Proposal of Sphingobacterium allocomposti nom. nov., Mycobacterium chelonae subsp. bovistauri nom. nov. and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. allosunkii nom. nov. as new names with replacement specific or subspecific epithets, respectively, for three illegitimate prokaryotic names Sphingobacterium composti Yoo et al. 2007, Mycobacterium chelonae subsp. bovis Kim et al. 2017 and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. sunkii Kudo et al. 2012; proposal of Christiangramia oceanisediminis comb. nov. and Christiangramia crocea comb. nov. as replacement names respectively for two illegitimate prokaryotic names Gramella oceanisediminis Yang et al. 2023 and Gramella crocea Zhang et al. 2023.

As required by Rule 54 of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes, the authors propose the replacement specific epithet 'allocomposti' for the illegitimate prokaryotic name Sphingobacterium composti Yoo et al. 2007, the replacement subspecific epithet 'bovistauri' for Mycobacterium chelonae subsp. bovis Kim et al. 2017 and the replacement subspecific epithet 'allosunkii' for Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. sunkii Kudo et al. 2012. Meanwhile, new combinations Christiangramia oceanisediminis and Christiangramia crocea are also proposed as replacements for the illegitimate prokaryotic names Gramella oceanisediminis Yang et al. 2023 and Gramella crocea Zhang et al. 2023, respectively.

Gramella oceanisediminis sp. nov., isolated from deep-sea sediment of the Indian Ocean.

A taxonomic study was carried out on strain GC03-9T, which was isolated from deep-sea sediment of the Indian Ocean. The bacterium was Gram-stain-negative, catalase-positive, oxidase-negative, rod-shaped and gliding motile. Growth was observed at salinities of 0-9 % and at temperatures of 10-42 °C. The isolate could degrade gelatin and aesculin. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain GC03-9T belonged to the genus Gramella, with the highest sequence similarity to Gramella bathymodioli JCM 33424T (97.9 %), followed by Gramella jeungdoensis KCTC 23123T (97.2 %) and other species of the genus Gramella (93.4-96.3 %). The average nucleotide identity and the digital DNA-DNA hybridization estimate values between strain GC03-9T and G. bathymodioli JCM 33424T and G. jeungdoensis KCTC 23123T were 25.1 and 18.7 % and 82.47 and 75.69 %, respectively. The principal fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 (28.0 %), iso-C17 : 0 3OH (13.4 %), summed feature 9 (iso-C17 : 1 ω9c and/or 10-methyl C16 : 0; 13.3 %) and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c; 11.0 %). The G+C content of the chromosomal DNA was 41.17 mol%. The respiratory quinone was determined to be menaquinone-6 (100 %). Phosphatidylethanolamine, one unknown phospholipid, three unknown aminolipids and two unknown polar lipids were present. The combined genotypic and phenotypic data showed that strain GC03-9T represents a novel species within the genus Gramella, for which the name Gramella oceanisediminis sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain GC03-9T (=MCCC M25440T=KCTC 92235T).

Proposal of Christiangramia gen. nov., Neomelitea gen. nov. and Nicoliella gen. nov. as replacement names for the illegitimate prokaryotic generic names Gramella Nedashkovskaya et al. 2005, Melitea Urios et al. 2008 and Nicolia Oliphant et al. 2022, respectively.

The prokaryotic generic names Gramella Nedashkovskaya et al. 2005, Melitea Urios et al. 2008 and Nicolia Oliphant et al. 2022 are illegitimate because they are later homonyms of the names Gramella Kozur 1971, a genus of fossil ostracods, Melitea Péron and Lesueur 1810 (Scyphozoa, Cnidaria), Melitea Lamouroux 1812 (Anthozoa, Cnidaria), Nicolia Unger 1842, an extinct plant genus, and Nicolia Gibson-Smith and Gibson-Smith 1979 (Bivalvia, Mollusca), respectively (Principle 2 and Rule 51b(4) of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes). For Gramella, we therefore propose the replacement generic name Christiangramia with type species Christiangramia echinicola comb. nov. and we propose the reclassification of 18 other species of Gramella in the genus Christiangramia as new combinations. In addition, we propose the replacement generic names Neomelitea with type species Neomelitea salexigens comb. nov. and Nicoliella with type species Nicoliella spurrieriana comb. nov.

Gramella sediminis sp. nov., isolated from a tidal flat of the Yellow Sea.

A novel species of the genus Gramella, designated ASW11-100T, was isolated from a tidal flat sediment in the Yellow Sea, PR China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and single-copy orthologous clusters revealed that strain ASW11-100T belonged to the genus Gramella, and exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 98.9, 98.8 and 98.7 % to Gramella sabulilitoris HSMS-1T, Gramella sediminilitoris GHTF-27T and Gramella forsetii KT0803T, respectively. The genome of strain ASW11-100T harbours 2950 protein-coding genes and 105 carbohydrate-active enzymes including 38 glycoside hydrolases. Seventeen of the glycoside hydrolases are organized in five distinct polysaccharide utilization loci, which are predicted to involve in the degradation of starch, glucans, arabinoxylans, arabinomannan, arabinans and arabinogalactans. The genomic DNA G+C content was 37.3 mol%. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values between strain ASW11-100T and its closely related relatives were in ranges of 19.8-23.9% and 76.6-80.9 %, respectively. Cells of the isolate were Gram-negative, aerobic, non-flagellated and short rod-shaped. Carotenoid pigments were produced, but flexirubin-type pigments were absent. The major fatty acids (>10 %) were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω6c and/or C16 : 1 ω7c). The sole respiratory quinone was menaquinone-6 and the major polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine. Based on the above polyphasic evidence, strain ASW11-100T should be considered to represent a novel Gramella species, for which the name Gramella sediminis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ASW11-100T (=KCTC 82502T=MCCC 1K05580T).

Gramella crocea sp. nov., isolated from activated sludge of a seafood processing plant.

A novel aerobic Gram-negative strain, designated as YB25T, was isolated from an activated sludge sample collected from a seafood processing plant in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, China, and characterized by using a polyphasic taxonomic approach in this study. Strain YB25T was motile by gliding, and short-rod-shaped. The isolate grew at 4-37 °C (optimum 28 °C), pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum pH 7.0) and 0.0-10.0% NaCl (optimum 2.0%, w/v). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene indicated that strain YB25T belonged to the genus Gramella, and showed the highest sequence similarity of 97.59% to Gramella lutea YJ019T. The DNA G + C content was 39.5%. In silico DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) and average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between strain YB25T with most closely strains were below the threshold, which is considered to the phylogenetic definition of a novel species. Chemotaxonomic analysis indicated that the only respiratory quinone was menaquinone-6 and the major fatty acids were iso-C15:0, anteiso-C15:0, iso-C17:0 3-OH, and summed feature 9 (iso-C17:1ω9c and C16:0 10 methyl). The polar lipid profile was composed of phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified phospholipid, two unidentified amino lipids, three unidentified glycolipids, and four unidentified lipids. Compared with the reference strains, strain YB25T contained higher abundance of genes for carbohydrates metabolism,nitrogen metabolism, sulfur metabolism and respiration based on its genomic metabolic pathways and had been found a certain potential in the degradation of pectin. On the basis of the taxonomic evidence, strain YB25T represents a novel species of the genus Gramella, for which the name Gramella crocea sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YB25T (= KCTC 82680 T = MCCC 1K05761T).

Gramella bathymodioli sp. nov., isolated from a mussel inhabiting a hydrothermal field in the Okinawa Trough.

A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, motile by gliding, rod-shaped and non-flagellated marine bacterium strain, designated BOM4T, was isolated from a mussel inhabiting the Tangyin hydrothermal field of the Okinawa Trough. The growth temperature was in the range of 16-40 °C, and the optimum temperature was 37 °C. Optimal growth occurred at pH 7.0 and in the presence of 1 % (w/v) NaCl. The predominant isoprenoid quinone of strain BOM4T was identified as menaquinone-6 (MK-6). The predominant fatty acids (>10 %) were iso-C15 : 0(43.8 %) and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH (17.5 %). The major polar lipids comprised one phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified aminolipids and two unidentified lipids. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses, strain BOM4T was found to be most closely related to Gramella aestuarii JCM 17790T (96.7 %), followed by Gramella flava JLT2011T (96.1 %), Gramella sediminilitoris GHTF-27T (95.6 %) and Gramella gaetbulicola RA5-111T (95.5 %) and with lower sequence similarities (93.7- 95.4 %) to other species of the genus Gramella. Genome relatedness between strain BOM4T and G. aestuarii JCM 17790T was computed using both average nucleotide identity and DNA-DNA hybridization with values of 75.6 and 19.3±2.4 %, respectively. The DNA G+C content of strain BOM4T was 41.4 mol%. On the basis of polyphasic analysis, strain BOM4T was considered to represent a novel species of the genus Gramella, for which the name Gramella bathymodioli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BOM4T (=MCCC 1K03735T=JCM 33424T).

Gramella sabulilitoris sp. nov., isolated from a marine sand.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, motile by gliding and rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated HSMS-1T, was isolated from a marine sand collected from the Yellow Sea, Republic of Korea, and identified by a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that HSMS-1T fell within the clade comprising the type strains of species of the genus Gramella. HSMS-1T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 99.0 and 98.7 % to the type strains of Gramella echinicola and Gramella sediminilitoris and of 93.3-98.5 % to the type strains of the other species of the genus Gramella. The ANI and dDDH values between HSMS-1T and the type strains of G. echinicola, Gramella gaetbulicola, Gramella forsetii, Gramella salexigens, Gramella portivictoriae and Gramella flava were 72.6-79.3 % and 17.4-22.2 %, respectively. Mean DNA-DNA relatedness value between HSMS-1T and the type strain of G. sediminilitoris was 18 %. HSMS-1T contained MK-6 as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and iso-C16 : 0 as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipid of HSMS-1T was phosphatidylethanolamine. The DNA G+C content of HSMS-1T from genomic sequence data was 39.2 %. Distinguishing phenotypic properties, along with the phylogenetic and genetic distinctiveness, revealed that HSMS-1T is separated from recognized species of the genus Gramella. On the basis of the data presented, strain HSMS-1T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Gramella, for which the name Gramella sabulilitoris sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is HSMS-1T(=KACC 19899T=NBRC 113648T).

Gramella fulva sp. nov., isolated from a dry surface of tidal flat.

A novel Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, motile by means of gliding, and short rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain SH35T, was isolated from the dry surface of a tidal flat in Hwasung-si, South Korea. Growth occurred at 10-40°C (optimum 30°C), at pH 6.0-8.0 (optimum pH 7.0), in 1-12% NaCl (optimum 2%), and was inhibited in the absence of NaCl and Ca2+ ions. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain SH35T belonged to the genus Gramella and was a member of the family Flavobacteriaceae with highest sequence similarity to Gramella flava JLT2011T (96.1%), followed by Gramella oceani CCAMSZ-TT (95.6%), and 93.0-94.9% to other recognized Gramella species. The major cellular fatty acids (> 5% of the total) of strain SH35T were iso-C15:0, Iso-C16:0, anteiso-C15:0, iso-C17:0 3-OH and summed feature 9 (C16:0 10-methyl and/or C17:1 iso ω9с). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminolipids and nine unidentified polar lipids. The major respiratory quinone and the predominant polyamine were menaquinone-6 (MK-6) and symhomospermidine, respectively. The DNA G + C content was 40.5 mol% (39.7% based on total genome calculations). Based on phylogenetic analysis and physiological and biochemical characterization, strain SH35T represents a novel species of the genus Gramella, for which the name Gramella fulva sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SH35T (= KACC 19447T = JCM 32369T).

Gramella salexigens sp. nov., isolated from seawater.

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, aerobic bacterial strain, designated LPB0144T was isolated from the seawater of South Sea, Korea. The 16S rRNA gene sequence was found to share the highest sequence similarity to Gramella sediminilitoris GHTF-27T (97.7 %) and the strain branched within the radiation of the genus Gramella in phylogenetic trees. Thus, the taxonomic position of the novel isolate was investigated using a polyphasic approach and complete genome sequencing. Strain LPB0144T has a circular chromosome of 2.98 Mb with DNA G+C content of 38.2 mol%. The genome includes 2604 protein-coding genes and three copies of rRNA operons. The detected respiratory quinone (MK-6) and the major polar lipid (phosphatidylethanolamine) resemble the chemotaxonomic profile of other Gramella species. The major cellular fatty acid profile (iso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and anteiso-C15 : 0) is also within the range of Gramella, but detailed composition and amounts were found to be different from those of closely related neighbours. Many biochemical and physiological characteristics also distinguished the isolate from other species within the genus Gramella. On the basis of polyphasic taxonomic data obtained here, we propose strain LPB0144T as a novel Gramella species, for which the name Gramella salexigens sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LPB0144T (=KACC 18894T=JCM 31560T).

Gramella antarctica sp. nov., isolated from marine surface sediment.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, yellow-coloured, motile by gliding, rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated R17H11T, was isolated from surface sediment collected from the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Growth optimally occurred at 25-30 °C, at pH 7.0-7.5 and in the presence of 3 % NaCl (w/v). Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain R17H11T clustered together with Gramella flava JLT2011T and fell within the genus Gramella. Strain R17H11T shared the highest 16S rRNA gene similarities (96.1 and 96.0 %) with the type strains of Gramella forsetii and G. flava, and 92.6-95.5 % similarities with those of other known Gramella species. Strain R17H11T contained menaquinone-6 as the only isoprenoid quinone. The major fatty acids (>5 %) were summed feature 3 (17.5 %, comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c), iso-C15 : 0 (14.0 %), summed feature 9 (11.8 %, comprising 10-methyl C16 : 0 and/or iso-C17 : 1ω9c), iso-C17 : 0 3-OH (11.8 %), iso-C16 : 0 (7.4 %), C17 : 1ω6c (6.9 %) and anteiso-C15 : 0 (5.1 %). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, four unidentified lipids, an unidentified aminolipid, an unidentified aminophospholipid and an unidentified glycolipid. The DNA G+C content of strain R17H11T was 38.6 mol%. On the basis of the phylogenetic, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, strain R17H11T represents a novel species in the genus Gramella, for which the name Gramellaantarctica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the novel species is R17H11T (=GDMCC 1.1208T=KCTC 52925T).

Gramella sediminilitoris sp. nov., isolated from a tidal flat.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, motile by gliding and coccoid, ovoid or rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated GHTF-27T, was isolated from a tidal flat at Goheung, South Korea, and subjected to a taxonomic study using a polyphasic approach. The novel strain grew optimally at 30 °C, at pH 7.0-8.0 and in the presence of 2.0-5.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain GHTF-27T belongs to the genus Gramella. It exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 97.6-98.3 % to the type strains of Gramella aestuariivivens, Gramella echinicola, Gramella gaetbulicola, Gramella aquimixticola, Gramella aestuarii and Gramella portivictoriae, respectively, and of 93.8-96.7 % to the type strains of the other species of the genus Gramellawith validly published names. Strain GHTF-27T contained MK-6 as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids of strain GHTF-27T were phosphatidylethanolamine and one unidentified lipid. The DNA G+C content of strain GHTF-27T was 39.7 mol% and DNA-DNA relatedness values with the type strains of the six phylogenetically closely related species of the genus Gramellawere 12-28 %. The differential phenotypic properties, together with its phylogenetic and genetic distinctiveness, revealed that strain GHTF-27T is separated from other species of the genus Gramella. On the basis of the data presented, strain GHTF-27T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Gramella, for which the name Gramella sediminilitorissp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is GHTF-27T (=KCTC 52208T =NBRC 111992T).