Flavobacterium okayamense sp. nov. isolated from surface seawater

Strain KK2020170T, a Gram-stain negative, yellow colony-forming bacterium, was isolated from surface seawater sampled in Kojima Bay, Okayama, Japan. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene revealed that strain KK2020170T belongs to the genus Flavobacterium, with Flavobacterium haoranii LQY-7T (98.1% similarity) being its closest relative, followed by Flavobacterium sediminis MEBiC07310T (96.9%) and Flavobacterium urocaniciphilum YIT 12746T (96.0%). Whole-genome shotgun sequencing showed that strain KK2020170T, when paralleled with F. haoranii LQY-7 T, had 81.3% average nucleotide identity, and 24.6% in silico DNA-DNA hybridization values, respectively. The DNA G + C content of strain KK2020170T was 31.1 mol%. The most abundant fatty acids (> 10%) of strain KK2020170T were iso-C15: 0, iso-C17: 0 3-OH and iso-C15: 1 G. The dominant respiratory quinone of the strain was menaquinone MK-6. Based on the phylogenetic and phenotypic analysis results, we propose that strain KK2020170T represents a novel species, for which the name Flavobacterium okayamense sp. nov. has been proposed. The type strain is KK2020170T (= ATCC TSD-280 T = NBRC 115344 T).

Comparative genome characterization of Echinicola marina sp. nov., isolated from deep-sea sediment provide insight into carotenoid biosynthetic gene cluster evolution

Echinicola, carotenoid-pigmented bacteria, are isolated from various hypersaline environments. Carotenoid accumulation in response to salt stress can stabilize the cell membrane in order to survive. A pink-colored strain SCS 3-6 was isolated from the deep-sea sediment of the South China Sea. Growth was found to occur at 10-45 °C. The strain could tolerate 10% (w/v) NaCl concentration and grow at pH 5-9. The complete genome of SCS 3-6 comprises 5053 putative genes with a total 5,693,670 bp and an average G + C content of 40.11 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain SCS 3-6 was affiliated with the genus Echinicola, with the closely strains were Echinicola arenosa CAU 1574^T (98.29%)and Echinicola shivajiensis AK12^T (97.98%). For Echinicola species with available genome sequences, pairwise comparisons for average nucleotide identity (ANI) and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) revealed ANIb values from 70.77 to 74.71%, ANIm values from 82.72 to 88.88%, and DDH values from 18.00 to 23.40%. To identify their genomic features, we compared their genomes with those of other Echinicola species. Phylogenetic analysis showed that strain SCS 3-6 formed a monophyletic clade. Genomic analysis revealed that strain SCS 3-6 possessed a complete synthetic pathway of carotenoid and speculated that the production was astaxanthin. Based on phenotypic and genotypic analyses in this study, strain SCS 3-6 is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Echinicola for which the name Echinicola marina sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SCS 3-6^T (= GDMCC 1.2220^T = JCM 34403^T).

Echinicola arenosa sp. nov., isolated from marine sand

A novel bacterium, designated CAU 1574^T, was isolated from marine sand. Cells were Gram stain negative, aerobic, gliding and rod shaped. Growth was observed at 20-37 °C (optimum, 30 °C), a pH of 5.5-10.0 (optimum, 8.0), and 0-3.0% (w/v) NaCl concentrations (optimum, 1%). Based on the results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses, strain CAU 1574^T belonged to the genus Echinicola, and showed the highest similarity to Echinicola shivajiensis JCM 17847^T (97.5%). Phylogenomic analysis based on consisting of 92 core genes extracted from the genome sequences showed that strain CAU 1574^T was affiliated with species in the genus Echinicola. The average nucleotide identity (ANI), average amino acid identity (AAI), and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between strain CAU 1574^T and the closely related species were below the cut-off values of 95-96, 90, and 70%, respectively used for species demarcation. The chemotaxonomic data of CAU 1574^T were as follows: major isoprenoid quinone, MK-7; predominant polar lipids, phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminophospholipids and two unidentified lipids; major fatty acids, iso-C_15:0, summed feature 3 (C_16:1 ω6c/C_16:1 ω7c). The 5.4 Mb genome included 20 contigs and 4237 protein-coding genes with a 39.8 mol% G + C content. Based on the phylogenetic, phenotypic, and physiological result, strain CAU 1574^T represents a novel species of this genus Echinicola, for which the name Echinicola arenosa sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CAU 1574^T (= KCTC 82410^T = MCCC 1K05669^T).

Echinicola salinicaeni sp. nov., a novel bacterium isolated from saltern mud

A novel gram-negative, aerobic, pink, motile, gliding, rod-shaped bacterium, designated P51^T, was isolated from saline silt samples in Yantai, China. It was able to grow at 4-42 °C (optimum 33 °C), pH 4.0-9.0 (optimum 7.0), and in 0-11.0% NaCl (optimum 4.0%, w/v). It grew at 4 °C, which was lower than the minimum temperature for related strains. The genome consisted of 4111 genes with a total length of 5 139 782 bp. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain P51^T was a member of the genus Echinicola and most closely related to 'Echinicola shivajiensis'. A genome analysis identified genes encoding proteins associated with carbon source utilisation, and the carotenoid biosynthesis and β-lactam resistance pathways. Strain P51^T shared an average nucleotide identity value below 84.7%, an average amino acid identity value between 70.8 and 89.3%, and a digital DNA-DNA hybridisation identity of between 17.9-28.2% with closely related type strains within the genus Echinicola. The sole menaquinone was MK-7, and the major fatty acids were iso-C_15:0, summed feature 3 (C_16:1ω7c and/or C_16:1ω6c), summed feature 4 (anteiso-C_17:1 B and/or iso-C_17:1 I), and summed feature 9 (iso-C_17:1ω9c and/or 10-methyl C_16:0). The polar lipids included one phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminophospholipid, one unidentified phospholipid, three unidentified aminolipids, and one unknown lipid. The phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and phylogenetic analyses suggest that strain P51^T is a novel species of the genus Echinicola, for which the name Echinicola salinicaeni sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain was P51^T (KCTC 82513^T = MCCC 1K04413^T).

Echinicola soli sp. nov., isolated from alkaline saline soil

Strains of Echinicola , thought to play vital roles in the environment for their high enzyme production capacity during decomposition of polysaccharides, are ubiquitous in hypersaline environments. A Gram-negative, non-spore forming, gliding, aerobic bacterial strain, designated LN3S3T, was isolated from alkaline saline soil sampled in Tumd Right Banner, Inner Mongolia, northern PR China. Strain LN3S3T grew at 10–40 °C (optimum, 30 °C), pH 5.0–9.0 (optimum, pH 8.0) and with 0–12.5 % NaCl (optimum, 2.0 %). A phylogenetic tree based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain LN3S3T clustered with Echinicola rosea JL3085T and Echinicola strongylocentroti MEBiC08714T, sharing 97.0, 96.7 and <96.50 % of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to E. rosea JL3085T, E. strongylocentroti MEBiC08714T and all other type strains. MK-7 was the major respiratory quinone, while phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified phospholipids, an unidentified aminophospholipid, an unidentified lipid and two unidentified aminolipids were the major polar lipids. Its major cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0 and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1  ω7c and/or C16 : 1  ω6c). The genome consisted of a circular 5 550 304 bp long chromosome with a DNA G+C content of 44.0 mol%. The average nucleotide identity (ANI), average amino acid identity (AAI) and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values of strain LN3S3T to E. rosea JL3085T and E. strongylocentroti MEBiC08714T were 82.5 and 81.5 %, 87.5 and 86.0 %, and 39.1 and 35.1 %, respectively. Based on physiological, genotypic and phylogenetic analyses, strain LN3S3T could be discriminated from its phylogenetic relatives. Echinicola soli sp. nov. is therefore proposed with strain LN3S3T (=CGMCC 1.17081T=KCTC 72458T) as the type strain.

Complete genome sequence of Echinicola rosea JL3085, a xylan and pectin decomposer

Marine Bacteroidetes are well known for their functional specialization on the decomposition of polysaccharides which results from a great number of carbohydrate-active enzymes. Here we represent the complete genome of a Bacteroitedes member Echinicola rosea JL3085^T that was isolated from surface seawater of the South China Sea. The genome is 6.06 Mbp in size with a GC content of 44.1% and comprises 4613 protein coding genes. A remarkable genomic feature is that the number of glycoside hydrolase genes in the genome of E. rosea JL3085^T is high in comparison with most of the sequenced members of marine Bacteroitedes. E. rosea JL3085^T genome harbored multi-gene polysaccharide utilization loci (PUL) systems involved in the degradation of pectin, xylan and arabinogalactan. The large diversity of hydrolytic enzymes supports the use of E. rosea JL3085^T as a candidate for biotechnological applications in enzymatic conversion of plant polysaccharides.

Flavobacterium sediminis sp. nov., a starch-degrading bacterium isolated from tidal flat sediment

A yellow-pigmented bacterium with the ability to degrade starch, designated MEBiC07310^T, was isolated from tidal flat sediment collected in Taean County, Republic of Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain MEBiC07310^T was affiliated with the genus Flavobacterium in the phylum Bacteroidetes and showed that the strain was most closely related to Flavobacterium haoranii LQY-7^T (96.8 % similarity), followed by Flavobacterium indicum GPTSA 100-9^T (95.2 %) and Flavobacterium urocaniciphilum YIT 12746^T (94.6 %). Genome-based analysis of the average nucleotide identity (ANI) and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) of strain MEBiC07310^T compared with F. haoranii LQY-7^T and F. indicum GPTSA 100-9^T yielded ANI values of 77.0 and 73.3 % and DDH values of 18.0±2.7 and 16.1±3.6 %, respectively. The DNA G+C content of strain MEBiC07310^T was 35.2 mol%. Cells of the strain were aerobic, Gram-stain-negative and rod-shaped, and negative for flexirubin-type pigments. Growth was observed at 17-43 °C (optimum 32 °C), at pH 5.0-8.0 (optimum pH 7.0) and with 0-3 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 1 %). The major fatty acids (>10 %) of strain MEBiC07310^T were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, summed feature 1 (iso-C15 : 1 H and/or C13 : 0 3-OH) and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω6c and/or C16 : 1ω7c). The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone MK-6. Based on its phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, strain MEBiC07310^T should be classified as representing a novel species of the genus Flavobacterium, for which the name Flavobacterium sediminis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MEBiC07310^T (=KCTC 62132^T=JCM 32291^T).