Aquiflexum balticum gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel marine bacterium of the Cytophaga–Flavobacterium–Bacteroides group isolated from surface water of the central Baltic Sea

Emticicia oligotrophica gen. nov., sp. nov., a new member of the family 'Flexibacteraceae', phylum Bacteroidetes

An aquatic bacterium, strain GPTSA100-15T, was isolated on nutritionally poor medium TSBA100 (tryptic soy broth diluted 100 times and solidified with 1.5 % agarose) and characterized using a polyphasic approach. The isolate was unable to grow on commonly used nutritionally rich media such as tryptic soy agar, nutrient agar and Luria-Bertani agar. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolate was affiliated with the family 'Flexibacteraceae' in the phylum Bacteroidetes. Phylogenetically, it showed closest similarity (94.0 %) with an uncultured bacterial clone, HP1A92, detected in a sludge microbial community. Among the culturable bacteria, the isolate had highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Leadbetterella byssophila 4M15T (87.8 %). Sequence similarities with other members of the phylum Bacteroidetes were less than 85 %. The fatty acid profile of the isolate grown on TSBA100 indicated that the major fatty acid was iso-C15:0, which is also present in many members of the family 'Flexibacteraceae'. Cells of strain GPTSA100-15T are Gram-negative, strictly aerobic rods. The DNA G+C content of the isolate is 36.9 mol%. Results of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses clearly indicate that strain GPTSA100-15T represents a new genus within the family 'Flexibacteraceae'; the name Emticicia gen. nov. is proposed for the genus, with Emticicia oligotrophica sp. nov. as the type species. The type strain of Emticicia oligotrophica is GPTSA100-15T (=MTCC 6937T=DSM 17448T).

Echinicola pacifica gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel flexibacterium isolated from the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius

The taxonomic position of three novel marine, heterotrophic, pigmented and agarolytic bacteria with gliding motility, isolated from the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius, was investigated. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strains KMM 6166, KMM 6172T and KMM 6173 are members of the phylum Bacteroidetes; their nearest neighbours were Belliella baltica and Hongiella marincola (similarities of 94.5 and 93.6 %, respectively). The DNA G+C content of the strains was 44–45 mol%. The predominant fatty acids were C15 : 0 iso, C16 : 1 ω5c, C17 : 1 iso ω9c, C17 : 0 iso 3-OH and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C15 : 0 iso 2-OH). The major respiratory quinone was MK-7. Results of molecular experiments supported by phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data enabled the isolates to be classified as representatives of a novel species in a new genus, for which the name Echinicola pacifica gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. Echinicola pacifica is the type species of the genus Echinicola, and its type strain is KMM 6172T (=KCTC 12368T=LMG 23350T).

Leadbetterella byssophila gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from cotton-waste composts for the cultivation of oyster mushroom

A bacterial strain, designated 4M15T, was isolated from cotton-waste composts used as mushroom cultivation in South Korea. Properties of this isolate were studied on the basis of physiological and biochemical characteristics, fatty acid profile, isoprenoid quinone, DNA G+C content and phylogenetic position based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The strain was found to form a distinct phylogenetic lineage related to the family ‘Flexibacteraceae’ within the phylum ‘Bacteroidetes’. No recognized species showed >85 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to strain 4M15T. The fatty acid profile of strain 4M15T included C16 : 1 ω7c/iso-C15 : 0 2-OH (30·5 %), iso-C15 : 0 (24·2 %), iso-C15 : 0 2-OH/C16 : 1 ω7c (15·9), iso-C17 : 0 3-OH (10·5 %) and C16 : 0 (5·6 %). The major isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone MK-7. The DNA G+C content was 33·0 mol%. Cells were Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, rod-shaped, non-motile, catalase-positive, oxidase-positive and flexirubin-positive. The strain hydrolysed aesculin, gelatin, starch and tyrosine. Several phenotypic tests could be used to differentiate strain 4M15T from other members of the family ‘Flexibacteraceae’. On the basis of the data presented, strain 4M15T should be assigned to the phylum ‘Bacteroidetes’ as a novel genus and species, for which the name Leadbetterella byssophila gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 4M15T (=KACC 11308T=DSM 17132T).

Cyclobacterium amurskyense sp. nov., a novel marine bacterium isolated from sea water

The taxonomic position of a novel marine, heterotrophic, aerobic, pigmented, non-motile bacterium isolated from sea water was determined. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain KMM 6143T is a member of the genus Cyclobacterium. The results of DNA–DNA hybridization experiments supported by phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data showed that the isolate represents a novel species of the genus Cyclobacterium, for which the name Cyclobacterium amurskyense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KMM 6143T (=KCTC 12363T=LMG 23026T).

Pontibacter actiniarum gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel member of the phylum ‘Bacteroidetes’, and proposal of Reichenbachiella gen. nov. as a replacement for the illegitimate prokaryotic generic name Reichenbachia Nedashkovskaya et al. 2003

The taxonomic position of a marine, gliding, pink-pigmented, aerobic, heterotrophic and Gram-negative bacterium was established using a polyphasic approach. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that the strain was a member of the phylum ‘Bacteroidetes’ in which it occupied a separate lineage. The predominant cellular fatty acids were C15 : 0 iso, C17 : 0 iso 3-OH, summed feature 3 and summed feature 4. The DNA G+C content was 48·7 mol%. Phylogenetic evidence and the results of phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses strongly support the assignment of the newly isolated bacterium as a member of a novel genus and species, for which the name Pontibacter actiniarum gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KMM 6156T (=KCTC 12367T=LMG 23027T). It is also proposed that the illegitimate names Reichenbachia and Reichenbachia agariperforans are replaced with Reichenbachiella and Reichenbachiella agariperforans, respectively.