Paenisporosarcina indica sp. nov., a psychrophilic bacterium from a glacier, and reclassification of Sporosarcina antarctica Yu et al., 2008 as Paenisporosarcina antarctica comb. nov. and emended description of the genus Paenisporosarcina.

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium, PN2(T), was isolated from a soil sample collected near the Pindari glacier. It contained anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and C16 : 1ω7c alcohol as the predominant fatty acids, MK-7 as the major menaquinone and A4α type (l-Lys-d-Glu) peptidoglycan. Based on these characteristics, strain PN2(T) was assigned to the genus Paenisporosarcina. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence placed strain PN2(T) within the genus Paenisporosarcina and showed a sequence similarity of 98.5-99.0 % with members of this genus. Paenisporosarcina macmurdoensis CMS 21w(T), Paenisporosarcina quisquiliarum SK 55(T) and Sporosarcina antarctica N-05(T) were identified as the most closely related species with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 98.6 %, 99.0 % and 98.4 %, respectively. The values for DNA-DNA relatedness between strain PN2(T) and P. macmurdoensis, P. quisquiliarum and S. antarctica were below the 70 % threshold value (32.0 %, 42.0 % and 38.0 % respectively). In addition, strain PN2(T) exhibited a number of phenotypic differences from P. macmurdoensis, P. quisquiliarum and S. antarctica. Based on the cumulative differences, strain PN2(T) was identified as representing a novel species and the name Paenisporosarcina indica sp. nov. was proposed. The type strain of Paenisporosarcina indica sp. nov. is PN2(T) (LMG 23933(T) = JCM 15114(T)). Furthermore, based on the morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, the species Sporosarcina antarctica was reclassified as a species of the genus Paenisporosarcina and renamed Paenisporosarcina antarctica comb. nov. In addition, an emended description of the genus Paenisporosarcina is presented.

Comparison of bacterial diversity in proglacial soil from Kafni Glacier, Himalayan Mountain ranges, India, with the bacterial diversity of other glaciers in the world.

Two 16S rRNA gene clone libraries (KF and KS) were constructed using two soil samples (K7s and K8s) collected near Kafni Glacier, Himalayas. The two libraries yielded a total of 648 clones. Phyla Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Spirochaetae, Tenericutes and Verrucomicrobia were common to the two libraries. Phyla Acidobacteria, Chlamydiae and Nitrospirae were present only in KF library, whereas Lentisphaerae and TM7 were detected only in KS. In the two libraries, clones belonging to phyla Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria were the most predominant. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that KF and KS were different and arsenic content influenced the differences in the percentage of OTUs. PCA indicated that high water content in the K8s sample results in high total bacterial count. PCA also indicated that bacterial diversity of KF and KS was similar to soils from the Pindari Glacier, Himalayas; Samoylov Island, Siberia; Schrimacher Oasis, Antarctica and Siberian tundra. The eleven bacterial strains isolated from the above two soil samples were phylogenetically related to six different genera. All the isolates were psychro-, halo- and alkalitolerant. Amylase, lipase and urease activities were detected in the majority of the strains. Long chain, saturated, unsaturated and branched fatty acids were predominant in the psychrotolerant bacteria.

Bacterial diversity of soil in the vicinity of Pindari glacier, Himalayan mountain ranges, India, using culturable bacteria and soil 16S rRNA gene clones.

Three 16S rRNA gene clone libraries (P1L, P4L and P8L) were constructed using three soil samples (P1S, P4S and P8S) collected near Pindari glacier, Himalayas. The three libraries yielded a total of 703 clones. Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were common to the three libraries. In addition to the above P1L and P8L shared the phyla Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Gemmatimonadetes and Planctomycetes. Phyla Chlamydiae, Chlorobi, Chloroflexi, Dictyoglomi, Fibrobacteres, Nitrospirae, Verrucomicrobia, candidate division SPAM and candidate TM7s TM7a phylum were present only in P1L. Rarefaction analysis indicated that the bacterial diversity in P4S and P8S soil samples was representative of the sample. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that P1S and P8S were different from P4S soil sample. PCA also indicated that arsenic content, pH, Cr and altitude influence the observed differences in the percentage of specific OTUs in the three 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. The observed bacterial diversity was similar to that observed for other Himalayan and non-polar cold habitats. A total of 40 strains of bacteria were isolated from the above three soil samples and based on the morphology 20 bacterial strains were selected for further characterization. The 20 bacteria belonged to 12 different genera. All the isolates were psychro-, halo- and alkalitolerant. Amylase and urease activities were detected in majority of the strains but lipase and protease activities were not detected. Long chain, saturated, unsaturated and branched fatty acids were predominant in the psychrotolerant bacteria.

Bacterial biodiversity from Roopkund Glacier, Himalayan mountain ranges, India.

The bacterial diversity of two soil samples collected from the periphery of the Roopkund glacial lake and one soil sample from the surface of the Roopkund Glacier in the Himalayan ranges was determined by constructing three 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. The three clone libraries yielded a total of 798 clones belonging to 25 classes. Actinobacteria was the most predominant class (>10% of the clones) in the three libraries. In the library from the glacial soil, class Betaproteobacteria (24.2%) was the most predominant. The rarefaction analysis indicated coverage of 43.4 and 41.2% in the samples collected from the periphery of the lake thus indicating a limited bacterial diversity covered; at the same time, the coverage of 98.4% in the glacier sample indicated most of the diversity was covered. Further, the bacterial diversity in the Roopkund glacier soil was low, but was comparable with the bacterial diversity of a few other glaciers. The results of principal component analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene clone library data, percentages of OTUs and biogeochemical data revealed that the lake soil samples were different from the glacier soil sample and the biogeochemical properties affected the diversity of microbial communities in the soil samples.

Cryobacterium roopkundense sp. nov., a psychrophilic bacterium isolated from glacial soil.

Strain RuGl7(T) was isolated from a soil sample collected at the periphery of the glacial Lake Roopkund in the Himalayan mountain range, India. Cells of RuGl7(T) were Gram-positive, aerobic, rod-shaped, motile and grew optimally between 15 and 18 degrees C. Cells of RuGl7(T) contained 2,4-diaminobutyric acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan and the major menaquinones were MK-10, MK-11 and MK-12. The polar lipids present were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol and an unknown lipid and the major fatty acid was anteiso-C(15 : 0). Based on the above characteristics, strain RuGl7(T) was assigned to the genus Cryobacterium. Strain RuGl7(T) shared a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 97.0 and 99.0 % with Cryobacterium psychrotolerans JCM 13925( T) and Cryobacterium psychrophilum JCM 1463(T), respectively. However, DNA-DNA relatedness values between strain RuGl7(T) and C. psychrotolerans and C. psychrophilum were 28 and 23 %, respectively. Furthermore, strain RuGl7(T) exhibited several phenotypic and genotypic differences when compared with C. psychrotolerans , C. psychrophilum and Cryobacterium mesophilum. Based on these differentiating characteristics, strain RuGl7(T) was identified as a novel species of the genus Cryobacterium for which the name Cryobacterium roopkundense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is RuGl7( T) (=DSM 21065(T)=JCM 15131(T)).

Bhargavaea cecembensis gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from the Chagos-Laccadive ridge system in the Indian Ocean.

A novel Gram-positive, rod-shaped, non-motile, non-spore-forming bacterium, strain DSE10(T), was isolated from a deep-sea sediment sample collected at a depth of 5904 m from the Chagos-Laccadive ridge system in the Indian Ocean. Cells of strain DSE10(T) were positive for catalase, oxidase, urease and lipase activities and contained iso-C(14 : 0), iso-C(15 : 0), iso-C(16 : 0) and anteiso-C(15 : 0) as the major fatty acids. The major respiratory quinones were MK-6 and MK-8 and the major lipids were phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contained diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. A blast sequence similarity search based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the genera Planococcus, Planomicrobium, Bacillus and Geobacillus were the nearest phylogenetic neighbours to the novel isolate with gene sequence similarities ranging from 94.9 to 95.2 %. Phylogenetic analyses using neighbour-joining, minimum-evolution and maximum-parsimony methods indicated that strain DSE10(T) formed a deeply rooted lineage distinct from the clades represented by the genera Planococcus, Planomicrobium, Bacillus and Geobacillus. Further, strain DSE10(T) could be distinguished from the above-mentioned genera based on the presence of signature nucleotides G, A, C, T, C, A, G, C and T at positions 182, 444, 480, 492, 563, 931, 1253, 1300 and 1391, respectively, in the 16S rRNA gene sequence. Based on the phenotypic and phylogenetic characteristics determined in this study, strain DSE10(T) was assigned as the type species of a new genus, Bhargavaea gen. nov., as Bhargavaea cecembensis sp. nov. The type strain of Bhargavaea cecembensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is DSE10(T) (=LMG 24411(T)=JCM 14375(T)). The genomic DNA G+C content of strain DSE10(T) is 59.5+/-2.5 mol%.

Description of Leifsonia kafniensis sp. nov. and Leifsonia antarctica sp. nov.

Strains KFC-22(T) and SPC-20(T) are yellow-pigmented, Gram-positive, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped bacteria that were isolated from a soil sample near the Kafni glacier in the Himalayan mountain ranges in India, and from a spade core sediment sample from the Antarctic Ocean at Larsemann Hill, respectively. In both cases, the cell-wall peptidoglycan contained 2,4-diaminobutyric acid as the diamino acid, anteiso-C(15 : 0), anteiso-C(17 : 0) and iso-C(16 : 0) were the predominant fatty acids and MK-11 was the major isoprenoid quinone in the cell membrane. On the basis of the above-mentioned characteristics, both strains can be assigned to the genus Leifsonia. The strains share 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 97.7 % and DNA relatedness of only 10 %, indicating that they represent different species. A blast analysis indicated that Leifsonia pindariensis PON10(T) was the closest phylogenetic neighbour of strains SPC-20(T) and KFC-22(T), showing 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 97.3 and 97.7 %, respectively. However, at the whole-genome level, strains KFC-22(T) and SPC-20(T) shared 42 and 11 % DNA-DNA relatedness, respectively, with L. pindariensis PON10(T). In addition, both strains exhibited several phenotypic differences with respect to L. pindariensis PON10(T). Thus, on the basis of the differences that the two strains exhibited with respect to L. pindariensis, both were identified as representing novel species of the genus Leifsonia, for which the names Leifsonia kafniensis sp. nov. (type strain KFC-22(T) =NCCB 100216(T) =LMG 24362(T)) and Leifsonia antarctica sp. nov. (type strain SPC-20(T) =NCCB 100227(T) =LMG 24541(T)) are proposed.

Bacillus cecembensis sp. nov., isolated from the Pindari glacier of the Indian Himalayas.

Strain PN5(T) is a Gram-positive, aerobic, motile, rod-shaped, peritrichously flagellated bacterium that was isolated from the Pindari glacier using nutrient agar medium. Cells of PN5(T) are catalase-positive and oxidase-negative and contain lysine, glutamic acid and alanine in the peptidoglycan (peptidoglycan type A4alpha). Further, the cells are characterized by the presence of iso-C(15 : 0) and iso-C(16 : 1) as the predominant fatty acids and MK-7 as the isoprenoid quinone. Based on the above characteristics, strain PN5(T) was assigned to the genus Bacillus. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain PN5(T) clustered with the type strain of Bacillus silvestris with a sequence similarity of 97.2 %. DNA-DNA hybridization between PN5(T) and B. silvestris DSM 12223(T) resulted in a relatedness of only 15 %, clearly indicating that strain PN5(T) represents a novel species. Further, PN5(T) was different from B. silvestris with respect to various phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics. Therefore, strain PN5(T) is identified as a representative of a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus cecembensis sp. nov. is proposed. Bacillus cecembensis is unique among psychrotolerant Bacillus species in containing l-Lys-d-Glu in the cell-wall peptidoglycan. The type strain is PN5(T) (=LMG 23935(T) =MTCC9127(T) =JCM 15113(T)).

Leifsonia pindariensis sp. nov., isolated from the Pindari glacier of the Indian Himalayas, and emended description of the genus Leifsonia.

Strain PON10(T) is a yellow-pigmented, Gram-positive, aerobic, motile, rod-shaped bacterium isolated from the Pindari glacier of the Indian Himalayas. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contained DL-diaminobutyric acid as the diamino acid. The predominant fatty acids were anteiso-C(15:0), anteiso-C(17:0) and iso-C(16:0) and the major isoprenoid quinones were MK-10 and MK-11. Based on the above characteristics, strain PON10(T) was assigned to the genus Leifsonia. blast sequence similarity results indicated that Leifsonia ginsengi and Leifsonia poae were the nearest relatives, with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 97.0 and 96.8% to the respective type strains. A difference of 3% in the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that PON10(T) represents a novel species of the genus Leifsonia, and therefore DNA-DNA hybridization was not done. In addition, PON10(T) showed a number of differences from Leifsonia ginsengi and Leifsonia poae with respect to phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics. Thus, based on the differences it exhibited from Leifsonia ginsengi and Leifsonia poae, strain PON10(T) was identified as representing a novel species named Leifsonia pindariensis sp. nov. The type strain is PON10(T) (=LMG 24222(T) =MTCC9128(T)). An emended description of the genus Leifsonia is also presented.

Sphingomonas mucosissima sp. nov. and Sphingomonas desiccabilis sp. nov., from biological soil crusts in the Colorado Plateau, USA.

Two bacterial strains, CP173-2(T) and CP1D(T), were isolated from biological soil crusts (BSCs) collected in the Colorado Plateau, USA. Both strains were pigmented, Gram-negative, non-motile rods and produced abundant mucus. They contained C(16 : 0), C(18 : 1)omega7c and C(14 : 0) 2-OH as the predominant cellular fatty acids, ubiquinone-10 as the isoprenoid quinone and sphingoglycolipid. Based on the above characteristics, the isolates were assigned to the family Sphingomonadaceae; 16 rRNA gene signature nucleotides placed them within the genus Sphingomonas. Strains CP173-2(T) and CP1D(T) had a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 96.7 % with each other and 91.6-98.9 % sequence similarity with other species in the genus, indicating that they represent two separate, and possibly novel, species. The closest species to strains CP173-2(T) and CP1D(T) were, respectively, Sphingomonas dokdonensis (98.9 % gene sequence similarity) and Sphingomonas panni (97.9 %). However, strain CP173-2(T) exhibited a DNA-DNA relatedness of only 32.5 % with the type strain of S. dokdonensis. Similarly, the DNA-DNA relatedness between strain CP1D(T) and the type strain of S. panni was only 18 %. Phenotypic characterization supported this low relatedness. On the basis of this evidence, we propose that the new strains represent two novel species, for which the names Sphingomonas mucosissima sp. nov. (with type strain CP173-2(T)=ATCC BAA-1239(T)=DSM 17494(T)) and Sphingomonas desiccabilis sp. nov. (with type strain CP1D(T)=ATCC BAA-1041(T)=DSM 16792(T)) are proposed.

Bacillus aerius sp. nov., Bacillus aerophilus sp. nov., Bacillus stratosphericus sp. nov. and Bacillus altitudinis sp. nov., isolated from cryogenic tubes used for collecting air samples from high altitudes.

Four novel bacterial strains were isolated from cryogenic tubes used to collect air samples at altitudes of 24, 28 and 41 km. The four strains, 24K(T), 28K(T), 41KF2a(T) and 41KF2b(T), were identified as members of the genus Bacillus. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that three of the strains, 24K(T), 28K(T) and 41KF2a(T), are very similar to one another (>98 % sequence similarity) and show a similarity of 98-99 % with Bacillus licheniformis and 98 % with Bacillus sonorensis. DNA-DNA hybridization studies showed that strains 24K(T), 28K(T) and 41KF2a(T) exhibit <70 % similarity with each other and with B. licheniformis and B. sonorensis. Differences in phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics between the novel strains and B. licheniformis and B. sonorensis further confirmed that these three isolates are representatives of three separate novel species. Strain 41KF2b(T) showed 100 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Bacillus pumilus, but differed from its nearest phylogenetic neighbour in a number of phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics and showed only 55 % DNA-DNA relatedness. Therefore, the four isolates represent four novel species for which the names Bacillus aerius sp. nov. (type strain, 24K(T)=MTCC 7303(T)=JCM 13348(T)), Bacillus aerophilus sp. nov. (type strain, 28K(T)=MTCC 7304(T)=JCM 13347(T)), Bacillus stratosphericus sp. nov. (type strain, 41KF2a(T)=MTCC 7305(T)=JCM 13349(T)) and Bacillus altitudinis sp. nov. (type strain, 41KF2b(T)=MTCC 7306(T)=JCM 13350(T)) are proposed.

Clostridium schirmacherense sp. nov., an obligately anaerobic, proteolytic, psychrophilic bacterium isolated from lake sediment of Schirmacher Oasis, Antarctica.

A novel obligately anaerobic, proteolytic bacterium, designated AP15T, was isolated from lake sediments of Schirmacher Oasis, Antarctica. The bacterium produced maximum cell mass between 5 and 10 degrees C in an anaerobic basal medium containing 0.5 % tryptone and peptone. The strain grew optimally at a pH around 8.0 and tolerated NaCl up to a concentration of 7.5 %. It contained diphosphatidylglycerol as the major phospholipid and C(15 : 0), C(16 : 0) and C(17 : 0) as the major cellular fatty acids. Several amino acids, including arginine, leucine, isoleucine, cysteine, glutamate and serine, supported growth. Glutamate was degraded to acetate, propionate, CO2 and H2. In addition, the strain degraded carbohydrates including glucose, raffinose, adonitol, ribose and rhamnose. The main fermentation products during growth on glucose were H2, CO2, formate, acetate, propionate and isovalerate. The DNA G+C content of the bacterium was 24 mol%. On the basis of a phylogenetic analysis, strain AP15(T) is identified as a close relative of Clostridium subterminale ATCC 25774T, with which it shares 99.5 % similarity at the 16S rRNA gene sequence level; however, it exhibits a low DNA-DNA binding value (55 %) to this strain at the whole-genome level. In addition to showing other major differences with respect to C. subterminale and other members of the genus Clostridium, AP15T also exhibits phenotypic differences. On the basis of these differences, strain AP15T is identified as representing a novel species of the genus Clostridium, for which the name Clostridium schirmacherense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is AP15T (=DSM 17394T = JCM 13289T).

Dyadobacter hamtensis sp. nov., from Hamta glacier, located in the Himalayas, India.

Strain HHS 11(T) was isolated from a water sample collected from the snout of Hamta glacier located in the Himalayan mountain ranges of India. Phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses established the affiliation of the isolate to the genus Dyadobacter. HHS 11(T) possessed 96 and 95% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with respect to Dyadobacter crusticola and Dyadobacter fermentans, respectively. Furthermore, strain HHS 11(T) differs from D. crusticola and D. fermentans in a number of phenotypic characteristics. These data suggest that strain HHS 11(T) represents a novel species of the genus Dyadobacter, for which the name Dyadobacter hamtensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is HHS 11(T) (=JCM 12919(T)=MTCC 7023(T)).

Pedobacter himalayensis sp. nov., from the Hamta glacier located in the Himalayan mountain ranges of India.

Strain HHS 22(T) was isolated from a glacial water sample from the snout of the Hamta glacier located in the Himalayan mountain ranges of India. Phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses established the affiliation of the isolate to the genus Pedobacter. HHS 22(T) exhibits high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Pedobacter cryoconitis (98 %). However, the level of DNA-DNA relatedness between HHS 22(T) and P. cryoconitis is only 42 %. Furthermore, HHS 22(T) differs from P. cryoconitis and the four other recognized species of Pedobacter in a number of phenotypic characteristics. These data suggest that HHS 22(T) represents a novel species of the genus Pedobacter, for which the name Pedobacter himalayensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is HHS 22(T) (= JCM 12171(T) = MTCC 6384(T)).

Psychrobacter salsus sp. nov. and Psychrobacter adeliensis sp. nov. isolated from fast ice from Adelie Land, Antarctica.

Nine psychrotolerant bacteria were isolated from fast ice in the middle of Geologie Archipelago, Adelie Land, Antarctica and were categorized into two groups, based on their SDS-PAGE profiles. Representatives from each of the two groups, namely strains DD 48T and SJ 14T exhibited phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics confirming to the genus Psychrobacter. The 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the two isolates are closely related to each other and to the already reported fifteen species of Psychrobacter. Detailed studies on the phenotypic characteristics, chemotaxonomic properties and phylogenetic analysis of strains DD 48T and SJ 14T indicated that they are distinctly different from each other and the reported species of Psychrobacter. At the DNA-DNA hybridisation level, the two species exhibit less than 70% similarity. Thus, strains DD 48T and SJ 14T are identified as new species of the genus Psychrobacter for which the names Psychrobacter salsus sp. nov. and Psychrobacter adeliensis sp. nov. respectively are proposed.

Arthrobacter gangotriensis sp. nov. and Arthrobacter kerguelensis sp. nov. from Antarctica.

Two coryneform bacteria were isolated from a penguin rookery soil sample collected in Antarctica, near the Indian station Dakshin Gangotri (strain Lz1y(T)), and from sea water from Kerguelen island, Antarctica (strain KGN15(T)). They have morphological and chemotaxonomic properties (peptidoglycan A4alpha type; major menaquinones MK-8, MK-9 and MK-10; predominant fatty acids anteiso-C(15 : 0) and anteiso-C(17 : 0)) that are characteristic of members of the genus Arthrobacter. The isolates shared 97.8 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to each other and were most closely related to Arthrobacter sulfureus (about 98.5 % sequence similarity). DNA-DNA hybridization experiments revealed 50 % relatedness between the isolates, while the levels of DNA-DNA relatedness between strains Lz1y(T) and KGN15 (T) and their phylogenetic relative, A. sulfureus, were respectively 54 and 12 %. Based on the above data and distinct phenotypic differences between the isolates and A. sulfureus, two novel species are proposed, Arthrobacter gangotriensis sp. nov. (type strain Lz1y(T)=DSM 15796(T)=JCM 12166(T)) and Arthrobacter kerguelensis sp. nov. (type strain KGN15(T)=DSM 15797(T)=JCM 12165(T)).

Bacterial diversity of a soil sample from Schirmacher Oasis, Antarctica.

The bacterial diversity of a soil sample collected in the vicinity of Lake Zub, Schirmacher Oasis, Antarctica, was determined both by establishing pure colonies of culturable bacteria and by cloning the total 16S rDNA of the soil and establishing the phylogeny of the clones. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene clones indicated that the bacteria belonged to the classes alpha-proteobacteria, beta-proteobacteria, gamma-proteobacteria, Gemmatimonas, Bacteriodetes, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi and Chlamydiae. In addition, seven clones were categorized as unidentified and unculturable in the classes of beta-Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi and Chlamydiae. Further, the culturable bacteria from the same site were identified as belonging to the genera Pseudomonas, Sphingobacterium, Arthrobacter, Micrococcus, Brevondimonas, Rhodococcus and Microbacterium. These results identify for the first time the presence of bacteria belonging to the genera Brevundimonas, Microbacterium, Rhodococcus, Serratia, Enterobacter, Rhodopseudomonas, Sphingomonas, Acidovorax, Burkholderia, Nevskia, Gemmatimonas, Xanthomonas and Flexibacter in Antarctica. Further, comparison of the Antarctic soil bacterial diversity with other cold habitats of Antarctica like from sediments, ice and cyanobacterial mat samples indicated that the bacterial diversity in soil was similar to the diversity observed in the continental shelf sediment sample. The Antarctic soil clones also resembled the bacterial diversity of soils from other geographical regions, but were unique in that none of the clones from the soil belonged to the uncultured Y, O, G, A and B groups common to all soil samples.

Pseudonocardia antarctica sp. nov. an Actinomycetes from McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica.

Strain DVS 5a1 was isolated from a moraine sample from the McMurdo Dry Valleys region of Antarctica. The strain is aerobic, Gram-positive, with white aerial mycelia and brown substrate mycelia, sporulating, has meso-diaminopimelic acid, arabinose and galactose in the cell wall, MK-8 (H4) as the major menaquinone and a mol% G+C content of DNA of 71% thus confirming to the description of the genus Pseudonocardia. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis further confirms that DVS 5al which forms a robust clade with P. alni, P. compacta, P. autotrophica and P. kongjuensis is closely related to the genus Pseudonocardia and exhibits maximum similarity of 99.7% with Pseudonocardia alni. However, at whole genome level as determined by DNA-DNA hybridisation DVS 5al exhibits a similarity of only 50% with Pseudonocardia alni. Further, DVS 5al differs from Pseudonocardia alni in that it does not produce acid from D-arabinose, meso-erythritol, melizitose, sorbitol, sucrose, D-trehalose; but produces acid from D-mannitol, D-galactose, D-maltose, D-mannose, inulin, D-ribose and D-xylose. Further, compared to Pseudonocardia alni, it has two additional fatty acids namely Me-C(18:0) and Me-C(19:0) and also possesses one additional unidentified lipid. It also shows distinct differences with P. compacta, P. autotrophica and P. kongjuensis and the other species of Pseudonocardia. It is proposed to assign DVS 5a1 the status of a new species for which the name Pseudonocardia antarctica sp. nov. is suggested.

Deinococcus indicus sp. nov., an arsenic-resistant bacterium from an aquifer in West Bengal, India.

An arsenic- and radiation-resistant bacterium, strain Wt/1a(T), was isolated from water from an arsenic-contaminated aquifer located in the Chakdah district of West Bengal, India. The bacterium stains Gram-negative and is rod-shaped, non-motile, non-sporulating and red-pigmented. Cell-wall peptidoglycan contains ornithine as the diamino acid, MK-8 is the major menaquinone, C(15 : 1) and C(16 : 1) are the major fatty acids and the DNA G+C content of the organism is 65.8 mol%. Based on these phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, strain Wt/1a(T) was identified as a member of the genus Deinococcus. Strain Wt/1a(T) exhibited maximum 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (95 %) with Deinococcus grandis; however, strain Wt/1a(T) exhibited only 14 % similarity to D. grandis IAM 13005(T) at the DNA-DNA level. Furthermore, strain Wt/1a(T) (compared to D. grandis IAM 13005(T)) is more resistant to arsenate and arsenite, is positive for arginine dihydrolase, utilizes a number of carbon sources and exhibits quantitative differences in fatty acid composition and qualitative differences in lipid composition. Strain Wt/1a(T) is identified as a novel species of the genus Deinococcus, for which the name Deinococcus indicus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Deinococcus indicus is Wt/1a(T) (=MTCC 4913(T)=DSM 15307(T)).

Psychrophilic Planococcus maitriensis sp.nov. from Antarctica.

An orange pigmented bacterium, S1, was isolated from a cyanobacterial mat sample collected in the vicinity of Schirmacher Oasis, Maitri, the Indian station, in Antarctica. The bacterium is Gram-positive and possesses all the characteristics of the genus Planococcus. It is non-sporulating, motile and has A4alpha type peptidoglycan, MK-7 and MK-8 as the major menaquinones and anteiso-C(15:0) as the major fatty acid. Based on the phylogenetic characteristics, the bacterium S1 is identified as a close relative of Planococcus citreus with which it shares 98.12% similarity at the 16S rRNA gene level but exhibits a low similarity of 52% at the whole genome level. Apart from the above major differences, S1 also exhibits phenotypic differences with Planococcus citreus and other members of the genus Planococcus. Based on these differences, the bacterium S1 is identified as a new species of the genus Planococcus for which the name Planococcus maitriensis is proposed. The type strain of Planococcus maitriensis is S1(T) (= MTCC 4827; DSM 15305).