Neptuniibacter halophilus sp. nov., isolated from a salt pan, and emended description of the genus Neptuniibacter.

A bacterial strain designated antisso-13(T) was isolated from a salt pan in southern Taiwan and characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Strain antisso-13(T) was gram-negative, aerobic, creamy white in colour, rod-shaped and motile by single monopolar flagellum. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain antisso-13(T) belonged to the genus Neptuniibacter and its closest neighbour was Neptuniibacter caesariensis MED92(T), with 96.7 % sequence similarity. Phylogenetic analyses based on rpoB and recA gene sequences and deduced amino acid sequences also revealed that the novel strain and N. caesariensis MED92(T) formed a distinct phylogenetic cluster. Strain antisso-13(T) exhibited optimal growth at 25-30 °C, with 2.0-4.0 % NaCl and at pH 7.0. Cellular fatty acids were C(16 : 1)ω7c (39.8 %), C(18 : 1)ω7c (29.4 %), C(16 : 0) (15.5 %), C(10 : 0) 3-OH (7.5 %), anteiso-C(11 : 0) (1.8 %), C(18 : 0) (1.8 %), C(11 : 0) 2-OH (1.6 %), iso-C(10 : 0) (1.2 %) and C(14 : 0) (1.1 %). The major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone Q-8. The polar lipid profile consisted of a mixture of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and several uncharacterized polar lipids and the DNA G+C content was 54.2 mol%. The results of physiological and biochemical tests allowed clear phenotypic differentiation of this isolate from previously described members of the genus Neptuniibacter. It is evident from the genotypic and phenotypic data that strain antisso-13(T) should be classified as a representative of a novel species in the genus Neptuniibacter. The name proposed for this taxon is Neptuniibacter halophilus sp. nov.; the type strain is antisso-13(T) ( = LMG 25378(T) = BCRC 80079(T)). An emended description of the genus Neptuniibacter is provided.

Flavobacterium macrobrachii sp. nov., isolated from a freshwater shrimp culture pond.

A bacterial strain, designated an-8(T), was isolated from a freshwater shrimp culture pond in Taiwan and characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Cells of strain an-8(T) were Gram-reaction-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped and non-motile, formed yellow-pigmented colonies and grew at 15-30 °C (optimum 25 °C), pH 7-8 (optimum pH 8.0) and in 0-1 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 0 %). Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain an-8(T) belonged to the genus Flavobacterium and its most closely related neighbours were Flavobacterium terrigena DS-20(T) and Flavobacterium terrae R2A1-13(T) with sequence similarities of 95.1 and 94.9 %, respectively. Strain an-8(T) contained iso-C(15 : 0), summed feature 3 (C(16 : 1)ω6c and/or C(16 : 1)ω7c), iso-C(16 : 0) 3-OH, iso-C(15 : 0) 3-OH, iso-C(17 : 0) 3-OH and iso-C(15 : 1) as the major fatty acids. The major isoprenoid quinone was MK-6. The polar lipid profile consisted of a mixture of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine and several unidentified polar lipids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 39.8 mol%. On the basis of the phylogenetic and phenotypic data, strain an-8(T) represents a novel species of the genus Flavobacterium, for which the name Flavobacterium macrobrachii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is an-8(T) ( = BCRC 17965(T)  = LMG 25203(T)).

Deefgea chitinilytica sp. nov., isolated from a wetland.

A bacterial strain, designated Nsw-4(T), was isolated from a water sample of Niao-Song Wetland Park in Taiwan and was characterized by using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Strain Nsw-4(T) was Gram-negative, aerobic, ivory-coloured, rod-shaped and motile by means of a polar flagellum. Growth occurred at 15-37 degrees C, pH 6.0-8.0 and 0-2 % NaCl. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain belonged to the genus Deefgea and that its closest neighbour was Deefgea rivuli WB 3.4-79(T) (96.9 %). The results of physiological and biochemical tests allowed the clear phenotypic differentiation of this isolate from D. rivuli WB 3.4-79(T). The major fatty acids were C16 : 1omega7c and C16 : 0. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 53.7 mol%. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and the chemotaxonomic and physiological data, strain Nsw-4(T) should be classified as representing a novel species and the second member of the genus Deefgea, for which the name Deefgea chitinilytica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Nsw-4(T) (=BCRC 17934(T)=LMG 24817(T)).

Flectobacillus roseus sp. nov., isolated from freshwater in Taiwan.

Two Gram-negative, aerobic, pale pink/rose-coloured, rod-shaped, non-motile bacterial strains, designated GFA-11(T) and RG-4, were isolated from a freshwater fish culture pond and a freshwater spring sample, respectively. Based on characterization by using a polyphasic approach, the two strains showed highly similar phenotypic, physiological and genetic characteristics. They shared 99.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and 89-94 % DNA-DNA relatedness, suggesting that they represent a single genomic species. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strains GFA-11(T) and RG-4 formed a monophyletic branch at the periphery of the evolutionary radiation occupied by the genus Flectobacillus within the family Flexibacteraceae. Their closest neighbours were Flectobacillus major DSM 103(T) (97.7 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and Flectobacillus lacus CL-GP79(T) (95.9 %). Levels of DNA-DNA relatedness between the two novel strains and the type strains of F. major and F. lacus were less than 70 %. The results of physiological and biochemical tests allowed clear phenotypic differentiation of strains GFA-11(T) and RG-4 from recognized members of the genus Flectobacillus. The predominant fatty acid constituents of strain GFA-11(T) were C(16 : 1)omega5c (40.2 % of the total) and iso-C(15 : 0) (15.0 %). The DNA G+C content of strain GFA-11(T) was 39.7 mol%. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and chemotaxonomic and physiological data, strains GFA-11(T) and RG-4 are considered to represent a novel species of the genus Flectobacillus, for which the name Flectobacillus roseus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is GFA-11(T) (=BCRC 17834(T)=LMG 24501(T)).

Andreprevotia lacus sp. nov., isolated from a fish-culture pond.

A bacterial strain designated GFC-1(T) was isolated from a fish-culture pond in Taiwan and was characterized by using the polyphasic taxonomic approach. Strain GFC-1(T) was Gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, motile and non-spore-forming. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain belonged to the genus Andreprevotia of the family Neisseriaceae and its closest neighbour was Andreprevotia chitinilytica JS11-7(T) (97.0 % sequence similarity). The results of physiological and biochemical tests allowed clear phenotypic differentiation of isolate GFC-1(T) from A. chitinilytica JS11-7(T). The major fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C(16 : 1)omega7c and/or iso-C(15 : 0) 2-OH), C(16 : 0) and C(18 : 1)omega7c. The DNA G+C content was 63.0 mol%. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and chemotaxonomic and physiological data, strain GFC-1(T) should be classified as representing a novel species and a second member of the genus Andreprevotia, for which the name Andreprevotia lacus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is GFC-1(T) (=BCRC 17832(T)=LMG 24502(T)).