Streptomyces rhizoryzae sp. nov., isolated from paddy rhizosphere soil and formal proposal to reclassify Streptomyces albulus as a later heterotypic synonym of Streptomyces noursei.

The taxonomic position of a novel actinomycete, designated strain RS10V-4T, was determined using a polyphasic approach. Strain RS10V-4T was isolated from paddy rhizosphere soil of rice plant (Oryzae sativa L.). The morphological, physiological and chemotaxonomic properties were consistent with its classification in the genus Streptomyces. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain RS10V-4T belongs to the genus Streptomyces and had the highest sequence similarity to Streptomyces noursei NBRC 15452T (98.3 %). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 73.8 %. Digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values between the genome sequences of strain RS10V-4T and S.noursei ATCC 11455T were lower than the recommendation threshold values for the recognition of species within the same genus. The whole-cell hydrolysates of strain RS10V-4 T contained ll -diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid and the whole-cell sugars were glucose and ribose. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H6) and MK-9(H8). The predominant cellular fatty acids (>10 %) were iso-C16 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C14 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0. The polar lipids of strain RS10V-4T contained diphosphatidylglycerol, hydroxyphosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, an unidentified aminolipid, two unidentified lipids and an unidentified phospholipid. On the basis of these phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, it is supported that strain RS10V-4T represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces rhizoryzae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is RS10V-4T (=TBRC 15167T=NBRC 115345T). In addition, the comparison of the whole genome sequences and phenotypic features suggested that S. noursei and S. albulus belong to the same species. Therefore, it is proposed that S. albulus is reclassified as a later heterotypic synonym of S. noursei.

Biocalcifying Potential of Ureolytic Bacteria Isolated from Soil for Biocementation and Material Crack Repair.

Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) has been highlighted for its application in civil engineering, and in the environmental and geotechnical fields. Ureolytic activity is one of the most promising bacterial mechanisms in terms of inducing calcium carbonate formation. In this study, four bacterial isolates with high-yield urease production capabilities were obtained from two-step screening using a high-buffered urea medium. The highest urease activity and calcium carbonate formation was observed in Lysinibacillus fusiformis 5.1 with 4.40 × 103 unit/L of urease and 24.15 mg/mL of calcium carbonate, followed by Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus 4.3 with 3.93 × 103 unit/L of urease and 22.85 mg/mL of calcium carbonate. The microstructure of the precipitated crystalline calcium carbonate was observed using scanning electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that the main polymorph of the calcium carbonate particle obtained from both isolates was calcite. Examination of the material-crack filling in mortar specimens showed that calcite layers had formed along the crack edges and inside after 10 days, and gradually filled the cracks up to the upper surface. These results showed that these two isolates presented robust characteristics of potential MICP-inducing bacteria for civil engineering and material engineering applications.

Morphology, genetic diversity, temperature tolerance and toxicity of Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Nostocales, Cyanobacteria) strains from Thailand and Japan.

Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii is a planktonic, nostocalean cyanobacterium, which produces an alkaloid heptatoxin, cylindrospermopsin. We performed morphological observations, 16S rDNA sequence analysis, PCR fingerprint analysis of short tandemly repeated repetitive (STRR) sequences, temperature tolerances and toxin analysis to characterize 24 strains of this toxic cyanobacterium isolated from Thailand and Japan. All strains shared common morphological traits characteristic of C. raciborskii and showed high 16S rDNA sequence similarity, forming a defined cluster together with the reference strains from Australia. In particular, some of the Thai strains shared 99.9% to 100% similarity with the Australian strains. Various combinations of STRR primers revealed different and unique DNA band patterns among strains of C. raciborskii. The phylogenetic tree revealed two main clusters of C. raciborskii strains, the Thai/Japan-Shinobazugaike cluster (cluster I) and the Japan-Gonoike cluster (cluster II). Cluster I was further divided into two subclusters, A (only Thai strains) and B (one Thai strain and the Japan-Shinobazugaike strains). Thus, the results from 16S rDNA and STRR analyses showed no clear geographical distinction between Japanese and Thai strains and between Thai and Australian strains. Thai strains were separated into adaptive and non-adaptive groups to low temperature (15 and 17.5 degrees C) and Japanese strains were composed of only low-temperature-adaptive ones. The toxin cylindrospermopsin was detected in some strains of cluster I-A and in one strain of cluster II. We conclude that C. raciborskii is a species that has recently begun to invade, and a species with different physiological strains or ecotypes in temperature tolerance; the toxin is synthesized without any relation to phylogenetic or genetic clusters and to geography.