Multilocus sequence analysis of Ensifer and related taxa

Phylogenetic diversity of Rhizobium strains nodulating diverse legume species growing in Ethiopia

The taxonomic diversity of thirty-seven Rhizobium strains, isolated from nodules of leguminous trees and herbs growing in Ethiopia, was studied using multilocus sequence analyses (MLSA) of six core and two symbiosis-related genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene grouped them into five clusters related to nine Rhizobium reference species (99-100% sequence similarity). In addition, two test strains occupied their own independent branches on the phylogenetic tree (AC86a2 along with R. tibeticum; 99.1% similarity and AC100b along with R. multihospitium; 99.5% similarity). One strain from Milletia ferruginea was closely related (>99%) to the genus Shinella, further corroborating earlier findings that nitrogen-fixing bacteria are distributed among phylogenetically unrelated taxa. Sequence analyses of five housekeeping genes also separated the strains into five well-supported clusters, three of which grouped with previously studied Ethiopian common bean rhizobia. Three of the five clusters could potentially be described into new species. Based on the nifH genes, most of the test strains from crop legumes were closely related to several strains of Ethiopian common bean rhizobia and other symbionts of bean plants (R. etli and R. gallicum sv. phaseoli). The grouping of the test strains based on the symbiosis-related genes was not in agreement with the housekeeping genes, signifying differences in their evolutionary history. Our earlier studies revealing a large diversity of Mesorhizobium and Ensifer microsymbionts isolated from Ethiopian legumes, together with the results from the present analysis of Rhizobium strains, suggest that this region might be a potential hotspot for rhizobial biodiversity.

Rapid and accurate species and genomic species identification and exhaustive population diversity assessment of Agrobacterium spp. using recA-based PCR

Agrobacteria are common soil bacteria that interact with plants as commensals, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria or alternatively as pathogens. Indigenous agrobacterial populations are composites, generally with several species and/or genomic species and several strains per species. We thus developed a recA-based PCR approach to accurately identify and specifically detect agrobacteria at various taxonomic levels. Specific primers were designed for all species and/or genomic species of Agrobacterium presently known, including 11 genomic species of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens complex (G1-G9, G13 and G14, among which only G2, G4, G8 and G14 still received a Latin epithet: pusense, radiobacter, fabrum and nepotum, respectively), A. larrymoorei, A. rubi, R. skierniewicense, A. sp. 1650, and A. vitis, and for the close relative Allorhizobium undicola. Specific primers were also designed for superior taxa, Agrobacterium spp. and Rhizobiaceace. Primer specificities were assessed with target and non-target pure culture DNAs as well as with DNAs extracted from composite agrobacterial communities. In addition, we showed that the amplicon cloning-sequencing approach used with Agrobacterium-specific or Rhizobiaceae-specific primers is a way to assess the agrobacterial diversity of an indigenous agrobacterial population. Hence, the agrobacterium-specific primers designed in the present study enabled the first accurate and rapid identification of all species and/or genomic species of Agrobacterium, as well as their direct detection in environmental samples.

Characterization of Rhizobium naphthalenivorans sp. nov. with special emphasis on aromatic compound degradation and multilocus sequence analysis of housekeeping genes

Three strains of aerobic chemoorganotrophic naphthalene-degrading bacteria (designated TSY03b(T), TSY04, and TSW01) isolated from sediment of a polychlorinated-dioxin-transforming microcosm were characterized. These strains had Gram-negative-stained, rod-shaped cells measuring 0.6‒0.9 μm in width and 1.2‒3.0 μm in length and were motile by means of peritrichous flagella. Naphthalene was utilized as the sole carbon and energy source, and the transcription of a putative aromatic-ring hydroxylating gene was inducible by naphthalene. The major component of cellular fatty acids was summed feature 8 (C18:1ω7c and/or C18:1ω6c), and significant proportions of C18:0 and C19:0 cyclo ω8cis were also found. The major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10. The G+C content of the DNA was 60.3‒60.9 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses by studying sequence information on the housekeeping atpD, dnaK, glnII, gyrB, and recA genes as well as on 16S rRNA genes and the 16S-23S rDNA internal transcribed spacer region revealed that the strains grouped with members of the genus Rhizobium, with Rhizobium selenitireducens as their closest relative but formed a distinct lineage at the species level. This was confirmed by genomic DNA-DNA hybridization studies. These phenotypic, genotypic, and phylogenetic data strongly suggest that our isolates should be classified under a novel species of the genus Rhizobium. Thus, we propose the name Rhizobium naphthalenivorans sp. nov. to accommodate the novel isolates. The type strain is TSY03b(T) (= NBRC 107585T = KCTC 23252T).

Multilocus sequence analysis of Bosea species and description of Bosea lupini sp. nov., Bosea lathyri sp. nov. and Bosea robiniae sp. nov., isolated from legumes

Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria were isolated from root nodules of Lupinus polyphyllus, Lathyrus latifolius and Robinia pseudoacacia. Based on the 16S rRNA gene phylogeny, they were closely related to Bosea species (100–97 % similarity), belonging to the class Alphaproteobacteria , family Bradyrhizobiaceae . The closest relatives of LMG 26383T, LMG 26379T and LMG 26381T were respectively the type strains of Bosea thiooxidans (99.6 %), B. eneae (98.3 %) and B. minatitlanensis (99.0 %). Chemotaxonomic data, including major fatty acid profiles, supported the assignment of our strains to the genus Bosea . Analysis of the concatenated sequences of five housekeeping genes (atpD, dnaK, gyrB, recA and rpoB) and the results of DNA–DNA hybridizations and physiological and biochemical tests allowed genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of our strains from each other and from the five Bosea species with validly published names. No nodA or nodC genes could be amplified, while nifH PCR gave non-specific products. On the basis of genotypic and phenotypic data, three novel species, Bosea lupini sp. nov. (type strain LMG 26383T  = CCUG 61248T  = R-45681T), Bosea lathyri sp. nov. (type strain LMG 26379T  = CCUG 61247T  = R-46060T) and Bosea robiniae sp. nov. (type strain LMG 26381T  = CCUG 61249T  = R-46070T), are proposed.

Phylogenetic analysis and polyphasic characterization of Clavibacter michiganensis strains isolated from tomato seeds reveal that nonpathogenic strains are distinct from C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis

The genus Clavibacter comprises one species and five subspecies of plant-pathogenic bacteria, four of which are classified as quarantine organisms due to the high economic threat they pose. Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis is one of the most important pathogens of tomato, but the recommended diagnostic tools are not satisfactory due to false-negative and/or -positive results. To provide a robust analysis of the genetic relatedness among a worldwide collection of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis strains, relatives (strains from the four other C. michiganensis subspecies), and nonpathogenic Clavibacter-like strains isolated from tomato, we performed multilocus sequence-based analysis and typing (MLSA and MLST) based on six housekeeping genes (atpD, dnaK, gyrB, ppK, recA, and rpoB). We compared this "framework" with phenotypic and genotypic characteristics such as pathogenicity on tomato, reaction to two antisera by immunofluorescence and to five PCR identification tests, and the presence of four genes encoding the main C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis pathogenicity determinants. We showed that C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis is monophyletic and is distinct from its closest taxonomic neighbors. The nonpathogenic Clavibacter-like strains were identified as C. michiganensis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. These strains, while cross-reacting with C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis identification tools, are phylogenetically distinct from the pathogenic strains but belong to the C. michiganensis clade. C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis clonal complexes linked strains from highly diverse geographical origins and also strains isolated over long periods of time in the same location. This illustrates the importance of seed transmission in the worldwide dispersion of this pathogen and its survival and adaptation abilities in a new environment once introduced.

Robust markers reflecting phylogeny and taxonomy of rhizobia

Genomic ANI (Average Nucleotide Identity) has been found to be able to replace DNA-DNA hybridization in prokaryote taxonomy. The ANI of each of the core genes that has a phylogeny congruent with the reference species tree of rhizobia was compared to the genomic ANI. This allowed us to identify three housekeeping genes (SMc00019-truA-thrA) whose ANI reflected the intraspecies and interspecies genomic ANI among rhizobial strains, revealing an ANI gap (≥2%) between the inter- and intra-species comparisons. The intraspecies (96%) and interspecies (94%) ANI boundaries calculated from three genes (SMc00019-truA-thrA) provided a criterion for bacterial species definition and confirmed 621/629 of known interspecies relationships within Bradyrhizobium, Mesorhizobium, Sinorhizobium and Rhizobium. Some widely studied strains should be renamed. The SMc00019-truA-thrA ANI also correlates well with the genomic ANI of strains in Agrobacterium, Methylobacterium, Ralstonia, Rhodopseudomonas, Cupriavidus and Burkholderia, suggesting their wide applicability in other bacteria.

Phylogenetic multilocus sequence analysis identifies seven novel Ensifer genospecies isolated from a less-well-explored biogeographical region in East Africa

The diversity of 71 rhizobial strains belonging to the genus Ensifer , isolated from root nodules of woody legumes growing in southern Ethiopia, was studied using multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) and phenotypic approaches. Phylogenetic analyses based on core genes revealed that 43 strains were clustered in seven distinct and consistent positions (genospecies I–VII), while another 25 strains were also distinct but were discrepant in their placement on the different gene trees. The remaining three strains occupied the same phylogenetic branches as defined Ensifer species and thus were not distinct. Irrespective of their chromosomal background, the majority of the test strains were highly related with respect to their nifH and nodC gene sequences, suggesting that these symbionts might have acquired these genes recently from a common origin. On the nifH phylogenetic tree, the branch containing the test strains and reference species isolated from woody legumes in Africa was clearly separate from those isolated outside the continent, suggesting that these symbionts have a long history of separate evolution within Ensifer for this gene. A cross-inoculation study showed that our strains were capable of eliciting effective nodulation on the homologous host and on other host species. This suggests a potential to improve nitrogen fixation by selecting for broad-host-range inoculants. Our study confirms the presence of a wide diversity of Ensifer in East Africa and, while contributing to the general knowledge of the biodiversity within the genus, also highlights the need to focus on previously less-well-explored biogeographical regions to unravel as-yet-unidentified rhizobial resources.

Mesorhizobium silamurunense sp. nov., isolated from root nodules of Astragalus species

Four rhizobial strains representing a previously defined novel group in the genus Mesorhizobium and isolated from Astragalus species in China were further characterized using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that these Gram-negative bacteria belonged to the genus Mesorhizobium , with Mesorhizobium plurifarium LMG 11892T as the closest neighbour sharing a sequence similarity of 99.8 %. Comparative sequence analysis of the atpD, recA, glnII, rpoB, nodC and nifH genes, SDS-PAGE of whole-cell soluble proteins, DNA–DNA hybridization, fatty acid profiles and a series of phenotypic and physiological tests differentitated the novel group from all recognized species of the genus Mesorhizobium . Based on the data obtained in the present and previous studies, this group represents a novel species within the genus Mesorhizobium , for which the name Mesorhizobium silamurunense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CCBAU 01550T ( = HAMBI 3029T = LMG 24822T), and could form effective nodules on Astragalus membranaceus, Astragalus adsurgens and Caragana intermedia, and ineffective nodules on Phaseolus vulgaris in cross-nodulation tests.

Mesorhizobium shonense sp. nov., Mesorhizobium hawassense sp. nov. and Mesorhizobium abyssinicae sp. nov., isolated from root nodules of different agroforestry legume trees

A total of 18 strains, representing members of the genus Mesorhizobium, obtained from root nodules of woody legumes growing in Ethiopia, have been previously shown, by multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) of five housekeeping genes, to form three novel genospecies. In the present study, the phylogenetic relationship between representative strains of these three genospecies and the type strains of their closest phylogenetic neighbours Mesorhizobium plurifarium, Mesorhizobium amorphae, Mesorhizobium septentrionale and Mesorhizobium huakuii was further evaluated using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. In line with our earlier MLSA of other housekeeping genes, the phylogenetic trees derived from the atpD and glnII genes grouped the test strains into three well-supported, distinct lineages that exclude all defined species of the genus Mesorhizobium. The DNA-DNA relatedness between the representative strains of genospecies I-III and the type strains of their closest phylogenetic neighbours was low (≤59 %). They differed from each other and from their closest phylogenetic neighbours by the presence/absence of several fatty acids, or by large differences in the relative amounts of particular fatty acids. While showing distinctive features, they were generally able to utilize a wide range of substrates as sole carbon and nitrogen sources. The strains belonging to genospecies I, II and III therefore represent novel species for which we propose the names Mesorhizobium shonense sp. nov., Mesorhizobium hawassense sp. nov. and Mesorhizobium abyssinicae sp. nov. The isolates AC39a(T) ( = LMG 26966(T) = HAMBI 3295(T)), AC99b(T) ( = LMG 26968(T) = HAMBI 3301(T)) and AC98c(T) ( = LMG 26967(T) = HAMBI 3306(T)) are proposed as type strains for the respective novel species.

Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) of Bradyrhizobium strains: revealing high diversity of tropical diazotrophic symbiotic bacteria

Symbiotic association of several genera of bacteria collectively called as rhizobia and plants belonging to the family Leguminosae (=Fabaceae) results in the process of biological nitrogen fixation, playing a key role in global N cycling, and also bringing relevant contributions to the agriculture. Bradyrhizobium is considered as the ancestral of all nitrogen-fixing rhizobial species, probably originated in the tropics. The genus encompasses a variety of diverse bacteria, but the diversity captured in the analysis of the 16S rRNA is often low. In this study, we analyzed twelve Bradyrhizobium strains selected from previous studies performed by our group for showing high genetic diversity in relation to the described species. In addition to the 16S rRNA, five housekeeping genes (recA, atpD, glnII, gyrB and rpoB) were analyzed in the MLSA (multilocus sequence analysis) approach. Analysis of each gene and of the concatenated housekeeping genes captured a considerably higher level of genetic diversity, with indication of putative new species. The results highlight the high genetic variability associated with Bradyrhizobium microsymbionts of a variety of legumes. In addition, the MLSA approach has proved to represent a rapid and reliable method to be employed in phylogenetic and taxonomic studies, speeding the identification of the still poorly known diversity of nitrogen-fixing rhizobia in the tropics.

Sinorhizobium americanum symbiovar mediterranense is a predominant symbiont that nodulates and fixes nitrogen with common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in a Northern Tunisian field

A total of 40 symbiotic bacterial strains isolated from root nodules of common bean grown in a soil located in the north of Tunisia were characterized by PCR-RFLP of the 16S rRNA genes. Six different ribotypes were revealed. Nine representative isolates were submitted to phylogenetic analyses of rrs, recA, atpD, dnaK, nifH and nodA genes. The strains 23C40 and 23C95 representing the most abundant ribotype were closely related to Sinorhizobium americanum CFNEI 156(T). S. americanum was isolated from Acacia spp. in Mexico, but this is the first time that this species is reported among natural populations of rhizobia nodulating common bean. These isolates nodulated and fixed nitrogen with this crop and harbored the symbiotic genes of the symbiovar mediterranense. The strains 23C2 and 23C55 were close to Rhizobium gallicum R602sp(T) but formed a well separated clade and may probably constitute a new species. The sequence similarities with R. gallicum type strain were 98.7% (rrs), 96.6% (recA), 95.8% (atpD) and 93.4% (dnaK). The remaining isolates were, respectively, affiliated to R. gallicum, E. meliloti, Rhizobium giardinii and Rhizobium radiobacter. However, some of them failed to re-nodulate their original host but promoted root growth.

Taxonomic and symbiotic diversity of bacteria isolated from nodules of Acacia tortilis subsp. raddiana in arid soils of Tunisia

A collection of rhizobia isolated from Acacia tortilis subsp. raddiana nodules from various arid soils in Tunisia was analyzed for their diversity at both taxonomic and symbiotic levels. The isolates were found to be phenotypically diverse. The majority of the isolates tolerated 3% NaCl and grew at 40 °C. Genetic characterization emphasized that most of the strains (42/50) belong to the genus Ensifer, particularly the species Ensifer meliloti, Ensifer garamanticus, and Ensifer numidicus. Symbiotic properties of isolates showed diversity in their capacity to nodulate their host plant and to fix atmospheric nitrogen. The most effective isolates were closely related to E. garamanticus. Nodulation tests showed that 3 strains belonging to Mesorhizobium genus failed to renodulate their host plant, which is surprising for symbiotic rhizobia. Furthermore, our results support the presence of non-nodulating endophytic bacteria belonging to the Acinetobacter genus in legume nodules.

Rhizobium subbaraonis sp. nov., an endolithic bacterium isolated from beach sand

Two strains (JC85(T) and JC108) of Gram-stain-negative, motile bacteria were isolated from endolithic beach sand samples on an oligotrophic medium. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, both strains were identified as belonging to the genus Rhizobium. Strain JC108 had 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 100 % with Rhizobium pusense NRCPB10(T) and formed a cluster with this strain. Strain JC85(T) had 96.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and was 18 % related (based on DNA-DNA hybridization) to Rhizobium borbori DN316(T). With other strains of the genus Rhizobium, the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity was less than 96.3 %. Strain JC85(T) could tolerate up to 3 % salinity, fix N(2), was resistant to ampicillin (10 µg) and was positive for catalase and oxidase. The major fatty acid was C(18 : 1)ω7c (69 %) with minor amounts of C(19 : 0) cyclo ω8c (8.9 %), C(16 : 0) (6.9 %), C(12 : 0) (5.7 %) and C(19 : 1)ω7c/C(19 : 1)ω6c (2.2 %). Polar lipids of strain JC85(T) include two unidentified aminophospholipids (APL1,2), two unidentified phospholipids (PL1,2), phosphatidylcholine and four unidentified lipids (L1-4). Q-10 is the major quinone of strain JC85(T). Based on polyphasic taxonomic analysis, strain JC85(T) represents a novel species for which, the name Rhizobium subbaraonis JC85(T) is proposed. The type strain is JC85(T) ( = DSM 24765(T) = KCTC 23614(T)).

Rhizobium skierniewicense sp. nov., isolated from tumours on chrysanthemum and cherry plum

Three isolates of Gram-negative, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacteria were recovered from galls on chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum L.; Ch11T, Ch12) and cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera var. divaricata; AL9.3). All three isolates were able to cause crown galls on various plant species. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the three isolates were probably identical (100% sequence similarity) and closely related to Rhizobium rubi (99.6 %), Rhizobium radiobacter (98.7 %) and Rhizobium larrymoorei (98.1 %). Similar analysis based on the housekeeping genes glnA, gyrB and rpoB also indicated that the novel isolates were identical and closely related to R. rubi . The major cellular fatty acids of strain Ch11T were C18 : 1ω7c (62.1 %), summed feature 2 (comprising C12 : 0 aldehyde, iso-C16 : 1 I and/or C14 : 0 3-OH; 10.8 %), summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH; 7.7 %) and C10 : 0 3-OH (7.5 %). However, the DNA–DNA relatedness between Ch11T and R. rubi LMG 156T was only 48 % and, unlike phylogenetically related established Rhizobium species, the novel isolates were able to utilize β-hydroxybutyric acid but not l-fucose. Based on the phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, the isolates are considered to represent a single novel species of the genus Rhizobium , for which the name Rhizobium skierniewicense sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is Ch11T ( = LMG 26191T = CFBP 7420T).

Tardiphaga robiniae gen. nov., sp. nov., a new genus in the family Bradyrhizobiaceae isolated from Robinia pseudoacacia in Flanders (Belgium)

Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria were isolated from Robinia pseudoacacia root nodules. On the basis of the 16S rRNA gene phylogeny, they are closely related to Bradyrhizobium, Rhodopseudomonas and Nitrobacter species (97% sequence similarity), belonging to the class Alphaproteobacteria and family Bradyrhizobiaceae. The results of physiological and biochemical tests together with sequence analysis of housekeeping genes (atpD, dnaK, gyrB, recA and rpoB) allowed differentiation of this group from other validly published Bradyrhizobiaceae genera. NodA, nodC and nifH genes could not be amplified. On the basis of genotypic and phenotypic data, these organisms represent a novel genus and species for which the name Tardiphaga robiniae gen. nov., sp. nov. (LMG 26467(T)=CCUG 61473(T)), is proposed.

Multilocus sequence analysis of the family Halomonadaceae

Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) protocols have been developed for species circumscription for many taxa. However, at present, no studies based on MLSA have been performed within any moderately halophilic bacterial group. To test the usefulness of MLSA with these kinds of micro-organisms, the family Halomonadaceae, which includes mainly halophilic bacteria, was chosen as a model. This family comprises ten genera with validly published names and 85 species of environmental, biotechnological and clinical interest. In some cases, the phylogenetic relationships between members of this family, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons, are not clear and a deep phylogenetic analysis using several housekeeping genes seemed appropriate. Here, MLSA was applied using the 16S rRNA, 23S rRNA, atpA, gyrB, rpoD and secA genes for species of the family Halomonadaceae. Phylogenetic trees based on the individual and concatenated gene sequences revealed that the family Halomonadaceae formed a monophyletic group of micro-organisms within the order Oceanospirillales. With the exception of the genera Halomonas and Modicisalibacter, all other genera within this family were phylogenetically coherent. Five of the six studied genes (16S rRNA, 23S rRNA, gyrB, rpoD and secA) showed a consistent evolutionary history. However, the results obtained with the atpA gene were different; thus, this gene may not be considered useful as an individual gene phylogenetic marker within this family. The phylogenetic methods produced variable results, with those generated from the maximum-likelihood and neighbour-joining algorithms being more similar than those obtained by maximum-parsimony methods. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) plays an important evolutionary role in the family Halomonadaceae; however, the impact of recombination events in the phylogenetic analysis was minimized by concatenating the six loci, which agreed with the current taxonomic scheme for this family. Finally, the findings of this study also indicated that the 16S rRNA, gyrB and rpoD genes were the most suitable genes for future taxonomic studies using MLSA within the family Halomonadaceae.

Phenotypic and genetic characterization of rhizobia associated with alfalfa in the Hokkaido and Ishigaki regions of Japan

Twenty five rhizobial isolates were obtained from root nodules of Medicago sativa inoculated with soil samples collected from the Sapporo region and Ishigaki Island in Japan. To study their diversity and characterize them in relation to the climatic conditions of their soils of origin, a polyphasic approach analyzing stress tolerance, symbiotic and genetic properties was used. Stress tolerance assays revealed marked variations in salinity, pH and temperature tolerance. Isolates originating from a sub-tropical climate in alkaline soil (Ishigaki Island) tolerated high temperature, salinity and pH levels. Moreover, isolates recovered from a temperate climate in acidic soil (Sapporo) were sensitive to high temperature and salinity, and tolerated acidic pH. Phylogenetic analysis of conserved 16S rRNA and recA genes, and symbiotic nodA and nifDK revealed 25 isolates to be closely related to Ensifer meliloti. Furthermore, the branch patterns of phylogenetic trees constructed from different genes revealed the existence of at least two E. meliloti types in the soils studied. These results may be relevant to programs directed towards improving crop productivity through biofertilization with locally adapted and genetically defined strains.

Taxonomic evaluation of the Streptomyces hygroscopicus clade using multilocus sequence analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization, validating the MLSA scheme for systematics of the whole genus

Streptomyces hygroscopicus and related species are the most well known candidate producers of antibiotics and many other industrially and agronomically important secondary metabolites in the genus Streptomyces. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) has shown to be a powerful and pragmatic molecular method for unraveling streptomycete diversities. In this investigation, a multilocus phylogeny of 58 representatives of the S. hygroscopicus 16S rRNA gene clade including S. violaceusniger and related species was examined. The result demonstrated that the MLSA data were helpful in defining members of the S. hygroscopicus clade, providing further evidence that the MLSA scheme of five housekeeping genes (atpD, gyrB, recA, rpoB and trpB) is a valuable alternative for creating and maintaining operational protocols for the Streptomyces species assignment. DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) between strains with representative MLSA evolutionary distances, combined with previous data from S. griseus and S. albidoflavus clades, revealed a high correlation between MLSA and DDH, and sustains that the five-gene nucleotide sequence distance of 0.007 could be considered as the species cut-off for the whole genus. This significant correlation thus makes the MLSA scheme applicable to construction of a theory-based taxonomy for both ecology and bioprospecting of streptomycetes. Based on the MLSA and DDH data, as well as phenotypic characteristics, 10 species and three subspecies of the S. hygroscopicus clade are considered to be later heterotypic synonyms of eight genomic species, and Streptomyces glebosus sp. nov., comb. nov. (type strain CGMCC 4.1873(T)=LMG 19950(T)=DSM 40823(T)) and Streptomyces ossamyceticus sp. nov., comb. nov. (type strain CGMCC 4.1866(T)=LMG 19951(T)=DSM 40824(T)) are also proposed.

Multilocus sequence analysis provides basis for fast and reliable identification of Vibrio harveyi-related species and reveals previous misidentification of important marine pathogens

Vibrio harveyi and related bacteria are important pathogens responsible for severe economic losses in the aquaculture industry worldwide. Phenotypic tests and 16S rRNA gene analysis fail to discriminate species within the V. harveyi group because these are phenotypically and genetically nearly identical. This study used multilocus sequence analysis to identify 36 V. harveyi-like isolates obtained from a wide range of sources in Australia and to re-evaluate the identity of important pathogens. Phylogenies inferred from the 16S rRNA gene and five concatenated protein-coding genes (rpoA-pyrH-topA-ftsZ-mreB) revealed four well-supported clusters identified as V. harveyi, V. campbellii, V. rotiferianus and V. owensii. Results revealed that important V. campbellii and V. owensii prawn pathogens were previously misidentified as V. harveyi and also that the recently described V. communis sp. nov. is likely a junior synonym of V. owensii. Although the MLSA topologies corroborated the 16S rRNA gene phylogeny, the latter was less informative than each of the protein-coding genes taken singularly or the concatenated dataset. A two-locus phylogeny based on topA-mreB concatenated sequences was consistent with the five-locus MLSA phylogeny. Global Bayesian phylogenies inferred from topA-mreB suggested that this gene combination provides a practical yet still accurate approach for routine identification of V. harveyi-related species.

Rhizobium petrolearium sp. nov., isolated from oil-contaminated soil

Two Gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacteria, designated strains SL-1(T) and F11, which had the ability to decompose polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), were isolated from soil samples contaminated by oil. The cells were motile by polar or lateral flagella. According to comparison of 16S rRNA gene sequences, strains SL-1(T) and F11 were identical and showed the greatest degree of similarity (96.8%) to both Rhizobium oryzae Alt505(T) and Rhizobium mesosinicum CCBAU 25010(T); however, only Rhizobium oryzae with SL-1(T) and F11 formed a separate clade. There were low similarities (<90%) between the atpD and recA sequences of the two strains and those of the genus of Rhizobium. The bacteria grew at temperatures of 10-40 °C with an optimum of 30 °C. The pH range for growth was 6.0-10.0 and optimum pH was 7.0-8.0. Growth occurred at NaCl concentrations up to 3.0% (w/v). They were catalase- and oxidase-positive. The main cellular fatty acids were summed feature 8 (18:1ω7c and/or 18:1ω6c) and 16:0. The DNA G+C content was 62.2 mol%. Strain SL-1(T) showed 29 and 0% DNA-DNA relatedness, respectively, with the most related strains R. oryzae Alt505(T) and R. mesosinicum CCBAU 25010(T) according to phylogenic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene. According to physiological and biochemical characteristics and genotypic data obtained in this work, the bacteria represent a novel species of the genus Rhizobium, and the name Rhizobium petrolearium is proposed. The type strain is SL-1(T) ( = ACCC 11238(T) = KCTC 23288(T)) and it could nodulate Medicago sativa in nodulation tests.

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.

Genomic species are ecological species as revealed by comparative genomics in Agrobacterium tumefaciens

The definition of bacterial species is based on genomic similarities, giving rise to the operational concept of genomic species, but the reasons of the occurrence of differentiated genomic species remain largely unknown. We used the Agrobacterium tumefaciens species complex and particularly the genomic species presently called genomovar G8, which includes the sequenced strain C58, to test the hypothesis of genomic species having specific ecological adaptations possibly involved in the speciation process. We analyzed the gene repertoire specific to G8 to identify potential adaptive genes. By hybridizing 25 strains of A. tumefaciens on DNA microarrays spanning the C58 genome, we highlighted the presence and absence of genes homologous to C58 in the taxon. We found 196 genes specific to genomovar G8 that were mostly clustered into seven genomic islands on the C58 genome—one on the circular chromosome and six on the linear chromosome—suggesting higher plasticity and a major adaptive role of the latter. Clusters encoded putative functional units, four of which had been verified experimentally. The combination of G8-specific functions defines a hypothetical species primary niche for G8 related to commensal interaction with a host plant. This supports that the G8 ancestor was able to exploit a new ecological niche, maybe initiating ecological isolation and thus speciation. Searching genomic data for synapomorphic traits is a powerful way to describe bacterial species. This procedure allowed us to find such phenotypic traits specific to genomovar G8 and thus propose a Latin binomial, Agrobacterium fabrum, for this bona fide genomic species.

Stress tolerance and symbiotic and phylogenic features of root nodule bacteria associated with Medicago species in different bioclimatic regions of Tunisia

Thirty two rhizobial isolates were obtained from different bioclimatic regions of Tunisia using as trap plants, Medicago sativa, Medicago ciliaris, Medicago polymorpha and Medicago minima. To study their diversity and characterize them in relation to Mediterranean conditions, abiotic stress resistance, symbiotic properties and genetic diversity in terms of 16S rRNA and nodA sequences were assessed. Five isolates from M. sativa, three from M. ciliaris and three from M. minima could grow at 45°C. Only two isolates from M. sativa grew at 4% NaCl. The most stress tolerant isolates were obtained from arid soils. A phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes revealed 29 isolates to be closely related to Ensifer including one (Pl.3-9) that showed a 16S rRNA sequence similar to that of Ensifer meliloti and nodA sequence similar to that of Ensifer medicae. However, three isolates were categorized into Agrobacterium containing the nodA of Ensifer. Furthermore, these isolates developed nodules on original hosts. The results for the four isolates suggest horizontal gene transfer between the species.

Reclassification of Rhizobium tropici type A strains as Rhizobium leucaenae sp. nov

Rhizobium tropici is a well-studied legume symbiont characterized by high genetic stability of the symbiotic plasmid and tolerance to tropical environmental stresses such as high temperature and low soil pH. However, high phenetic and genetic variabilities among R. tropici strains have been largely reported, with two subgroups, designated type A and B, already defined within the species. A polyphasic study comprising multilocus sequence analysis, phenotypic and genotypic characterizations, including DNA-DNA hybridization, strongly supported the reclassification of R. tropici type A strains as a novel species. Type A strains formed a well-differentiated clade that grouped with R. tropici, Rhizobium multihospitium, Rhizobium miluonense, Rhizobium lusitanum and Rhizobium rhizogenes in the phylogenies of the 16S rRNA, recA, gltA, rpoA, glnII and rpoB genes. Several phenotypic traits differentiated type A strains from all related taxa. The novel species, for which the name Rhizobium leucaenae sp. nov. is proposed, is a broad host range rhizobium being able to establish effective root-nodule symbioses with Leucaena leucocephala, Leucaena esculenta, common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and Gliricidia sepium. Strain CFN 299(T) ( = USDA 9039(T) = LMG 9517(T) = CECT 4844(T) = JCM 21088(T) = IAM 14230(T) = SEMIA 4083(T) = CENA 183(T) = UMR1026(T) = CNPSo 141(T)) is designated the type strain of Rhizobium leucaenae sp. nov.

Population genomics of Sinorhizobium medicae based on low-coverage sequencing of sympatric isolates

We investigated the genomic diversity of a local population of the symbiotic bacterium Sinorhizobium medicae, isolated from the roots of wild Medicago lupulina plants, in order to assess genomic diversity, to identify genomic regions influenced by duplication, deletion or strong selection, and to explore the composition of the pan-genome. Partial genome sequences of 12 isolates were obtained by Roche 454 shotgun sequencing (average 5.3 Mb per isolate) and compared with the published sequence of S. medicae WSM 419. Homologous recombination appears to have less impact on the polymorphism patterns of the chromosome than on the chromid pSMED01 and megaplasmid pSMED02. Moreover, pSMED02 is a hot spot of insertions and deletions. The whole chromosome is characterized by low sequence polymorphism, consistent with the high density of housekeeping genes. Similarly, the level of polymorphism of symbiosis genes (low) and of genes involved in polysaccharide synthesis (high) may reflect different selection. Finally, some isolates carry genes that may confer adaptations that S. medicae WSM 419 lacks, including homologues of genes encoding rhizobitoxine synthesis, iron uptake, response to autoinducer-2, and synthesis of distinct polysaccharides. The presence or absence of these genes was confirmed by PCR in each of these 12 isolates and a further 27 isolates from the same population. All isolates had rhizobitoxine genes, while the other genes were co-distributed, suggesting that they may be on the same mobile element. These results are discussed in relation to the ecology of Medicago symbionts and in the perspective of population genomics studies.

Molecular diversity and phylogeny of rhizobia associated with Lablab purpureus (Linn.) grown in Southern China

As an introduced plant, Lablab purpureus serves as a vegetable, herbal medicine, forage and green manure in China. In order to investigate the diversity of rhizobia associated with this plant, a total of 49 rhizobial strains isolated from ten provinces of Southern China were analyzed in the present study with restriction fragment length polymorphism and/or sequence analyses of housekeeping genes (16S rRNA, IGS, atpD, glnII and recA) and symbiotic genes (nifH and nodC). The results defined the L. purpureus rhizobia as 24 IGS-types within 15 rrs-IGS clusters or genomic species belonging to Bradyrhizobium, Rhizobium, Ensifer (synonym of Sinorhizobium) and Mesorhizobium. Bradyrhizobium spp. (81.6%) were the most abundant isolates, half of which were B. elkanii. Most of these rhizobia induced nodules on L. purpureus, but symbiotic genes were only amplified from the Bradyrhizobium and Rhizobium leguminosarum strains. The nodC and nifH phylogenetic trees defined five lineages corresponding to B. yuanmingense, B. japonicum, B. elkanii, B. jicamae and R. leguminosarum. The coherence of housekeeping and symbiotic gene phylogenies demonstrated that the symbiotic genes of the Lablab rhizobia were maintained mainly through vertical transfer. However, a putative lateral transfer of symbiotic genes was found in the B. liaoningense strain. The results in the present study clearly revealed that L. purpureus was a promiscuous host that formed nodules with diverse rhizobia, mainly Bradyrhizobium species, harboring different symbiotic genes.

Rhizobium borbori sp. nov., aniline-degrading bacteria isolated from activated sludge

Three aniline-degrading bacteria, strains DN316T, DN316-1 and DN365, were isolated from activated sludge. According to 16S rRNA gene sequence-based phylogenetic analysis, the isolates belonged to the genus Rhizobium, with Rhizobium ( = Agrobacterium) radiobacter LMG 140T as the closest relative, with 96.5 % sequence similarity. Phylogenetic analysis of the representative strain DN316T using sequences of the glnA, thrC and recA genes and the 16S–23S intergenic spacer region confirmed the phylogenetic arrangement obtained from analysis of the 16S rRNA gene. DNA–DNA relatedness between DN316T and R. radiobacter LMG 140T was 43.7 %, clearly indicating that the representative strain DN316T represents a novel species. Phenotypic and biochemical characterization of the isolates and insertion sequence-PCR fingerprinting patterns showed several distinctive features that differentiated them from closely related species. The major components of the cellular fatty acids were C18 : 1ω7c (57.10 %), C16 : 0 (11.31 %) and C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c (10.13 %). Based on our taxonomic analysis, the three isolates from activated sludge represent a novel species of the genus Rhizobium, for which the name Rhizobium borbori sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DN316T ( = CICC 10378T  = LMG 23925T).

Characterization of root-nodulating bacteria associated to Prosopis farcta growing in the arid regions of Tunisia

Diversity of 50 bacterial isolates recovered from root nodules of Prosopis farcta grown in different arid soils in Tunisia, was investigated. Characterization of isolates was assessed using a polyphasic approach including phenotypic characteristics, 16S rRNA gene PCR--RFLP and sequencing, nodA gene sequencing and MLSA. It was found that most of isolates are tolerant to high temperature (40°C) and salinity (3%). Genetic characterization emphasizes that isolates were assigned to the genus Ensifer (80%), Mesorhizobium (4%) and non-nodulating endophytic bacteria (16%). Forty isolates belonging to the genus Ensifer were affiliated to Ensifer meliloti, Ensifer xinjiangense/Ensifer fredii and Ensifer numidicus species. Two isolates belonged to the genus Mesorhizobium. Eight isolates failing to renodulate their host plant were endophytic bacteria and belonged to Bacillus, Paenibacillus and Acinetobacter genera. Symbiotic properties of nodulating isolates showed a diversity in their capacity to infect their host plant and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Isolate PG29 identified as Ensifer meliloti was the most effective one. Ability of Prosopis farcta to establish symbiosis with rhizobial species confers an important advantage for this species to be used in reforestation programs. This study offered the first systematic information about the diversity of microsymbionts nodulating Prosopis farcta in the arid regions of Tunisia.

Rhizobium pseudoryzae sp. nov., isolated from the rhizosphere of rice

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain J3-A127(T), was isolated from the roots of fresh rice plants (Oryza sativa). Cells were non-motile and no flagellum was detected. Comparison of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the strain was phylogenetically related to species of the genus Rhizobium, with closest similarity to Rhizobium oryzae Alt 505(T) (96.4 %). The low levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (<90 %) found between the gyrB, atpD, recA and glnII gene sequences of strain J3-A127(T) and the type strains of recognized species of the genus Rhizobium also indicated that it represented a separate species. The temperature range for growth was 10-40 °C (optimum around 28 °C) and the pH range was 6.0-11.0 (optimum pH 7.0-8.0). Strain J3-A127(T) tolerated NaCl concentrations up to 5.0 % (w/v). The strain was catalase- and oxidase-positive. The main cellular fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C(18 : 1)ω7c and/or C(18 : 1)ω6; 46.7 %). The DNA G+C content of strain J3-A127(T) was 59.5 mol%. Strain J3-A127(T) did not form any nodules on four different legumes and the nodD and nifH genes were not detected by PCR. According to physiological and biochemical characteristics and genotypic data, strain J3-A127(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Rhizobium, for which the name Rhizobium pseudoryzae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is J3-A127(T) ( = ACCC 10380(T) = KCTC 23294(T)).

Heavy metal tolerant Metalliresistens boonkerdii gen. nov., sp. nov., a new genus in the family Bradyrhizobiaceae isolated from soil in Thailand

Bacterial strains from inoculated soybean field soil in Thailand were directly isolated using Bradyrhizobium japonicum selective medium (BJSM), on the basis of Zn(2+) and Co(2+) resistance of B. japonicum and B. elkanii. The isolates were classified into symbiotic and non-symbiotic groups by inoculation assays and Southern hybridization of nod and nif genes. In this study, a nearly full-length 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the non-symbiotic isolates were more closely related to members of Rhodopseudomonas and to a number of uncultured bacterial clones than to members of Bradyrhizobium. Therefore, a polyphasic study was performed to determine the taxonomic positions of four representatives of the non-symbiotic isolates. Multilocus phylogenetic analysis of individual genes and a combination of the 16S rRNA and three housekeeping genes (atpD, recA and glnII) supported the placement of the non-symbiotic isolates in a different genus. The ability of heavy metal resistance in conjunction with phenotypic analyses, including cellular fatty acid content and biochemical characteristics, showed that the non-symbiotic isolates were differentiated from the other related genera in the family Bradyrhizobiaceae. Therefore, the non-symbiotic isolates represented a novel genus and species, for which the name Metalliresistens boonkerdii gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NS23 (= NBRC 106595(T)=BCC 40155(T)).

Rapid and efficient identification of Agrobacterium species by recA allele analysis: Agrobacterium recA diversity

The analysis of housekeeping recA gene sequences from 138 strains from 13 species or genomic species of Agrobacterium, nine being biovar 1 genomospecies, and the others Agrobacterium larrymoorei, Agrobacterium rubi, Agrobacterium sp. NCPPB 1650, and Agrobacterium vitis and one "former" Agrobacterium species, Rhizobium rhizogenes, led to the identification of 50 different recA alleles and to a clear delineation of the 14 species or genomospecies entirely consistent with that obtained by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis. The relevance of a recA sequencing approach for epidemiological analyses was next assessed on agrobacterial Tunisian isolates. All Tunisian isolates were found to belong to the Agrobacterium tumefaciens/biovar 1 species complex by both biochemical tests and rrs sequencing. recA sequence analysis further permitted their unambiguous assignment to A. tumefaciens genomospecies G4, G6, G7, and G8 in total agreement with the results of an AFLP-based analysis. At subspecific level, several Tunisian recA alleles were novel, indicating the power and accuracy of recA-based typing for studies of Agrobacterium spp.

Phylogeny and differentiation of species of the genus Gluconacetobacter and related taxa based on multilocus sequence analyses of housekeeping genes and reclassification of Acetobacter xylinus subsp. sucrofermentans as Gluconacetobacter sucrofermentans (Toyosaki et al. 1996) sp. nov., comb. nov

Three housekeeping genes (dnaK, groEL and rpoB) of strains belonging to the genus Gluconacetobacter (37 strains) or related taxa (38 strains) were sequenced. Reference strains of the 15 species of the genus Gluconacetobacter were included. Phylogenetic trees generated using these gene sequences confirmed the existence of two phylogenetic groups within the genus Gluconacetobacter. These groups clustered separately in trees constructed using concatenated sequences of the three genes, indicating that the genus Gluconacetobacter should not remain a single genus and should be split, as suggested previously. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) of the three housekeeping genes also proved useful for species differentiation in the family Acetobacteraceae. It also suggested that Gluconacetobacter xylinus LMG 18788, better known as the type and only strain of Acetobacter xylinus subsp. sucrofermentans, represents a distinct species in the genus Gluconacetobacter, and is not a true G. xylinus strain. In previous studies, this strain showed less than 70 % DNA relatedness to the type strains of G. xylinus and Gluconacetobacter nataicola, the phylogenetically nearest relatives, and could be distinguished from them phenotypically. Additionally, AFLP and (GTG)5-PCR DNA fingerprinting data supported its reclassification within a distinct species. The name Gluconacetobacter sucrofermentans (Toyosaki et al. 1996) sp. nov., comb. nov. is proposed.

The biodiversity of beneficial microbe-host mutualism: the case of rhizobia

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation is the main route for sustainable input of nitrogen into ecosystems. Nitrogen fixation in agriculture can be improved by inoculation of legume crops with suitable rhizobia. Knowledge of the biodiversity of rhizobia and of local populations is important for the design of successful inoculation strategies. Soybeans are major nitrogen-fixing crops in many parts of the world. Bradyrhizobial inoculants for soybean are very diverse, yet classification and characterization of strains have long been difficult. Recent genetic characterization methods permit more reliable identification and will improve our knowledge of local populations. Forage legumes form another group of agronomically important legumes. Research and extension policies valorizing rhizobial germplasm diversity and preservation, farmer training for proper inoculant use and legal enforcement of commercial inoculant quality have proved a successful approach to promoting the use of forage legumes while enhancing biological N(2) fixation. It is worth noting that taxonomically important strains may not necessarily be important reference strains for other uses such as legume inoculation and genomics due to specialization of the different fields. This article points out both current knowledge and gaps remaining to be filled for further interaction and improvement of a rhizobial commons.

Multilocus sequence analysis of Streptomyces griseus isolates delineating intraspecific diversity in terms of both taxonomy and biosynthetic potential

Systematics can provide a fundamental framework for understanding the relationships and diversification of organisms. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) has shown great promise for an elaborate taxonomic grouping of streptomycete diversity. To evaluate the practical significance of MLSA as a valuable systematic tool for streptomycetes, we examined six endophytic Streptomyces griseus isolates and two S. griseus reference strains possessing obvious antagonistic activities and identical 16S rRNA gene sequences, using both housekeeping genes and secondary metabolic genes. All the eight strains contained PKS-I and NRPS genes, but not PKS-II genes, and showed similar diversity in both the MLSA phylogeny based on five housekeeping genes (atpD, gyrB, recA, rpoB and trpB) and fingerprinting of KS-AT genes. We also inferred a phylogeny based on concatenated amino acid sequences of representative KS-AT genes from the strains, which displayed a topology correlated well with those of housekeeping-gene MLSA and KS-AT fingerprinting. The good congruence observed between phylogenies based on the different datasets verified that the MLSA scheme provided robust resolution at intraspecific level and could predict the overall diversity of secondary metabolic potential within a Streptomyces species, despite somewhat of a discrepancy with antimicrobial data. It is therefore feasible to apply MLSA to dissecting natural diversity of streptomycetes for a better understanding of their evolution and ecology, as well as for facilitating their bioprospecting.

Genetic characterization of root-nodule bacteria associated with Acacia salicina and A. stenophylla (Mimosaceae) across south-eastern Australia

Symbiotic relationships between legumes and nitrogen-fixing soil micro-organisms are of ecological importance in plant communities worldwide. For example, nutrient-poor Australian soils are often dominated by shrubby legumes (e.g. species of Acacia). However, relatively few studies have quantified patterns of diversity, host-specificity and effectiveness of these ecologically important plant-microbe interactions. In this study, 16S rRNA gene sequence and PCR-RFLP analyses were used to examine bacterial strains isolated from the root nodules of two widespread south-eastern Australian legumes, Acacia salicina and Acacia stenophylla, across nearly 60 sites. The results showed that there was extensive genetic diversity in microbial populations, including a broad range of novel genomic species. While previous studies have suggested that most native Australian legumes nodulate primarily with species of the genus Bradyrhizobium, our results indicate significant associations with members of other root-nodule-forming bacterial genera, including Rhizobium, Ensifer, Mesorhizobium, Burkholderia, Phyllobacterium and Devosia. Genetic analyses also revealed a diverse suite of non-nodulating bacterial endophytes, only a subset of which have been previously recorded. Although the ecological roles of these endosymbionts are not well understood, they may play both direct and indirect roles in promoting plant growth, nodulation and disease suppression.

Multilocus sequence analysis of root nodule isolates from Lotus arabicus (Senegal), Lotus creticus, Argyrolobium uniflorum and Medicago sativa (Tunisia) and description of Ensifer numidicus sp. nov. and Ensifer garamanticus sp. nov

Nine isolates from Argyrolobium uniflorum, Lotus creticus, Medicago sativa (Tunisia) and Lotus arabicus (Senegal) were analysed by multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) of five housekeeping genes (recA, atpD, glnA, gltA and thrC), the 16S rRNA gene and the nodulation gene nodA. Analysis of the individual and concatenated gene sequences demonstrated that the nine new strains constituted three stable, well-supported (bootstrap and gene sequence similarity values) monophyletic clusters, A, B and C, all belonging to the branch of the genus Ensifer, regardless of the phylogenetic reconstruction method used (maximum likelihood, maximum-parsimony, neighbour-joining). The three groups were further characterized by API 100 auxanographic tests, host specificity and nodA gene sequence analysis. On the basis of these data, clusters A and C are suggested as representing two novel species within the genus Ensifer, for which the names Ensifer numidicus sp. nov. (type strain ORS 1407T=LMG 24690T=CIP 109850T) and Ensifer garamanticus sp. nov. (type strain ORS 1400T=LMG 24692T=CIP 109916T) are proposed. The cluster B strains were assigned to Ensifer adhaerens genomovar A.

Taxonomic evaluation of the Streptomyces griseus clade using multilocus sequence analysis and DNA–DNA hybridization, with proposal to combine 29 species and three subspecies as 11 genomic species

Streptomyces griseus and related species form the biggest but least well-defined clade in the whole Streptomyces 16S rRNA gene tree. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) has shown promising potential for refining Streptomyces systematics. In this investigation, strains of 18 additional S. griseus clade species were analysed and data from a previous pilot study were integrated in a larger MLSA phylogeny. The results demonstrated that MLSA of five housekeeping genes (atpD, gyrB, recA, rpoB and trpB) is better than the previous six-gene scheme, as it provides equally good resolution and stability and is more cost-effective; MLSA using three or four of the genes also shows good resolution and robustness for differentiating most of the strains and is therefore of value for everyday use. MLSA is more suitable for discriminating strains that show >99 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. DNA–DNA hybridization (DDH) between strains with representative MLSA distances revealed a strong correlation between the data of MLSA and DDH. The 70 % DDH value for current species definition corresponds to a five-gene MLSA distance of 0.007, which could be considered as the species cut-off for the S. griseus clade. It is concluded that the MLSA procedure can be a practical, reliable and robust alternative to DDH for the identification and classification of streptomycetes at the species and intraspecies levels. Based on the data from MLSA and DDH, as well as cultural and morphological characteristics, 18 species and three subspecies of the S. griseus clade are considered to be later heterotypic synonyms of 11 genomic species: Streptomyces griseinus and Streptomyces mediolani as synonyms of Streptomyces albovinaceus; Streptomyces praecox as a synonym of Streptomyces anulatus; Streptomyces olivoviridis as a synonym of Streptomyces atroolivaceus; Streptomyces griseobrunneus as a synonym of Streptomyces bacillaris; Streptomyces cavourensis subsp. washingtonensis as a synonym of Streptomyces cyaneofuscatus; Streptomyces acrimycini, Streptomyces baarnensis, Streptomyces caviscabies and Streptomyces flavofuscus as synonyms of Streptomyces fimicarius; Streptomyces flavogriseus as a synonym of Streptomyces flavovirens; Streptomyces erumpens, ‘Streptomyces ornatus’ and Streptomyces setonii as synonyms of Streptomyces griseus; Streptomyces graminofaciens as a synonym of Streptomyces halstedii; Streptomyces alboviridis, Streptomyces griseus subsp. alpha, Streptomyces griseus subsp. cretosus and Streptomyces luridiscabiei as synonyms of Streptomyces microflavus; and Streptomyces californicus and Streptomyces floridae as synonyms of Streptomyces puniceus.

Amplified fragment length polymorphism and multilocus sequence analysis-based genotypic relatedness among pathogenic variants of Xanthomonas citri pv. citri and Xanthomonas campestris pv. bilvae

Three pathogenic variants (i.e. pathotypes) have been described within Xanthomonas citri pv. citri, the causal agent of Asiatic citrus canker. Pathotype A strains naturally infect a wide range of Citrus species and members of some related genera. In contrast, pathotypes A* and Aw have narrow host ranges within the genus Citrus and have been isolated from Mexican lime (Citrus aurantifolia L.) and from Mexican lime and alemow (Citrus macrophylla L.), respectively. We used amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) based on four partial housekeeping gene sequences (atpD, dnaK, efp and gyrB) for the genotypic classification of Xanthomonas citri pv. citri and the poorly characterized citrus pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. bilvae. A Mantel test showed that genetic distances derived from AFLP and MLSA were highly correlated. X. campestris pv. bilvae showed a close relatedness to the type strain of X. citri, indicating that this pathovar should be reclassified as X. citri pv. bilvae. All pathotype A* and Aw strains were most closely related to X. citri pv. citri strains with a wide host range (pathotype A), confirming previous DNA–DNA hybridization data. Pathotype Aw should be considered a junior synonym of pathotype A* on the basis of pathogenicity tests, AFLP, MLSA and PCR using pathovar-specific primers. Evolutionary genome divergences computed from AFLP data suggested that pathotype A* (including Aw strains) is a group of strains that shows a wider genetic diversity than pathotype A.

Determination of the diversity of Rhodopirellula isolates from European seas by multilocus sequence analysis

In the biogeography of microorganisms, the habitat size of an attached-living bacterium has never been investigated. We approached this theme with a multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) study of new strains of Rhodopirellula sp., an attached-living planctomycete. The development of an MLSA for Rhodopirellula baltica enabled the characterization of the genetic diversity at the species level, beyond the resolution of the 16S rRNA gene. The alleles of the nine housekeeping genes acsA, guaA, trpE, purH, glpF, fumC, icd, glyA, and mdh indicated the presence of 13 genetically defined operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in our culture collection. The MLSA-based OTUs coincided with the taxonomic units defined by DNA-DNA hybridization experiments. BOX-PCR supported the MLSA-based differentiation of two closely related OTUs. This study established a taxon-area relationship of cultivable Rhodopirellula species. In European seas, three closely related species covered the Baltic Sea and the eastern North Sea, the North Atlantic region, and the southern North Sea to the Mediterranean. The last had regional genotypes, as revealed by BOX-PCR. This suggests a limited habitat size of attached-living Rhodopirellula species.