Bacillus cellulasensis sp. nov., isolated from marine sediment.

A novel bacterial strain NIO-1130(T) was isolated from sediment sample taken from Chorao Island, Goa Province, India, and subjected to a taxonomic investigation. The strain was Gram-positive, aerobic, and motile. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences placed the isolate within the genus Bacillus and strain NIO-1130(T) showed highest sequence similarity with Bacillus halosaccharovorans DSM 25387(T) (98.4%) and Bacillus niabensis CIP 109816(T) (98.1%), whereas other Bacillus species showed <97.0% similarity. Tree based on gyrB gene sequence revealed that strain bacillus group. The major menaquinone was MK-7 and the predominant cellular fatty acids were iso-C15:0, anteiso-C15:0, iso-C17:0, and anteiso-C17:0. The strain showed a DNA G+C content of 39.9 mol%. DNA-DNA hybridization studies revealed that strain NIO-1130(T) exhibits 70% similarity with Bacillus halosaccharovorans DSM 25387(T) and Bacillus niabensis CIP 109816(T). On the basis of physiological, biochemical, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses, we consider the isolate to represent a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus cellulasensis sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is NIO-1130(T) (=NCIM 5461(T)=CCTCC AB 2011126(T)).

Microbacterium enclense sp. nov., isolated from sediment sample.

A novel bacterium (strain NIO-1002(T)) belonging to the genus Microbacterium was isolated from a marine sediment sample in Chorao Island, Goa Province, India. Its morphology, physiology, biochemical features and 16S rRNA gene sequence were characterized. Cells of this strain were Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, non-spore-forming rods that formed yellow-pigmented colonies. It grew in 0-12% (w/v) NaCl and at 25-37 °C, with optimal growth at 30 °C. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain NIO-1002(T) is associated with members of the genus Microbacterium, with highest sequence similarity with Microbacterium hominis CIP 105731(T) (98.1%) and Microbacterium testaceum KCTC 9103(T) (98.0%). Within the phylogenetic tree, this novel strain shared a branching point with M. hominis CIP 105731(T). The DNA G+C content was 66.5 mol% and DNA-DNA hybridization relatedness between NIO-1002(T), M. hominis CIP 105731(T) and M. testaceum KCTC 9103(T) was 39.0 ± 2.0% and 41.0 ± 2.0%, respectively. The major fatty acids were ai-C15 : 0, i-C16 : 0 and ai-C17 : 0 and the diamino acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan of NIO-1002(T) was lysine. Data obtained from DNA-DNA hybridization and chemotaxonomic phenotypic analysis support the conclusion that strain NIO-1002(T) represents a novel species within the genus Microbacterium. The name Microbacterium enclense sp. nov. is proposed, with NIO-1002(T) ( = NCIM 5454(T) = DSM 25125(T) = CCTCC AB 2011120(T)) as the type strain.

Exiguobacterium enclense sp. nov., isolated from sediment.

A Gram-stain-positive bacterium, designated strain NIO-1109(T), was isolated from a marine sediment sample from Chorao Island, Goa, India. Phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics and data from phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain NIO-1109(T) was related to the genus Exiguobacterium . Strain NIO-1109(T) exhibited >98.0% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with respect to Exiguobacterium indicum HHS 31(T) (99.5%) and Exiguobacterium acetylicum NCIMB 9889(T) (99.1%); the type strains of other species showed <98% similarity. Levels of DNA-DNA relatedness between strain NIO-1109(T) and E. acetylicum DSM 20416(T) and E. indicum LMG 23471(T) were less than 70% (33.0 ± 2.0 and 37 ± 3.2%, respectively). Strain NIO-1109(T) also differed from these two closely related species in a number of phenotypic traits. Based on phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic data, strain NIO-1109(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Exiguobacterium , for which the name Exiguobacterium enclense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NIO-1109(T) ( =NCIM 5457(T) =DSM 25128(T)  = CCTCC AB 2011124(T)).

Deinococcus enclensis sp. nov., isolated from a marine sediment sample.

A novel pale-pink coloured strain, designated NIO-1023(T), was isolated from a marine sediment sample from Chorao Island, Goa, India. The taxonomic position of strain NIO-1023(T) was investigated by using a polyphasic approach. The cells were observed to be Gram-stain positive, coccal shaped and non-spore forming. Phylogenetic analyses using the 16S rRNA gene sequence of the isolate indicated that the organism belongs to the genus Deinococcus. The strain NIO-1023(T) showed highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with Deinococcus ficus (97.8 %), whereas other Deinococcus species showed less than 95 % sequence similarity. The DNA-DNA relatedness with respect to D. ficus CC-FR2-10(T) was 23.9 %. Chemotaxonomic data revealed that strain NIO-1023(T) contains only menaquinone MK-8 as the respiratory quinone and a complex polar lipid profile consisting of different unidentified glycolipids and polar lipids, two unknown phospholipids and three unknown phosphoglycolipids. As in other deinococci, one of these phosphoglycolipids was predominant in the profile. The predominant fatty acids were identified as C17:1 w8c, C16:1 w6c/w7c, C15:1 w6c and C17:1 w9c. The genomic DNA G + C content of strain NIO-1023(T) was determined to be 67.2 mol%. The biochemical and chemotaxonomic properties demonstrate that strain NIO-1023(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Deinococcus enclensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NIO-1023(T) (=DSM 25127(T) = NCIM 5456(T)).

High yield production of cellulose by a Komagataeibacter rhaeticus PG2 strain isolated from pomegranate as a new host.

Gluconacetobacter xylinus is a well-known organism that produces bacterial cellulose (BC). The present study was undertaken to find an alternative bacteria from a collection of 216 bacterial isolates, which were isolated from different rotten fruits and fermented beverages, to find a better producer of bacterial cellulose. We obtained a potent strain, which produced a high yield of BC from a rotten pomegranate sample, and was further identified as Komagataeibacter rhaeticus strain PG2 using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. To date, only two strains of Komagataeibacter rhaeticus are known to produce BC, and these were mainly isolated from a fermented beverage, kombucha. For the first time, we have isolated a BC producing Komagataeibacter rhaeticus strain PG2 from a rotten pomegranate sample. The new host environment and the substrate utilization pattern of strain PG2 reveal efficient bacterial cellulose production. Hestrin-Schramm (HS) liquid media containing glycerol as a carbon source resulted in the highest BC production (∼6.9 g L-1). A further increased yield of BC (∼8.7 g L-1) was obtained by using 3% (w/v) glycerol concentration, and this BC yield is the highest reported among any of the known Komagataeibacter rhaeticus strains reported. A detailed physico-chemical characterization of the BC membrane obtained from glycerol (Gly-BC) and glucose (Glc-BC) was performed. Interestingly, Gly-BC is found to be more compact and more crystalline in its nature compared to Glc-BC. The present study reveals the isolation of an efficient BC synthesizing strain using glycerol as a low-cost carbon source, confirming the economic feasibility of BC production. The structural characteristics of the BC membrane produced by glycerol were found to be more suitable for various applications.