Description and Genomic Characterization of Oceaniferula flavus sp. nov., a Novel Potential Polysaccharide-Degrading Candidate of the Difficult-to-Cultivate Phylum Verrucomicrobiota Isolated from Seaweed.

A novel strain, isolate 5K15T, which belongs to difficult-to-cultivate phylum Verrucomicrobiota, was recovered from kelp collected from Li Island, Rongcheng, China. The genome sequence of the strain (genome size 3.95 Mbp) showed the presence of four putative biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), namely, two terpene biosynthetic gene clusters, one aryl polyene biosynthetic cluster, and one type III PKS cluster. Genomic analysis revealed 79 sulfatase-encoded genes, 24 sulfatase-like hydrolase/transferase-encoded genes, and 25 arylsulfatase-encoded genes, which indicated the great potential of 5K15T to degrade sulfated polysaccharides. Comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the novel strain was most closely related to Oceaniferula marina N1E253T (96.4%). On the basis of evidence from a polyphasic study, it is proposed that the strain 5K15T (= KCTC 82748T = MCCC 1H00442T = SDUM 810003T) be classified as Oceaniferula flavus sp. nov. The strain has the ability of carbohydrate transport and metabolism. This ability allows it to survive in carbohydrate-rich materials such as kelp. It has the potential to be used in the marine drug industry using seaweed.

Oceaniferula marina gen.nov., sp.nov., an anti-fluoroquinolone bacterium isolated from marine sediment.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, non-gliding and non-motile bacterium designated as N1E253T, was isolated from marine sediments collected from the coast of Weihai, PR China. N1E253T was found to grow at pH 7.0-9.0 (optimum, pH 7.5), 15-37 °C (optimum, 30 °C) in the presence of 1.5-5.0% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 3.0%). The major polar lipids of strain N1E253T were phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol and one unidentified phospholipid. The sole respiratory quinone was MK-9. The major cellular fatty acids (> 10.0%) were iso-C14: 0, C16: 0 and Summed Feature 3 (C16:1 ω7c and/or C16:1 ω6c). The result of the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis confirmed the affiliation of this novel isolate to the family Verrucomicrobiaceae, with Persicirhabdus sediminis KCTC 22039 T being its closest relative with 92.1% sequence similarity. Genome sequencing revealed a genome size of 5,073,947 bp, DNA G + C content of 52.0% and two protein-coding genes related to the resistance of fluoroquinolones. Based on physiological, genomic, biochemical and chemotaxonomic characteristics, we propose that strain N1E253T represents a novel species of a novel genus within the family Verrucomicrobiaceae, for which the name Oceaniferula marina gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is N1E253T (= KCTC 72800 T = MCCC 1H00405T).