Alkalihalobacillus deserti sp. nov., Isolated from the Saline-Alkaline Soil.

A bacterial strain, designated TRPH29T, was isolated from saline-alkaline soil, collected from the southern edge of the Gurbantunggut desert, Xinjiang, People's Republic of China. The isolate was Gram-staining positive, facultatively anaerobic, straight rods. Growth occurred at 15-40 °C (optimum, 28 °C), pH 8.0-13.0 (optimum, 10.0), and in the presence of 0-15% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2%). Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain TRPH29T showed the highest sequence similarities to Alkalihalobacillus krulwichiae (98.31%), Alkalihalobacillus wakoensis (98.04%), and Alkalihalobacillus akibai (97.69%). Average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain TRPH29T and Alkalihalobacillus krulwichiae, Alkalihalobacillus wakoensis, Alkalihalobacillus akibai were in the range of 73.62-75.52% and 15.0-21.20%, respectively. Results of genome analyses indicated that the genome size of strain TRPH29T was 5.05 Mb, with a genomic DNA G + C content of 37.30%. Analysis of the cellular component of strain TRPH29T revealed that the primary fatty acids were anteiso-C15:0 and iso-C15:0, and the polar lipids included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified glycolipid, and an unidentified phospholipid. The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7. Based on the genomic, phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses, strain TRPH29T represents a novel species of the genus Alkalihalobacillus, for which the name Alkalihalobacillus deserti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is TRPH29T (= CGMCC 1.19067T = NBRC 115475T).

Bacillus suaedae sp. nov., isolated from the stem of Suaeda aralocaspica in north-west China.

A bacterial strain, designated YZJH907-2T, was isolated from the stem of Suaeda aralocaspica, collected from the southern edge of the Gurbantunggut desert, Xinjiang, PR China. Cells of strain YZJH907-2T were Gram-stain-positive, aerobic and rod-shaped. They formed white or colourless circular colonies with smooth convex surfaces. Strain YZJH907-2T grew at 4-50 °C (optimum, 28-30 °C), pH 7.0-10.0 (optimum, pH 8.0-9.0) and with 0-10 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 3-7 %). The genomic DNA G+C content of strain YZJH907-2T was 38.1 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity showed that the strain was most closely related to Bacillus alcalophilus DSM 485T (97.37 %), Bacillus kiskunsagensis B16-24T (96.87 %) and Bacillus bogoriensis LBB3T (96.71 %). Average nucleotide identity values between YZJH907-2T and B. alcalophilus DSM 485Tand B. bogoriensis LBB3T were 69.2 and 69.0 %, respectively. Digital DNA-DNA hybridization values of YZJH907-2T with B. alcalophilus DSM 485T and B. bogoriensis LBB3T were 19.6 and 20.4 %, respectively. The cell wall of strain YZJH907-2T contained meso-diaminopimelic acid, and the major and secondary isoprenoid quinones were MK-7 and MK-5, respectively. Results of fatty acids showed that anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and C16 : 0 were the predominant cellular fatty acids. Two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography analysis indicated that the polar lipids included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, three unidentified phospholipids and two unidentified glycolipids. Based on the genomic, phylogenetic and phenotypic analyses, strain YZJH907-2T represented a novel species of the genus Bacillus, and thus the name Bacillus suaedae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YZJH907-2T (=CGMCC 1.18763T=KCTC 43335T).

Pontibacter pamirensis sp. nov., isolated from saline-alkaline soil.

A novel bacterium, designated TRT317T, was isolated from saline-alkaline soil collected from the Pamir plateau in northwest China. Cells of this strain were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic rods and red-pink-coloured. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain TRT317T showed the highest sequence similarity to the type strains of Pontibacter diazotrophicus (96.3 %) and Pontibacter yuliensis (96.2 %). Growth was observed at 4-40 °C, pH 6.0-10.0 and in the presence of up to 7 % (w/v) NaCl. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 and summed feature 4 (iso-C17 : 1 I/anteiso-C17 : 1 B). The polar lipids included phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified phospholipid, four unidentified glycolipids and five unidentified lipids. The whole-cell sugars of strain TRT317T were mannose, rhamnose, glucose, galactose, xylose, arabinose and four unidentified sugars. The sole respiratory quinone was MK-7. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain TRT317T was 47.7 mol%. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) value of strain TRT317T with P. diazotrophicus was 88.3 %, which is below the standard ANI threshold for species identification (95-96 %). Combined results of physiological, genotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic analyses demonstrated that strain TRT317T represents a novel species within the genus Pontibacter, for which the name Pontibacter pamirensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is TRT317T (=CGMCC1.18690T=KCTC 82818T).

Sanguibacter suaedae sp. nov., isolated from the root of Suaeda aralocaspica in north-west PR China.

A bacterial strain, designated YZGR15T, was isolated from the root of an annual halophyte Suaeda aralocaspica, collected from the southern edge of the Gurbantunggut desert, north-west PR China. Cells of the isolate were Gram-stain-positive, facultatively anaerobic, irregular rods. Growth occurred at 4-42 °C (optimum, 30-37 °C), at pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0-7.5) and in the presence of 0-9 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2-5 %). Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain YZGR15T showed the highest sequence similarity to Sanguibacter keddieii (98.27 %), Sanguibacter antarcticus (98.20 %) and Sanguibacter inulinus (98.06 %). Results of genome analyses of strain YZGR15T indicated that the genome size was 3.16 Mb, with a genomic DNA G+C content of 71.9 mol%. Average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain YZGR15Tand three type strains were in the range of 76.5-77.8 % and 20.0-22.2 %, respectively. Analysis of the cellular component of strain YZGR15T revealed that the primary fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0, C14 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0 and the polar lipids included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, three unidentified phospholipids and two unidentified glycolipids. The cell-wall characteristic amino acids were glutamic acid, alanine and an unknown amino acid. The whole-cell sugars for the strain were mannose, ribose, rhamnose, glucose and an unidentified sugar. The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-9(H4). Based on the results of genomic, phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses, strain YZGR15T represents a novel species of the genus Sanguibacter, for which the name Sanguibacter suaedae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YZGR15T (=CGMCC 1.18691T=KCTC 49659T).

Sphingobacterium endophyticum sp. nov., a novel endophyte isolated from halophyte.

A bacterial strain designated NYYP31T was isolated from the leaves of an annual halophytes, Suaeda corniculata Bunge, collected from the southern edge of the Gurbantunggut desert, north-west China. Strain NYYP31T was Gram-staining negative, strictly aerobic, rod-shaped, non-motile, and non-spore-forming. Growth was observed at 4-42 °C, at pH 5.0-10.0, in the presence of up to 8% (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and coding sequences of 92 protein clusters showed that strain NYYP31T should be assigned to the genus Sphingobacterium. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity analysis showed that strain NYYP31T was most closely related to the type strain of Sphingobacterium daejeonense (97.9%) and Sphingobacterium lactis (97.7%). The predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7. The major fatty acids were identified as iso-C15:0, iso-C17:0 3-OH and summed feature 3 (C16:1 ω7c and/or C16:1 ω6c). The polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified phospholipids, three unidentified lipids, three unidentified amino phospholipids, and two unidentified glycolipids. The genomic DNA G + C content was 36.4 mol%. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) values for strain NYYP31T to the type strains of S. daejeonense and S. lactis were 77.9 and 74.1%, respectively, which were below the cut-off level (95-96%) for species delineation. Based on the above results, strain NYYP31T represents a novel species of the genus Sphingobacterium, for which the name Sphingobacterium endophyticum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NYYP31T (= CGMCC 1.16979T = NBRC 114258T).

Microbacterium suaedae sp. nov., isolated from Suaeda aralocaspica.

Two bacterial strains, YZYP 306T and YZGP 509, were isolated from the halophyte Suaeda aralocaspica collected from the southern edge of the Gurbantunggut desert, north-west China. Cells were Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-motile, short rods. Strain YZYP 306T grew at 4-40 °C, while strain YZGP 509 grew at 4-42 °C, with optimum growth at 28 °C, and they both grew at pH 6.0-12.0 and 0-15 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analyses of the 16S rRNA gene sequences placed the two strains within the genus Microbacterium with the highest similarities to Microbacterium indicum BBH6T (97.8 %) and Microbacterium sorbitolivorans SZDIS-1-1T (97.2 %). The average nucleotide identity value between YZYP 306T and M. indicum BBH6T was 78.3 %. The genomic DNA G+C contents of strains YZYP 306T and YZGP 509 were 68.49 and 68.53 mol%, respectively. The characteristic cell-wall amino acid was ornithine. Whole-cell sugars were galactose, mannose and ribose. The acyl type of the peptidoglycan was glycolyl. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The major menaquinones were MK-10 and MK-11. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified phospholipid and an unidentified glycolipid. These results are consistent with the classification of the two strains into the genus Microbacterium. On the basis of the evidence presented in this study, strains YZYP 306T and YZGP 509 are representatives of a novel species in the genus Microbacterium, for which the name Microbacterium suaedae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YZYP 306T (=CGMCC 1.16261T=KCTC 49101T).

Microbacterium halophytorum sp. nov., a novel endophytic actinobacterium isolated from halophytes.

Two actinobacterial strains, YJYP 303T and YZYP 518, were isolated from two species of halophytes collected from the southern edge of the Gurbantunggut Desert. Cells were Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, short rods and without flagella. Growth of the two strains was found to occur at 4-44 °C, pH 6.0-12.0 and in the presence of up to 15 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the two strains are associated with members of the genus Microbacterium. In the phylogenetic tree, the two strains shared a clade with Microbacterium halotolerans YIM 70130T (97.58 % 16S rRNA gene sequence identity) and Microbacterium populi KCTC 29152T (96.54 %). The average nucleotide identity values of strain YJYP 303T and YZYP 518 to M. halotolerans YIM 70130T were determined to be 79.97 and 80.03 %, respectively. The genomic DNA G+C contents of strains YJYP 303T and YZYP 518 were 69.72 and 70.57 %, respectively. The major fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The predominant respiratory quinones was MK-11, followed by MK-10 and MK-12. The muramic acid type of peptidoglycan was N-glycolyl. The whole-cell sugars were mannose, ribose, rhamnose, glucose, galactose and two unidentified sugars. The cell-wall amino acids were glutamic acid, ornithine, glycine and alanine. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified phospholipid and an unidentified glycolipid. On the basis of the evidence presented in this study, strains YJYP 303T and YZYP 518 are characterized as members of a novel species in the genus Microbacterium, for which the name Microbacteriumhalophytorum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YJYP 303T (=CGMCC 1.16264T=KCTC 49100T).

Alcaligenes endophyticus sp. nov., isolated from roots of Ammodendron bifolium.

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, motile bacterium, designated AER10T, was isolated from the roots of Ammodendron bifolium collected from Takeermohuer desert in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwestern China. Growth was found to occur from 10 to 45 °C, at pH 5.0-9.0, and could tolerate up to 10 % (w/v) NaCl. 16S rRNA gene sequence result indicated that the strain AER10T belongs to the genus Alcaligenes and was closely related to Alcaligenes aquatilis (98.4 %), Alcaligenes faecalissubsp. parafaecalis (98.4 %), Alcaligenes faecalissubsp. faecalis (98.1 %) and Alcaligenes faecalissubsp. phenolicus (97.9 %). However, the DNA-DNA hybridization values between the strain AER10T and the above strains were less than the threshold value (below 70 %) for the delineation of genomic species. The DNA G+C content was 53.3 mol%. Ubiquinone-8 (Q-8) was the only quinone system present. The major fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c, 25 %), C16 : 0 (24.2 %), summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c, 19.3 %) and cyclo-C17 : 0 (10.5 %). The polar lipid profile of the strain AER10T consists of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylserine, two unidentified aminolipids and five unknown polar lipids. On the basis of the evidence presented in this study, strain AER10T is a representative of a novel species in the genus Alcaligenes, for which the name Alcaligenes endophyticus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is AER10T (=DSM 100498T=KCTC 42688T).

Saccharothrix lopnurensis sp. nov., a filamentous actinomycete isolated from sediment of Lop Nur.

A novel actinomycete strain, designated YIM LPA2h(T), was isolated from a sediment sample collected from Lop Nur, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, North-West China. The taxonomic position of strain YIM LPA2h(T) was investigated by a polyphasic approach. The morphological and chemotaxonomic properties of the isolate were in accordance with the members of the genus Saccharothrix. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of the strain showed highest similarities to Saccharothrix yanglingensis (98.6 %), Saccharothrix longispora (98.4 %) and Saccharothrix hoggarensis (98.3 %). However, the DNA-DNA hybridization values between the new isolate YIM LPA2h(T) and S. yanglingensis, S. longispora and S. hoggarensis were significantly below 70 %. Strain YIM LPA2h(T) was found to contain meso-diaminopimelic acid as diagnostic diamino acid. The major sugars in whole-cell hydrolysates were rhamnose, galactose, mannose, glucose and fructose. The major polar lipids were identified as phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylhydroxylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannoside. The predominant respiratory menaquinones were MK-9 (H4) and MK-10 (H4). The major fatty acids were C17:1 ω8c (15 %), iso-C15:0 (12 %), anteiso-C15:0 (12 %) and summed feature 3 (C16:1 ω6c/C16:1 ω7c, 10 %). The genomic DNA G+C content of strain YIM LPA2h(T) was determined to be 75 mol %. The genotypic and phenotypic results suggest that strain YIM LPA2h(T) represents a novel species of the genus Saccharothrix, for which the name Saccharothrix lopnurensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM LPA2h(T) (=CGMCC 4.7246(T)=KCTC 39545(T)).

[Detection of trace elements in the sediment of Lop Nur samples by ICP-MS].

Twenty eight trace elements in the sediment of Lop Nur in different latitude and longitude were tested by ICP-MS. The results showed that the metal contents in the soil profile followed a growing trend from the surface to the bottom. And the essential element P for living body in each sample was very low, and was the lowest on the surface, while was matched in the other four layers. The results will help to understand the ecosystem evolution of Lop Nur drying up after the sediment deposition.