of gram-negative anaerobic rods were isolated from chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) faeces, and three strains, ST161(T), ST33 and ST37(T), were investigated taxonomically. Based on phylogenetic analyses and specific phenotypic characteristics, the three strains were allocated to the genus Bacteroides. Phylogenetic analyses of their 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain ST161(T) formed a distinct line of descent, with highest sequence similarity to strain ST33 (98.7 %) and Bacteroides oleiciplenus JCM 16102(T) (97.7 %). High levels of DNA-DNA relatedness (79-89 %) were found between strains ST161(T) and ST33, but low levels were found between strain ST161(T) and B. oleiciplenus JCM 16102(T) (33-37 %) and between strain ST33 and B. oleiciplenus JCM 16102(T) (33-37 %). These data clearly indicated that strains ST161(T) and ST33 represent a single novel species. 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses showed that strain ST37(T) also formed a distinct line of descent, with highest sequence similarity to Bacteroides acidifaciens JCM 10556(T) (96.5 %) and Bacteroides caccae JCM 9498(T) (95.6 %). Analysis of hsp60 gene sequences also supported these relationships. Based on phenotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, two novel species, Bacteroides stercorirosoris sp. nov. and Bacteroides faecichinchillae sp. nov., are thus proposed. The type strains of B. stercorirosoris and B. faecichinchillae are ST161(T) ( = JCM 17103(T) = CCUG 60872(T)) and ST37(T) ( = JCM 17102(T) = CCUG 60873(T)), respectively. The DNA G+C contents of strains ST161(T) and ST37(T) were 45.7 and 41.0 mol%, respectively.

Bacteroides paurosaccharolyticus sp. nov., isolated from a methanogenic reactor treating waste from cattle farms

A strictly anaerobic bacterial strain (WK042T) was isolated from rice-straw residue in a methanogenic reactor treating waste from cattle farms in Japan. Cells were Gram-staining-negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming rods. Growth was stimulated well by haemin, and was enhanced by cobalamin (vitamin B12). Strain WK042T utilized arabinose, xylose, glucose, mannose and aesculin as preferred substrates. Maltose, dextrin, glycogen, starch and pectin were also utilized, although growth on these substrates was much slower. The strain produced acetate, propionate and succinate from these saccharides. The strain was slightly alkaliphilic, with optimum growth at pH 7.7. The temperature range for growth was 10–40 °C, the optimum being 35 °C. The strain was sensitive to bile. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and C15 : 0. Menaquinone 11 (MK-11) was the major respiratory quinone and the genomic DNA G+C content was 41.0 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences placed the strain in the phylum Bacteroidetes. Strain WK042T was related distantly to the type strains of species in the cluster including Bacteroides massiliensis, Bacteroides vulgatus and Bacteroides dorei (91–92 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). Based on data from the present phylogenetic, physiological and chemotaxonomic analyses, strain WK042T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Bacteroides, for which the name Bacteroides paurosaccharolyticus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WK042T (=JCM 15092T =DSM 21004T).

Performance of a sulfidogenic bioreactor and bacterial community shifts under different alkalinity levels

The performance of a sulfidogenic bioreactor and the response of bacterial populations to influent alkalinity changes were investigated. The bioreactor reached 40% of sulfate removal efficiency (SRE) with 0 mg l(-1) of alkalinity, and single-stranded conformation polymorphism profiles showed that some members of Bacteroides, Dysgonomonas, Sporobacter, Quinella, and Citrobacter became dominant populations. 16S rRNA gene library analysis indicated that the Actinobacteria group increased from 0% in seed to 23% in sludge. An increase in alkalinity to 1300 mg l(-1) led to a rapid increase of SRE to 65% and changes in the bacterial community. Sequences representing Dysgonomonas, Raoultella, Kluyvera, and Phascolarctobacterium were now found. When alkalinity was deceased to 0 mg l(-1), SRE dropped and the bands representing Raoultella, Kluyvera, and Phascolarctobacterium disappeared, while bands representing Clostridium appeared. A second cycle of low/high alkalinity did not result in obvious changes to the bacterial community. These results indicate that the sulfidogenic bioreactor favored higher influent alkalinity and that the different functional microbial populations responded well to the alkalinity changes.