Mangrovimonas xylaniphaga sp. nov. isolated from estuarine mangrove sediment of Matang Mangrove Forest, Malaysia

Mangrovimonas cancribranchiae sp. nov., a novel bacterial species associated with the gills of the fiddler crab Cranuca inversa (Brachyura, Ocypodidae) from Red Sea mangroves

Two bacteria, UG2_1T and UG2_2, were isolated from the gill tissues of the mangrove fiddler crab Cranuca inversa collected on the east coast of the Red Sea (Thuwal, Saudi Arabia). The cells are Gram-negative, rod-shaped, orange-pigmented, motile by gliding with no flagella, strictly aerobic, and grow at 20-37 °C (optimum, 28-35 °C), at pH 5.0-9.0 (optimum, pH 6.0-7.0), and with 1-11 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2-4 %). They were positive for oxidase and catalase activity. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that isolates UG2_1T and UG2_2 belong to the genus Mangrovimonas, showing the highest similarity to Mangrovimonas spongiae HN-E26T (99.4 %). Phylogenomic analysis based on the whole genomes, independently using 49 and 120 concatenated genes, showed that strains UG2_1T and UG2_2 formed a monophyletic lineage in a different cluster from other type strain species within the genus Mangrovimonas. The genome sizes were 3.08 and 3.07 Mbp for UG2_1T and UG2_2, respectively, with a G+C content of 33.8 mol% for both strains. Values of average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization between the strains and closely related species were 91.0 and 43.5 %, respectively. Chemotaxonomic analysis indicated that both strains had iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C15 : 1 G as dominant fatty acids, and the primary respiratory quinone was identified as MK-6. The major polar lipids comprised phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified glycolipid, one unidentified phospholipid, two unidentified aminolipids, and four unidentified lipids. Based on phylogenetic, phylogenomic, genome relatedness, phenotypic, and chemotaxonomical data, the two isolates represent a novel species within the genus Mangrovimonas, with the proposed name Mangrovimonas cancribranchiae sp. nov., and the type strain UG2_1T (=KCTC 102158T=DSM 117025T).

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

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped and light yellow-pigmented strain designated MBT5T was isolated from tidal flat sediment of an oyster farming area in Quanzhou Bay, PR China. Catalase activity and oxidase activity were positive. Flexirubin-type pigment was absent. Growth was observed at 10-40 °C (optimum, 35 °C), pH 6-9 (optimum, pH 7), and with 1-7 % NaCl (optimum, 2 %, w/v). The 16S rRNA gene of strain MBT5T had maximum sequence similarity values with Meridianimaribacter flavus NH57NT, Mangrovimonas yunxiaonensis LYYY01T and Mangrovimonas futianensis AS18T of 95.6, 95.4 and 94.9 %, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and 120 conserved concatenated proteins indicated that strain MBT5T was affiliated to the genus Mangrovimonas and formed a distinct monophyletic branch. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization, average nucleotide identity and average amino acid identity values between strain MBT5T and the type strains of Mangrovimonas were estimated to be 17.3-18.7 %, 70.9-71.5 % and 66.4-68.2 %, respectively. The respiratory quinone was menaquinone-6. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C15 : 1 G. The draft genome size was 2 952 053 bp with a DNA G+C content of 36.5 %. Based on phenotypic, physiological, phylogenetic and genomic data, together with chemotaxonomic characteristics, strain MBT5T represents a novel species, for which the name Mangrovimonas aestuarii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MBT5T (=MCCC 1K06186T=KCTC 92888T=GDMCC 1.3851T).

Mangrovimonas futianensis sp. nov., a novel species isolated from mangrove sediment

Three bacterial strains, designated as AS18^T, AS27 and AS39, were obtained from mangrove sediment sampled in Futian district, Shenzhen, PR China. Cells of these strains were Gram-negative rods with no flagella. They were able to grow at 10-42 °C (optimum, 37 °C), at pH 5-9 (optimum, pH 6) and in 1-11 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the new isolates were clustered within the genus Mangrovimonas, closely related to Mangrovimonas yunxiaonensis (95.1 % similarity) and Mangrovimonas spongiae (94.7 % similarity). Phylogenomic analysis based on multiple core genes revealed that the three strains were located in a different cluster from other closely related strains of the genus Mangrovimonas. Digital DNA-DNA hybridization, average nucleotide identity and average amino acid identity values calculated from genome sequences between isolates and type strains were lower than 25, 75 and 72 %, respectively. The dominant fatty acids were iso-C_15 : 0 and iso-C_15 : 1 G. The main respiratory quinone was identified as MK-6. The major polar lipids contained phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminolipids and five unidentified lipids. The results of multiphase taxonomy suggested that the three strains should be assigned to a novel species of the genus Mangrovimonas, for which the name Mangrovimonas futianensis sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain AS18^T (=GDMCC 1.2739^T=JCM 34871^T).

Saccharobesus litoralis gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel alginate-degrading bacterium isolated from the surface of intertidal algal turf

A novel rod-shaped, Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic and alginate-degrading marine bacterium, designated CCB-QB4^T, was isolated from a surface of algal turf collected from a coastal area of Penang, Malaysia. The cells showed motility by a lateral flagellum. The rod-shaped cells formed long chains end-to-end. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain CCB-QB4^T showed 94.07, 92.69, 91.52 and 90.90 % sequence similarity to Algibacillus agarilyticus RQJ05^T, Catenovulum maritimum Q1^T, Catenovulum agarivorans YM01^T and Catenovulum sediminis D2^T, respectively. Strain CCB-QB4^T formed a cluster with A. agarilyticus RQJ05^T. Strain CCB-QB4^T was catalase-negative, oxidase-positive, and degraded agar, alginate, and starch. Cell growth was observed at 15-40 °C, at pH 7.0-10.0 and in the presence of 1-6 % (w/v) NaCl and glucose. The major fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C_16 : 1 ω7c/iso-C_15 : 0 2-OH), C_16 : 0 and C_18 : 1 ω7c. The polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminolipids, two unidentified glycolipids, an unidentified phospholipid and unidentified lipid. The major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-8. The genomic DNA G+C content was 46.7 mol%. Based on the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic data, strain CCB-BQ4^T represents a novel species in a new genus, for which the name Saccharobesus litoralis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CCB-QB4^T (=JCM 33513^T=CCB-MBL 5008^T).

Coastal Structures as Beach Erosion Control and Sea Level Rise Adaptation in Malaysia: A Review

The shoreline of Malaysia is exposed to threats of coastal erosion and a rise of sea level. The National Coastal Erosion Study, 2015 reported that 15% of an 8840 km shoreline is currently eroding, where one-third of those falls under the critical and significant categories that require structural protection. The Study of Sea Level Rise in Malaysia, 2017 presented a sea-level increase of 0.67–0.74 mm on average yearly. This study reviewed selected coastal protection structures along the shoreline of Malaysia as an erosion control and sea-level rise adaptation based on coastal management strategies. Hard structures such as rock revetment and breakwater are commonly used as erosion protection systems in the “hold the line” strategy. Increased platform level of seawalls and earth bunds, considered as an “adaptation” approach, are effective in erosion protection and are adaptive to sea-level rise. Mangrove replanting is suitable as a “limited intervention” approach in minimizing the long-term impact of both threats. However, offshore breakwater, groyne, and geotextile tubes are solely for protection purposes and are not as effective for sea-level rise adaptation. As the sea level is continuously increasing, their function as coastal protection will also become less effective. In summary, this comprehensive review on coastal protection in Malaysia will benefit the related agencies on the future assessment.

Genome sequence data of Mangrovimonas sp. strain CR14 isolated from mangrove forest at Tanjung Piai National Park, Malaysia

Mangrovimonas sp. strain CR14 is a halophilic bacterium affiliated with family Flavobacteriaceae which was successfully isolated from mangrove soil samples obtained from Tanjung Piai National Park, Johor. The whole genome of strain CR14 was sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform (2 × 150 bp paired end). Herein, we report the genome sequence of Mangrovimonas sp. strain CR14 in which its assembled genome consisted 20 contigs with a total size of 3,590,195 bp, 3209 coding sequences, and an average 36.08% G + C content. Genome annotation and gene mining revealed that this bacterium demonstrated proteolytic activity which could be potentially applied in detergent industry. This whole-genome shotgun data of Mangrovimonas sp. strain CR14 has been deposited at DDBJ/ENA/GenBank under the accession JAAFZY000000000. The version described in this paper is version JAAFZY010000000.

Mangrovimonas spongiae sp. nov., a novel member of the genus Mangrovimonas isolated from marine sponge

A taxonomic study was carried out on strain HN-E26^T, which was isolated from sponge collected from Yangpu Bay, Hainan, PR China. Cells of strain HN-E26^T were Gram-stain-negative, motile by gliding, yellow-pigmented and rod-shaped. The strain could grow at 10-40 °C (optimum, 25 °C), at pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and in 0.5-12 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 4-7 %). This isolate was positive for oxidase, catalase, and the hydrolysis of starch, xylan, aesculin and gelatin, but negative for indole production and the reduction of nitrate. Strain HN-E26^T shared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Mangrovimonas yunxiaonensis LYYY01^T (95.5 %), followed by Formosa spongicola A2^T (94.4 %), Meridianimaribacter flavus NH57N^T (94.3 %) and Winogradskyella exilis 022-2-26^T (94.3 %). The phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain HN-E26^T formed a distinct phylogenetic lineage within the cluster comprising Mangrovimonas yunxiaonensis LYYY01^T and 'Mangrovimonas xylaniphaga' ST2L12^T. The dominant fatty acids were iso-C_15 : 0 and iso-C_15 : 1 G. The major polar lipids comprised phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified aminolipids and six unidentified lipids. The respiratory lipoquinone was identified as MK-6. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 33.9 mol%. Based on the phenotypic and phylogenetic data, strain HN-E26^T represents a novel species of the genus Mangrovimonas, for which the name Mangrovimonas spongiae sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain HN-E26^T (=MCCC 1K03326^T=LMG 30458^T).