LAMMER Kinase Lkh1 Is an Upstream Regulator of Prk1-Mediated Non-Sexual Flocculation in Fission Yeast.

The cation-dependent galactose-specific flocculation activity of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe null mutant of lkh1 +, the gene encoding LAMMER kinase homolog, has previously been reported by our group. Here, we show that disruption of prk1 +, another flocculation associated regulatory kinase encoding gene, also resulted in cation-dependent galactose-specific flocculation. Deletion of prk1 increased the flocculation phenotype of the lkh1 + null mutant and its overexpression reversed the flocculation of cells caused by lkh1 deletion. Transcript levels of prk1 + were also decreased by lkh1 + deletion. Cumulatively, these results indicate that Lkh1 is one of the negative regulators acting upstream of Prk1, regulating non-sexual flocculation in fission yeast.

Taxonomic hierarchy of the phylum Firmicutes and novel Firmicutes species originated from various environments in Korea.

This study assessed the taxonomic hierarchy of the phylum Firmicutes as well as elucidated the isolation and classification states of novel Firmicutes species isolated from Korean territory. The hierarchical classification system of the phylum Firmicutes has been developed since 1872 when the genus Bacillus was first reported and has been generally adopted since 2001. However, this taxonomic hierarchy is still being modified. Until Feb. 2017, the phylum Firmicutes consisted of seven classes (Bacilli, Clostridia, Erysipelotrichia, Limnochordia, Negativicutes, Thermolithobacteria, and Tissierellia), 13 orders, 45 families, and 421 genera. Firmicutes species isolated from various environments in Korea have been reported from 2000, and 187 species have been approved as of Feb. 2017. All Firmicutes species were affiliated with three classes (Bacilli, Clostridia, and Erysipelotrichia), four orders (Bacillales, Lactobacillales, Clostridiales, and Erysipelotrichales), 17 families, and 54 genera. A total of 173 species belong to the class Bacilli, of which 151 species were affiliated with the order Bacillales and the remaining 22 species with the order Lactobacillales. Twelve species belonging to the class Clostridia were affiliated within only one order, Clostridiales. The most abundant family was Bacillaceae (67 species), followed by the family Paenibacillaceae (56 species). Thirteen novel genera were created using isolates from the Korean environment. A number of Firmicutes species were isolated from natural environments in Korean territory. In addition, a considerable number of species were isolated from artificial resources such as fermented foods. Most Firmicutes species, belonging to the families Bacillaceae, Planococcaceae, and Staphylococcaceae, isolated from Korean fermented foods and solar salterns were halophilic or halotolerant. Firmicutes species were isolated from the whole territory of Korea, especially large numbers from Provinces Gyeonggi, Chungnam, and Daejeon.

Lacinutrix chionocetis sp. nov., isolated from gut of a red snow crab.

A Gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated MAB-07T, was isolated from the gut of a red snow crab. The novel strain grew optimally at 20 °C, pH 7.0-8.0, and in the presence of 3% (w/v) NaCl. A phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the strain MAB-07T belongs to the type strains of species of the genus Lacinutrix. Strain MAB-07T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 95.5-97.8% with the type strains of species of the genus Lacinutrix. The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain MAB-07T were iso-C15:1 G (27.5%) and iso-C15:0 (21.7%). The major respiratory quinine was identified as MK-6. The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, four unidentified aminolipids, and two unidentified lipids. The genomic DNA G + C content was determined to be 33.3%, and its DNA-DNA relatedness values with the type strains of L. venerupis, L. mariniflava, L. jangbogonensis, L. algicola, and Olleya aquimaris were 28-32%. Based on the data from this polyphasic taxonomic study, strain MAB-07T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Lacinutrix, for which the name L. chionocetis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MAB-07T (=KCTC 42767T = JCM 30988T).

Korean indigenous bacterial species with valid names belonging to the phylum Actinobacteria.

To understand the isolation and classification state of actinobacterial species with valid names for Korean indigenous isolates, isolation source, regional origin, and taxonomic affiliation of the isolates were studied. At the time of this writing, the phylum Actinobacteria consisted of only one class, Actinobacteria, including five subclasses, 10 orders, 56 families, and 330 genera. Moreover, new taxa of this phylum continue to be discovered. Korean actinobacterial species with a valid name has been reported from 1995 as Tsukamurella inchonensis isolated from a clinical specimen. In 1997, Streptomyces seoulensis was validated with the isolate from the natural Korean environment. Until Feb. 2016, 256 actinobacterial species with valid names originated from Korean territory were listed on LPSN. The species were affiliated with three subclasses (Acidimicrobidae, Actinobacteridae, and Rubrobacteridae), four orders (Acidimicrobiales, Actinomycetales, Bifidobacteriales, and Solirubrobacterales), 12 suborders, 36 families, and 93 genera. Most of the species belonged to the subclass Actinobacteridae, and almost of the members of this subclass were affiliated with the order Actinomycetales. A number of novel isolates belonged to the families Nocardioidaceae, Microbacteriaceae, Intrasporangiaceae, and Streptomycetaceae as well as the genera Nocardioides, Streptomyces, and Microbacterium. Twenty-six novel genera and one novel family, Motilibacteraceae, were created first with Korean indigenous isolates. Most of the Korean indigenous actionobacterial species were isolated from natural environments such as soil, seawater, tidal flat sediment, and fresh-water. A considerable number of species were isolated from artificial resources such as fermented foods, wastewater, compost, biofilm, and water-cooling systems or clinical specimens. Korean indigenous actinobacterial species were isolated from whole territory of Korea, and especially a large number of species were from Jeju, Gyeonggi, Jeonnam, Daejeon, and Chungnam. A large number of novel actinobacterial species continue to be discovered since the Korean government is encouraging the search for new bacterial species and researchers are endeavoring to find out novel strains from extreme or untapped environments.

Complete genome of Streptomyces hygroscopicus subsp. limoneus KCTC 1717 (=KCCM 11405), a soil bacterium producing validamycin and diverse secondary metabolites.

Streptomyces hygroscopicus subsp. limoneus is a Gram-positive, aerobic, aerial mycelial, spore-forming bacterium that was first isolated from a soil sample in Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. We here report the complete genome of S. hygroscopicus subsp. limoneus KCTC 1717 (=KCCM 11405=IFO 12704=ATCC 21432), which consists of 10,537,932 bp (G+C content of 71.96%) with two linear chromosomes, 8983 protein-coding genes, 67 tRNAs and 6 rRNA operons. Genes related to biosynthesis of validamycin, valienamine and diverse secondary metabolites were detected in this genome. Genomic data is thus expected to considerably improve our understanding of how industrially important aminocyclitols are biosynthesized by microbial cells.

Jejuia marina nov., isolated from gravel adjacent to Geommeolle beach on Udo Island, South Korea.

A bacterial strain, JH03(T), was isolated from gravel adjacent to Geommeolle beach on Udo Island, South Korea. The cells were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile and rod shaped. The ranges of temperature, pH and NaCl concentration for growth of the bacterium were 10-45 °C, pH 6.0-9.5 and 0.5-5.0 % (w/v), respectively. The major fatty acids of the bacterium were iso-C(15:0) (15.4 %), iso-C(15:1) G (14.1 %), iso-C(16:0) 3-OH (14.1 %), iso-C(17:0) 3-OH (11.5 %) and anteiso-C(15:0) (11.3 %). The major isoprenoid quinone was MK-6. The polar lipids included phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified amino lipids and three unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content was 34.2 mol%. The phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain JH03(T) was most closely related to Jejuia pallidilutea EM39(T) (96.5 % sequence similarity). Based on the polyphasic analysis, strain JH03(T) is a novel species of the genus Jejuia, for which the name Jejuia marina sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JH03(T) (= KCTC 42342(T) = JCM 30601(T)).

Hyunsoonleella udoensis sp. nov., isolated from a gravel sample from a beach of Udo island, Korea.

A Gram-stain negative, non-motile, rod-shaped and aerobic bacterial strain, designated JG48(T), was isolated from a gravel sample taken from a beach adjacent to Udo island, South Korea. Strain JG48(T) was found to grow optimally at 25 °C, at pH 7.0-8.0 and in the presence of 2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain JG48(T) exhibited sequence similarities of 96.67 % to Hyunsoonleella jejuensis CNU004(T). The major fatty acids present in the strain JG48(T) were identified as iso-C15:0, iso-C15:1 G, iso-C17:0 3-OH and iso-C15:0 3-OH. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was identified as MK-6. The polar lipids profile of strain JG48(T) was found to consist of phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified amino lipids and four unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content of strain JG48(T) was determined to be 34 mol%. Based on the morphological and physiological properties, and the results of phylogenetic analyses, the strain is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Hyunsoonleella, for which the name Hyunsoonleella udoensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JG48(T) (=KCTC 42341(T)=JCM 30600(T)).

Biocatalytic properties and substrate-binding ability of a modular GH10 ß-1,4-xylanase from an insect-symbiotic bacterium, Streptomyces mexicanus HY-14.

The gene (1350-bp) encoding a modular ß-1,4-xylanase (XylU), which consists of an N-terminal catalytic GH10 domain and a C-terminal carbohydrate-binding module 2 (CBM 2), from Streptomyces mexicanus HY-14 was cloned and functionally characterized. The purified His-tagged recombinant enzyme (rXylU, 44.0 kDa) was capable of efficiently hydrolyze diverse xylosidic compounds, p-nitrophenyl-cellobioside, and p-nitrophenyl-xylopyranoside when incubated at pH 5.5 and 65°C. Especially, the specific activities (649.8 U/mg and 587.0 U/mg, respectively) of rXylU toward oat spelts xylan and beechwood xylan were relatively higher than those (<500.0 U/mg) of many other GH10 homologs toward the same substrates. The results of enzymatic degradation of birchwood xylan and xylooligosaccharides (xylotriose to xylohexaose) revealed that rXylU preferentially hydrolyzed the substrates to xylobiose (>75%) as the primary degradation product. Moreover, a small amount (4%<) of xylose was detected as the degradation product of the evaluated xylosidic substrates, indicating that rXylU was a peculiar GH10 ß-1,4-xylanase with substrate specificity, which was different from its retaining homologs. A significant reduction of the binding ability of rXylU caused by deletion of the C-terminal CBM 2 to various insoluble substrates strongly suggested that the additional domain might considerably contribute to the enzyme-substrate interaction.

Antarctobacter jejuensis sp. nov., isolated from seawater in Jeju, Korea.

A novel bacterium, designated strain 13-2-B6(T), was isolated from seawater adjacent to Songak Mountain on Jeju Island, South Korea. The novel strain was observed to be Gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped and motile with a single polar flagellum. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strain 13-2-B6(T) was determined to be phylogenetically closely related to the type strain of Antarctobacter heliothermus, currently the sole species of the genus Antarctobacter (family Rhodobacteraceae). Sequence similarity between the 16S rRNA genes of strain 13-2-B6(T) and A. heliothermus EL-219(T) is 96.9 %. Strain 13-2-B6(T) was found to grow optimally at 25-30 °C, pH 7.0-8.0 and 3 % (w/v) NaCl. The predominant isoprenoid quinone in strain 13-2-B6(T) was identified as ubiquinone Q-10 and the major fatty acids were identified as C18:1 ω7c and/or C18:1 ω6c. Phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, two unknown aminolipids, two unknown phospholipids, an unknown glycolipid and an unknown lipid were found to be components of the polar lipid profile. The G + C content of strain 13-2-B6(T) was determined to be 62 mol %. On the basis of its phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain 13-2-B6(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Antarctobacter, for which the name Antarctobacter jejuensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 13-2-B6(T) (=KCTC 42009(T) =JCM 19898(T)).

Novel alkali-tolerant GH10 endo-ß-1,4-xylanase with broad substrate specificity from Microbacterium trichothecenolyticum HY-17, a gut bacterium of the mole cricket Gryllotalpa orientalis.

The XylH gene (1,167-bp) encoding a novel hemicellulase (41,584 Da) was identified from the genome of Microbacterium trichothecenolyticum HY-17, a gastrointestinal bacterium of Gryllotalpa orientalis. The enzyme consisted of a single catalytic domain, which is 74% identical to that of an endo-ß-1,4-xylanase (GH10) from Isoptericola variabilis 225. Unlike other endo-ß- 1,4-xylanases from invertebrate-symbiotic bacteria, rXylH was an alkali-tolerant multifunctional enzyme possessing endo-ß-1,4-xylanase activity together with ß-1,3/ß-1,4- glucanase activity, which exhibited its highest xylanolytic activity at pH 9.0 and 60°C, and was relatively stable within a broad pH range of 5.0-10.0. The susceptibilities of different xylosebased polysaccharides to the XylH were assessed to be as follows: oat spelts xylan > beechwood xylan > birchwood xylan > wheat arabinoxylan. rXylH was also able to readily cleave p-nitrophenyl (pNP) cellobioside and pNP-xylopyranoside, but did not hydrolyze other pNP-sugar derivatives, xylobiose, or hexose-based materials. Enzymatic hydrolysis of birchwood xylan resulted in the product composition of xylobiose (71.2%) and xylotriose (28.8%) as end products.

Boseongicola aestuarii gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from a tidal flat sediment.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile and pleomorphic (coccoid, ovoid or rod-shaped) bacterial strain, BS-W15(T), isolated from a tidal flat sediment at Boseong in South Korea, was characterized taxonomically. Strain BS-W15(T) grew optimally at 25 °C, at pH 7.0-8.0 and in the presence of approximately 2.0% (w/v) NaCl. Neighbour-joining and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic trees, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, revealed that strain BS-W15(T) joined the cluster comprising the type strains of Profundibacterium mesophilum, Hwanghaeicola aestuarii, M. pelagius and M. salinus, showing 93.5-96.4% sequence similarities. Strain BS-W15(T) contained Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone and C(18 : 1)ω7c as the predominant fatty acid. The polar lipid profile of strain BS-W15(T) contained phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol as major components, differentiating it from those of the type strains of P. mesophilum, H. aestuarii, M. pelagius and M. salinus. The DNA G+C content of strain BS-W15(T) was 58.7 mol%. The differential phenotypic properties, together with the phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic data, demonstrate that strain BS-W15(T) is distinct from type strains of P. mesophilum, H. aestuarii, M. pelagius and M. salinus. On the basis of the data presented, strain BS-W15(T) is considered to represent a novel genus and species, for which the name Boseongicola aestuarii gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BS-W15(T) ( = KCTC 32576(T) = CECT 8489(T)).

Description of Lutimonas halocynthiae sp. nov., isolated from a golden sea squirt (Halocynthia aurantium), reclassification of Aestuariicola saemankumensis as Lutimonas saemankumensis comb. nov. and emended description of the genus Lutimonas.

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, coccoid, ovoid or rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated RSS3-C1(T), was isolated from a golden sea squirt (Halocynthia aurantium) collected from the East Sea, South Korea. Strain RSS3-C1(T) was found to grow optimally at 20-25 °C, at pH 7.0-8.0 and in the presence of 2.0% (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain RSS3-C1(T) clustered with the type strains of Lutimonas vermicola and Aestuariicola saemankumensis. Strain RSS3-C1(T) exhibited 98.8% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to each type strain. Strain RSS3-C1(T) contained MK-6 as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C(15 : 0), iso-C(17 : 0) 3-OH and anteiso-C(15 : 0) as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids of strain RSS3-C1(T) were phosphatidylethanolamine and two unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content of strain RSS3-C1(T) was 39.2 mol%, and DNA-DNA relatedness to the type strains of and was 21±5.3 and 26±7.5 %, respectively. The differential phenotypic properties, together with its phylogenetic and genetic distinctiveness, revealed that strain RSS3-C1(T) is separated from and . On the basis of the data presented, strain RSS3-C1(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Lutimonas, for which the name Lutimonas halocynthiae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is RSS3-C1(T) ( = KCTC 32537(T) = CECT 8444(T)). In this study, it is also proposed that Aestuariicola saemankumensis should be reclassified as a member of the genus Lutimonas, as Lutimonas saemankumensis comb. nov. (type strain SMK-142(T) = KCTC 22171(T) = CCUG 55329(T)), and the description of the genus Lutimonas is emended.

Pseudoruegeria limi sp. nov. isolated from mud flats in the Yellow Sea in Korea.

A Gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile and rod-shaped bacterial strain, D-17(T), was isolated from mud flats in the Yellow Sea in Korea. Phylogenetic trees based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain D-17(T) belongs to the genus Pseudoruegeria and it shared 97.5 % similarity with the type strain of Pseudoruegeria haliotis WM67(T). The sequence similarities with Pseudoruegeria litimaris HD-43(T) and Pseudoruegeria aquimaris SW-255(T) were 96.9 and 96.1 %, respectively. Strain D-17(T) was found to grow with 0.5-6 % (w/v) NaCl, at 20-30 °C, and at pH 6.5-8.0. Strain D-17(T) was determined to contain Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone and summed feature 8 (C18:1 ω7c and/or C18:1 ω6c, as defined by the MIDI system) as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids were identified as phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified aminolipid, an unidentified glycolipid, an unidentified lipid and four unidentified phospholipids. The DNA G+C content was determined to be 63.6 mol%. The DNA-DNA relatedness with P. haliotis WM67(T) was 32.5 %. The differential phenotypic properties revealed that strain D-17(T) can be separated from other Pseudoruegeria species. Based on the data presented in this study, strain D-17(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Pseudoruegeria limi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is D-17(T) (=KCTC 32460(T) =JCM 19487(T)).

Bacillus solimangrovi sp. nov., isolated from mangrove soil.

Two novel bacterial strains, GH2-4T and GH2-5, were isolated from mangrove soil near the seashore of Weno island in Chuuk state, Micronesia, and were characterized by a polyphasic approach. The two strains were strictly aerobic, Gram-staining-positive, motile, endospore-forming rods that were catalase- and oxidase-positive. Colonies were circular, convex, stringy and transparent yellowish (GH2-4T) or opaque whitish (GH2-5). The 16S rRNA gene sequences of the two isolates were identical. The most closely related strains in terms of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity were Bacillus kochii WCC 4582T, B. horneckiae DSM 23495T, B. azotoformans LMG 9581T, B. cohnii DSM 6307T and B. halmapalus DSM 8723T (95.6, 95.4, 95.4, 95.2 and 95.2% similarity, respectively). The partial groEL sequence of strain GH2-4T was identical to that of strain GH2-5 and showed <85% similarity to those of the most closely related strains. The isolates grew at pH 5-12 (optimal growth at pH 9), at 10-40 °C (optimum 30-35 °C) and at 0-9% (w/v) NaCl (optimum 1-3% NaCl). The cell-wall peptidoglycan of strains GH2-4T and GH2-5 contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and cell-wall hydrolysates contained ribose as a major sugar. The DNA G+C content was 36 mol%, and DNA-DNA relatedness between the isolates and five related reference strains was 20-24%. Strain GH2-4T exhibited 81% DNA-DNA relatedness with strain GH2-5. The major cellular fatty acids of both strains were iso-C15:0, iso-C16:0, iso-C14:0 and anteiso-C15:0 and the predominant menaquinone was MK-7. On the basis of the evidence from this polyphasic study, strains GH2-4T and GH2-5 (=KCTC 33143=JCM 18995=DSM 27084) represent a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus solimangrovi sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is GH2-4T (=KCTC 33142T=JCM 18994T=DSM 27083T).

Luteimicrobium xylanilyticum sp. nov., isolated from the gut of a long-horned beetle, Massicus raddei.

A novel strain, designated W-15(T), was isolated from the gut of a long-horned beetle, Massicus raddei, collected in South Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the strains belonged to the suborder Micrococcineae. Strain W-15(T) was most closely related to Luteimicrobium album RI148-Li105(T) (97.9 % similarity). Strain W-15(T) was Gram-stain-positive, rod- and coccus-shaped and non-motile. Growth was observed at 15-37 °C, at pH 4.5-8.5 and in the presence of 0-5.0 % NaCl. The cell-wall peptidoglycan of the strain was A4α (l-Lys-d-Ser-d-Asp). The major menaquinone present in this strain was MK-8 (H2) and the major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, an unknown lipid, an unknown phospholipid and an unknown phosphoglycolipid. The G+C content of genomic DNA of the strain was 73.8 mol%. On the basis of evidence from our polyphasic taxonomic study, strain W-15(T) is classified as representing a novel species in the suborder Micrococcineae, for which the name Luteimicrobium xylanilyticum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of this species is strain W-15(T) ( = KCTC 19882(T) = JCM 18090(T)).

Phaeobacter aquaemixtae sp. nov., isolated from the junction between the ocean and a freshwater spring.

A Gram-reaction-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, non-motile and rod-shaped or ovoid bacterial strain, designated SSK6-1(T), was isolated from the zone where the ocean and a freshwater spring meet at Jeju island, South Korea. Strain SSK6-1(T) grew optimally at 30 °C, at pH 7.0-7.5 and in the presence of 2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain SSK6-1(T) clustered with Phaeobacter daeponensis TF-218(T) and Phaeobacter caeruleus LMG 24369(T), exhibiting sequence similarities of 98.6 and 98.3 %, respectively. The novel strain exhibited sequence similarities of 94.6-97.8 % to the type strains of other recognized species of the genera Phaeobacter and Leisingera. Strain SSK6-1(T) contained Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone and C18 : 1ω7c and 11-methyl C18 : 1ω7c as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids of strain SSK6-1(T) were phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminolipid and one unidentified lipid. The DNA G+C content of strain SSK6-1(T) was 64.6 mol% and its DNA-DNA relatedness values with P. daeponensis TF-218(T) and P. caeruleus were 21 and 25 %, respectively. The differential phenotypic properties, together with phylogenetic and genetic distinctiveness, revealed that strain SSK6-1(T) is separate from recognized Phaeobacter species. On the basis of the data presented, strain SSK6-1(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Phaeobacter, for which the name Phaeobacter aquaemixtae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SSK6-1(T) ( = KCTC 32538(T) = CECT 8399(T)).

Winogradskyella wandonensis sp. nov., isolated from a tidal flat.

A Gram-stain-negative, non-flagellated, non-gliding, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium, designated WD-2-2T, was isolated from a tidal flat of Wando, an island of South Korea, and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic analysis. Strain WD-2-2T grew optimally at 30 °C, at pH 7.0-8.0 and in the presence of 2.0% (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain WD-2-2T belonged to the genus Winogradskyella, clustering coherently with the type strain of Winogradskyella litorisediminis. Strain WD-2-2T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 97.4% to W. litorisediminis DPS-8T and 94.5-96.6% to the type strains of the other species of the genus Winogradskyella. Strain WD-2-2T contained MK-6 as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C15:1 G, iso-C17:0 3-OH and iso-C15:0 as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids detected in strain WD-2-2T were phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified lipid and one unidentified aminolipid. The DNA G+C content was 36.4 mol%, and DNA-DNA relatedness with W. litorisediminis DPS-8T was 13%. Differential phenotypic properties, together with its phylogenetic and genetic distinctiveness, revealed that strain WD-2-2T is separate from recognized species of the genus Winogradskyella. On the basis of the data presented, strain WD-2-2T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Winogradskyella, for which the name Winogradskyella wandonensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WD-2-2T (=KCTC 32579T=CECT 8445T).

Vitellibacter soesokkakensis sp. nov., isolated from the junction between the ocean and a freshwater spring and emended description of the genus Vitellibacter.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, non-flagellated, motile by gliding and rod-shaped bacterial strain, RSSK-12(T), was isolated from the zone where the ocean and a freshwater spring meet at Jeju island, South Korea. Strain RSSK-12(T) grew optimally at 30 °C, at pH 7.0-8.0 and in the presence of 2.0-3.0% (w/v) NaCl. Neighbour-joining, maximum-likelihood and maximum-parsimony phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain RSSK-12(T) clustered with the type strains of two Vitellibacter species, with which it exhibited 94.8-96.9% sequence similarity. Sequence similarities to the type strains of species of the genus Aequorivita and of other recognized species were 94.7-95.5% and less than 91.9%, respectively. Strain RSSK-12(T) contained MK-6 as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C(15 : 0) and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids of strain RSSK-12(T) were phosphatidylethanolamine and one unidentified lipid. The DNA G+C content of strain RSSK-12(T) was 38.9 mol%. Differential phenotypic properties, together with phylogenetic distinctiveness, revealed that strain RSSK-12(T) is separate from other Vitellibacter species. On the basis of the data presented, strain RSSK-12(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Vitellibacter, for which the name Vitellibacter soesokkakensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is RSSK-12(T) ( = KCTC 32536(T) = CECT 8398(T)).

Polaribacter sejongensis sp. nov., isolated from Antarctic soil, and emended descriptions of the genus Polaribacter, Polaribacter butkevichii and Polaribacter irgensii.

A Gram-staining-negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive, non-motile bacterium, designated strain KOPRI 21160(T), was isolated from Antarctic soil. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain KOPRI 21160(T) was found to belong to the genus Polaribacter. Sequence similarity between strain KOPRI 21160(T) and the type strains of species of the genus Polaribacter was 94.2-98.3 %. The nearest phylogenetic neighbours of strain KOPRI 21160(T) were Polaribacter butkevichii KCTC 12100(T) (98.3 % similarity) and Polaribacter irgensii KCTC 23136(T) (97.5 %). DNA-DNA relatedness was 50.6 %, between strain KOPRI 21160(T) and P. butkevichii KCTC 12100(T), and 45.2 % between strain KOPRI 21160(T) and P. irgensii KCTC 23136(T). Strain KOPRI 21160(T) grew at 4-37 °C and at pH 7.0-8.5. It could hydrolyse DNA, starch and Tweens 20, 40, 60 and 80. Menaquinone-6 (MK-6) was the only respiratory quinone, and iso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 3-OH and C15 : 1ω6c were the major cellular fatty acids. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminolipids and one unidentified lipid. The DNA G+C content was 30.0 mol%. Based on data from our polyphasic study, the organism is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Polaribacter, for which we propose the name Polaribacter sejongensis sp. nov. The type strain is KOPRI 21160(T) ( = KCTC 23670(T) = JCM 18092(T)). Emended descriptions of the genus Polaribacter, Polaribacter butkevichii Nedashkovskaya et al. 2005 and Polaribacter irgensii Gosink et al. 1998 are also proposed.

New bacteria Bacillus nitroreducens PLC9 with hydrogen peroxide-degrading activity with high survival rate in hydrogen peroxide.

Bacteria were isolated from wastewater containing highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide that had been used to clean the pure water delivery system in a semiconductor plant. One bacterium was selected for its high hydrogen peroxide degradation activity. In the presence of 1% hydrogen peroxide, it degraded 72.5% in 5 min. It showed 100% viability after 6 h at 1% hydrogen peroxide. Even at 3% hydrogen peroxide, it survived for more than 6 h. This bacterium was named as Bacillus nitroreducens PLC9 since its 16S rRNA showed 100% similarity with the recently reported new species B. nitroreducens. Purified catalase from B. nitroreducens PLC9 was characterized as a thermo-alkali-stable hydroperoxidase type II catalase, and it is suggested as a new type of catalase based on following: (1) it is stable over a broad pH range (pH 4-11); (2) it is consisted of homodimers with a molecular weight of 66 kDa (total molecular weight, 134 kDa); (3) its activity was not inhibited by 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole; and (4) its N-terminal sequence has never been reported before. Both B. nitroreducens PLC9 and the isolated catalase can be used for efficient degradation of hydrogen peroxide at high concentrations.