Reclassification of Mzabimyces algeriensis Saker et al. 2015 as Halopolyspora algeriensis comb. nov

Taxonomic note on the family Pseudonocardiaceae based on phylogenomic analysis and descriptions of Allosaccharopolyspora gen. nov. and Halosaccharopolyspora gen. nov

The taxonomic positions of members within the family Pseudonocardiaceae were assessed based on phylogenomic trees reconstructed using core-proteome and genome blast distance phylogeny approaches. The closely clustered genome sequences from the type strains of validly published names within the family Pseudonocardiaceae were analysed using overall genome-related indices based on average nucleotide identity, average amino acid identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values. The family Pseudonocardiaceae consists of the type genus Pseudonocardia, as well as the genera Actinoalloteichus, Actinocrispum, Actinokineospora, Actinomycetospora, Actinophytocola, Actinopolyspora, Actinorectispora, Actinosynnema, Allokutzneria, Allosaccharopolyspora gen. nov., Amycolatopsis, Bounagaea, Crossiella, Gandjariella, Goodfellowiella, Haloactinomyces, Haloechinothrix, Halopolyspora, Halosaccharopolyspora gen. nov., Herbihabitans, Kibdelosporangium, Kutzneria, Labedaea, Lentzea, Longimycelium, Prauserella, Saccharomonospora, Saccharopolyspora, Saccharothrix, Salinifilum, Sciscionella, Streptoalloteichus, Tamaricihabitans, Thermocrispum, Thermotunica and Umezawaea. The G+C contents of the Pseudonocardiaceae genomes ranged from 66.2 to 74.6 mol% and genome sizes ranged from 3.69 to 12.28 Mbp. Based on the results of phylogenomic analysis, the names Allosaccharopolyspora coralli comb. nov., Halosaccharopolyspora lacisalsi comb. nov. and Actinoalloteichus caeruleus comb. nov. are proposed. This study revealed that Actinokineospora mzabensis is a heterotypic synonym of Actinokineospora spheciospongiae, Lentzea deserti is a heterotypic synonym of Lentzea atacamensis, Prauserella endophytica is a heterotypic synonym of Prauserella coralliicola, and Prauserella flava and Prauserella sediminis are heterotypic synonyms of Prauserella salsuginis. This study addresses the nomenclature conundrums of Actinoalloteichus cyanogriseus and Streptomyces caeruleus as well as Micropolyspora internatus and Saccharomonospora viridis.

Actinobacteria Derived from Algerian Ecosystems as a Prominent Source of Antimicrobial Molecules

Actinobacteria, in particular "rare actinobacteria" isolated from extreme ecosystems, remain the most inexhaustible source of novel antimicrobials, offering a chance to discover new bioactive metabolites. This is the first overview on actinobacteria isolated in Algeria since 2002 to date with the aim to present their potential in producing bioactive secondary metabolites. Twenty-nine new species and one novel genus have been isolated, mainly from the Saharan soil and palm groves, where 37.93% of the most abundant genera belong to Saccharothrix and Actinopolyspora. Several of these strains were found to produce antibiotics and antifungal metabolites, including 17 new molecules among the 50 structures reported, and some of these antibacterial metabolites have shown interesting antitumor activities. A series of approaches used to enhance the production of bioactive compounds is also presented as the manipulation of culture media by both classical methods and modeling designs through statistical strategies and the associations with diverse organisms and strains. Focusing on the Algerian natural sources of antimicrobial metabolites, this work is a representative example of the potential of a closely combined study on biology and chemistry of natural products.

Genome-Based Taxonomic Classification of the Phylum Actinobacteria

The application of phylogenetic taxonomic procedures led to improvements in the classification of bacteria assigned to the phylum Actinobacteria but even so there remains a need to further clarify relationships within a taxon that encompasses organisms of agricultural, biotechnological, clinical, and ecological importance. Classification of the morphologically diverse bacteria belonging to this large phylum based on a limited number of features has proved to be difficult, not least when taxonomic decisions rested heavily on interpretation of poorly resolved 16S rRNA gene trees. Here, draft genome sequences of a large collection of actinobacterial type strains were used to infer phylogenetic trees from genome-scale data using principles drawn from phylogenetic systematics. The majority of taxa were found to be monophyletic but several orders, families, and genera, as well as many species and a few subspecies were shown to be in need of revision leading to proposals for the recognition of 2 orders, 10 families, and 17 genera, as well as the transfer of over 100 species to other genera. In addition, emended descriptions are given for many species mainly involving the addition of data on genome size and DNA G+C content, the former can be considered to be a valuable taxonomic marker in actinobacterial systematics. Many of the incongruities detected when the results of the present study were compared with existing classifications had been recognized from 16S rRNA gene trees though whole-genome phylogenies proved to be much better resolved. The few significant incongruities found between 16S/23S rRNA and whole genome trees underline the pitfalls inherent in phylogenies based upon single gene sequences. Similarly good congruence was found between the discontinuous distribution of phenotypic properties and taxa delineated in the phylogenetic trees though diverse non-monophyletic taxa appeared to be based on the use of plesiomorphic character states as diagnostic features.