Kribbella aluminosa sp. nov., isolated from a medieval alum slate mine.

Three actinomycetes (strains HKI 0478(T), HKI 0479 and HKI 0480) isolated from the surfaces of rocks in the Feengrotten medieval alum slate mine (Thuringia, Germany) were examined in a polyphasic taxonomic study. The following morphological and chemotaxonomic features supported their classification as members of the genus Kribbella: the presence of ll-diaminopimelic acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan; glucose together with minor amounts of mannose and ribose as the whole-cell sugars; polar lipids comprising phosphatidylcholine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and unknown phospho- and glycolipids; fatty acid profiles characterized by the predominance of anteiso-C(15 : 0), iso-C(16 : 0) and C(16 : 0) 9-methyl; and the presence of MK-9(H(4)) as the main menaquinone. The isolates had almost identical 16S rRNA gene sequences (99.9-100 %) and were most closely related to the type strains of Kribbella jejuensis (98.9 % sequence similarity), Kribbella swartbergensis and Kribbella solani (both 98.8 %). A wide range of genotypic and phenotypic markers as well as the low levels of DNA-DNA relatedness between strain HKI 0478(T) and the type strains of K. jejuensis (41.3 %), K. swartbergensis (18.6 %) and K. solani (14.2 %) distinguished the novel strains from their closest phylogenetic neighbours. On the basis of these results, strain HKI 0478(T) represents a novel member of the genus Kribbella, for which the name Kribbella aluminosa sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is HKI 0478(T) (=DSM 18824(T) =JCM 14599(T)).

Amycolatopsis nigrescens sp. nov., an actinomycete isolated from a Roman catacomb.

The taxonomic status of two actinomycetes isolated from the wall of a hypogean Roman catacomb was established based on a polyphasic investigation. The organisms were found to have chemical and morphological markers typical of members of the genus Amycolatopsis. They also shared a range of chemical, molecular and phenotypic markers which served to separate them from representatives of recognized Amycolatopsis species. The new isolates formed a branch in the Amycolatopsis 16S rRNA gene sequence tree with Amycolatopsis minnesotensis NRRL B-24435(T), but this association was not supported by a particularly high bootstrap value or by the product of the maximum-parsimony tree-making algorithm. The organisms were distinguished readily from closely related Amycolatopsis species based on a combination of phenotypic properties and from all Amycolatopsis strains by their characteristic menaquinone profiles, in which tetra-hydrogenated menaquinones with 11 isoprene units predominated. The combined genotypic and phenotypic data indicate that the isolates merit recognition as representing a novel species of the genus Amycolatopsis. The name proposed for this novel species is Amycolatopsis nigrescens sp. nov., with type strain CSC17Ta-90(T) (=HKI 0330(T)=DSM 44992(T)=NRRL B-24473(T)).

Amycolatopsis saalfeldensis sp. nov., a novel actinomycete isolated from a medieval alum slate mine.

Three actinomycetes isolated from the surfaces of rocks in a medieval slate mine were examined in a polyphasic taxonomic study. Chemotaxonomic and morphological characteristics of the isolates were typical of strains of the genus Amycolatopsis. The isolates had identical 16S rRNA gene sequences and formed a distinct phyletic line towards the periphery of the Amycolatopsis mediterranei clade, being most closely related to Amycolatopsis rifamycinica. The organisms shared a wide range of genotypic and phenotypic markers that distinguished them from their closest phylogenetic neighbours. On the basis of these results, a novel species, Amycolatopsis saalfeldensis sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is HKI 0457(T) (=DSM 44993(T)=NRRL B-24474(T)).

Myceligenerans crystallogenes sp. nov., isolated from Roman catacombs.

Three xylan-degrading actinobacterial strains were isolated from different sampling sites in the Roman catacombs of Domitilla and San Callisto. The organisms showed morphological and chemotaxonomic properties such as peptidoglycan type A4alpha, L-lys-L-thr-D-Glu; whole-cell sugars (glucose, mannose and galactose); octa-, hexa- and tetrahydrogenated menaquinones with nine isoprene units; phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol as the major phospholipids; anteiso-C(15 : 0), iso-C(15 : 0) and iso-C(16 : 0) as the predominant fatty acids; and a DNA G+C content of 72 mol%. These features are consistent with affiliation of these isolates to the genus Myceligenerans. The three isolates shared a 16S rRNA gene similarity of 99.9 % and were most closely related to Myceligenerans xiligouense DSM 15700T (97.9 % sequence similarity). The low level of DNA-DNA relatedness (about 14 %) and the differences in phenotypic characteristics between the novel strains and M. xiligouense DSM 15700T justify the proposal of a novel species of the genus Myceligenerans, Myceligenerans crystallogenes sp. nov., with CD12E2-27T (= HKI 0369T = DSM 17134T = NCIMB 14061T = VTT E-032285T) as the type strain.

Isoptericola hypogeus sp. nov., isolated from the Roman catacomb of Domitilla.

In order to clarify the taxonomic position of an actinobacterium from the Roman catacomb of Domitilla, a combination of phenotypic characterization, phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence and DNA-DNA relatedness studies was used. The results from the polyphasic taxonomic study of this organism showed that strain HKI 0342(T) (=DSM 16849(T)=NCIMB 14033(T)) should be considered as the type strain of a novel species of the genus Isoptericola, for which the name Isoptericola hypogeus sp. nov. is proposed.

Five novel Kitasatospora species from soil: Kitasatospora arboriphila sp. nov., K. gansuensis sp. nov., K. nipponensis sp. nov., K. paranensis sp. nov. and K. terrestris sp. nov.

A polyphasic study was carried out to establish the taxonomic positions of six strains isolated from diverse soil samples and provisionally assigned to the genus Kitasatospora. The isolates were found to have chemical and morphological properties consistent with their classification as Kitasatospora strains. Direct 16S rRNA gene sequence data confirmed the taxonomic position of the strains following the generation of phylogenetic trees by using three tree-making algorithms. Five of the isolates were considered to merit species status using complementary genotypic and phenotypic data. These organisms were designated Kitasatospora arboriphila sp. nov. (HKI 0189(T)=2291-120(T)=DSM 44785(T)=NCIMB 13973(T)), Kitasatospora gansuensis sp. nov. (HKI 0314(T)=2050-015(T)=DSM 44786(T)=NCIMB 13974(T)), Kitasatospora nipponensis sp. nov. (HKI 0315(T)=2148-013(T)=DSM 44787(T)=NCIMB 13975(T)), Kitasatospora paranensis sp. nov. (HKI 0190(T)=2292-041(T)=DSM 44788(T)=NCIMB 13976(T)) and Kitasatospora terrestris sp. nov. (HKI 0186(T)=2293-012(T)=DSM 44789(T)=NCIMB 13977(T)). The remaining organism, isolate HKI 0316 (=2122-022=DSM 44790=NCIMB 13978), was considered to be a strain of Kitasatospora kifunensis on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence, DNA-DNA relatedness and phenotypic data.

Knoellia sinensis gen. nov., sp. nov. and Knoellia subterranea sp. nov., two novel actinobacteria isolated from a cave.

Two novel strains of the class Actinobacteria were isolated from a cave in China. Cells of both strains were gram-positive, non-motile, non-spore-forming and not acid-fast and exhibited a rod/coccus growth cycle. Both isolates grew well on complex organic media under aerobic conditions. Their cell wall peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as diagnostic diamino acid. The acyl type of the glycan chain of peptidoglycan was acetyl. The major respiratory quinone was MK-8(H4). The cellular fatty acid profile was characterized by the predominance of 13-methyltetradecanoic (i-C15:0), 15-methylhexadecanoic (i-C17:0), 14-methylpentadecanoic (i-C16:0) and 14-methylhexadecanoic (ai-C17:0) acids. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and diphosphatidylglycerol. Mycolic acids were absent. The DNA G+C composition was 68-69 mol%. 16S rDNA-based phylogenetic analysis revealed an intermediate phylogenetic position of the cave isolates between the genera Janibacter and Tetrasphaera, which did not permit their unambiguous affiliation to either genus. Differences in morphological, physiological and chemotaxonomic properties between the two isolates and their closest phylogenetic neighbours support the proposal of a new genus and two novel species, Knoellia sinensis gen. nov., sp. nov. and Knoellia subterranea sp. nov. The type and only strains of the species are respectively HKI 0119T (= DSM 12331T = CIP 106775T) and HKI 0120T (= DSM 12332T = CIP 106776T).

Kitasatospora putterlickiae sp. nov., isolated from rhizosphere soil, transfer of Streptomyces kifunensis to the genus Kitasatospora as Kitasatospora kifunensis comb. nov., and emended description of Streptomyces aureofaciens Duggar 1948.

A polyphasic study was undertaken to establish the taxonomic position of a rhizosphere isolate that had been assigned provisionally to the genus Kitasatospora. The organism, isolate F18-98(T), was found to have chemical and morphological properties that were consistent with its classification as a Kitasatospora strain. Direct 16S rDNA sequence data confirmed the taxonomic position of the strain, following the generation of phylogenetic trees by using three treeing algorithms. The organism formed a 16S rDNA subclade with Kitasatospora azatica and Streptomyces kifunensis, but was distinguished readily from the latter by using a combination of biochemical and physiological properties. Genotypic and phenotypic data show that strain F18-98(T) should be classified in the genus Kitasatospora as a novel species, for which the name Kitasatospora putterlickiae sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain has been deposited in culture collections as strain F18-98(T) (=DSM 44665(T)=NCIMB 13932(T)). It is also proposed that Streptomyces kifunensis should be transferred to the genus Kitasatospora as Kitasatospora kifunensis comb. nov. An emended description of Streptomyces aureofaciens Duggar 1948 is also given.