<Emphasis Type="Italic">Dethiobacter alkaliphilus </Emphasis> gen. nov. sp. nov., and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Desulfurivibrio alkaliphilus</Emphasis> gen. nov. sp. nov.: two novel representatives of reductive sulfur cycle from soda lakes

Anaerobic enrichments with H₂ as electron donor and thiosulfate/polysulfide as electron acceptor at pH 10 and 0.6 M total Na⁺ yielded two non sulfate-reducing representatives of reductive sulfur cycle from soda lake sediments. Strain AHT 1 was isolated with thiosulfate as the electron acceptor from north–eastern Mongolian soda lakes and strain AHT 2—with polysulfide as the electron acceptor from Wadi al Natrun lakes in Egypt. Both isolates represented new phylogenetic lineages: AHT 1—within Clostridiales and AHT 2—within the Deltaproteobacteria. Both bacteria are obligate anaerobes with respiratory metabolism. Both grew chemolithoautotrophically with H₂ as the electron donor and can use thiosulfate, elemental sulfur and polysulfide as the electron acceptors. AHT 2 also used nitrate as acceptor, reducing it to ammonia. During thiosulfate reduction, AHT 1 excreted sulfite. dsrAB gene was not found in either strain. Both strains were moderate salt-tolerant (grow up to 2 M total Na⁺) true alkaliphiles (grow between pH 8.5 and 10.3). On the basis of the phenotypic and phylogenetic data, strains AHT 1 and AHT 2 are proposed as new genera and species Dethiobacter alkaliphilus and Desulfurivibrio alkaliphilus, respectively. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Nucleotide sequence accession number: The GenBank/EMBL accession number of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strains AHT 1T and AHT 2T are EF422412 and EF422413.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Aliihoeflea aestuarii</Emphasis> gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel bacterium isolated from tidal flat sediment

A novel Gram-negative and rod-shaped bacterium, designated N8^T, was isolated from tidal flat sediment. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that N8^T strain is associated with the family Phyllobacteriaceae: two uncultured clones (98.4 and 99.8% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and the genus Mesorhizobium (≤97.0%). The novel strain formed a separate clade with uncultured clones in the phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. Cellular fatty acid profiles predominately comprised C_18:1 ω7c and C_19:0 cyclo ω8c. The major isoprenoid quinone is ubiquinone-10 and genomic DNA G+C content is 53.4 mol%. The polyphasic taxonomic study indicates that the novel strain N8^T represents a novel species of the new genus in the family Phyllobacteriaceae, named Aliihoeflea aestuarii. The type strain is N8^T (= KCTC 22052^T= JCM 15118^T= DSM 19536^T).     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Tindallia texcoconensis</Emphasis> sp. nov., a new haloalkaliphilic bacterium isolated from lake Texcoco,Mexico

A new alkaliphilic and moderately halophilic, strictly anaerobic, fermentative bacterium (strain IMP-300^T) was isolated from a groundwater sample in the zone of the former soda lake Texcoco in Mexico. Strain IMP-300^T was Gram-positive, non-sporulated, motile and rod-shaped. It grew within a pH range from 7.5 to 10.5, and an optimum at 9.5. The organism was obligately dependent on the presence of sodium salts. Growth showed an optimum at 35°C with absence of growth above 45°C. It fermented peptone and a few amino acids, preferentially arginine and ornithine, with production of acetate, propionate, and ammonium. Its fatty acid pattern was mainly composed of straight chain saturated, unsaturated, and cyclopropane fatty acids. The G + C content of genomic DNA was 40.0 mol%. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the new isolate belongs to the genus Tindallia, in the low G + C Gram-positive phylum. Phylogenetically, strain IMP-300^T has Tindallia californiensis, as closest relative with a 97.5% similarity level between their 16S rDNA gene sequences, but the DNA–DNA re-association value between the two DNAs was only 42.2%. On the basis of differences in genotypic, phenotypic, and phylogenetic characteristics, strain IMP-300^T is proposed as a new species of the genus Tindallia, T. texcoconensis sp. nov. (type strain IMP-300^T = DSM 18041^T = JCM 13990^T).     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chlorobaculum macestae</Emphasis> sp. nov., a new green sulfur bacterium

The investigated green sulfur bacterium, strain M, was isolated from a sulfidic spring on the Black Sea Coast of the Caucasus. The cells of strain M are straight or curved rods 0.6–0.9 × 1.8–4.2 μm in size. According to the cell wall structure, the bacteria are gram-negative. Chlorosomes are located along the cell periphery. Strain M is an obligate anaerobe capable of photoautotrophic growth on sulfide, thiosulfate, and H₂. Acetatate is utilized as an additional carbon source. It utilizes ammonium, urea, casein hydrolysate, and N₂ as nitrogen sources and sulfide, thiosulfate, and elemental sulfur as sulfur sources. Bacteriochlorophyll c and the carotenoid chlorobactene are the main pigments. The optimal growth temperature is 25–28°C; the optimal pH is 6.8. The strain does not require NaCl. Vitamin B 12 stimulates growth. The content of the G+C base pairs in the DNA of strain M is 58.3 mol %. In the phylogenetic tree constructed on the basis of analysis of nucleotide sequences of 16S rRNA genes, strain M forms a separate branch, which occupies an intermediate position between the phylogenetic cluster containing representatives of the genus Chlorobaculum (94.9–96.8%) and the cluster containing species of the genus Chlorobium (94.1–96.5%). According to the results of analysis of the amino acid sequence corresponding to the fmo gene, strain M represents a branch which, unlike that in the “ribosomal” tree, falls into the cluster of the genus Chlorobaculum (95.8–97.2%). Phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid sequence corresponding to the nifH gene placed species of the genera Chlorobaculum and Chlorobium into a single cluster, whereas strain M formed a separate branch. The results obtained allow us to describe strain M as a new species of the genus ChlorobacChlorobaculum — Chlorobaculum macestae sp. nov.     

Influence of salts and pH on growth and activity of a novel facultatively alkaliphilic,extremely salt-tolerant,obligately chemolithoautotrophic sufur-oxidizing Gammaproteobacterium <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thioalkalibacter halophilus</Emphasis> gen. nov., sp. nov. from South-Western Siberian soda lakes

A chemolithoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacterium (SOB) strain ALCO 1 capable of growing at both near-neutral and extremely alkaline pH was isolated from hypersaline soda lakes in S-W Siberia (Altai, Russia). Strain ALCO 1 represents a novel separate branch within the halothiobacilli in the Gammaproteobacteria, which, so far, contained only neutro-halophilic SOB. On the basis of its unique phenotypic properties and distant phylogeny, strain ALCO 1 is proposed as a new genus and species Thioalkalibacter halophilus gen. nov. sp. nov. ALCO 1 was able to grow within a broad range of salinity (0.5–3.5 M of total sodium) with an optimum at around 1 M Na⁺, and pH (7.2–10.2, pH_opt at around 8.5). Na⁺ was required for sulfur-dependent respiration in ALCO 1. The neutral (NaCl)-grown chemostat culture had a much lower maximum growth rate (μ_max), respiratory activity and total cytochrome c content than its alkaline-grown counterpart. The specific concentration of osmolytes (ectoine and glycine-betaine) produced at neutral pH and 3 M NaCl was roughly two times higher than at pH 10 in soda. Altogether, strain ALCO 1 represents an interesting chemolithoautotrophic model organism for comparative investigations of bacterial adaptations to high salinity and pH. Nucleotide sequence accession number: The GenBank/EMBL accession number of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain ALCO1^T is EU124668.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida kashinagacola</Emphasis> sp. nov., <Emphasis Type="Italic">C. pseudovanderkliftii</Emphasis> sp. nov. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">C. vanderkliftii</Emphasis> sp. nov., three new yeasts from ambrosia beetle-associated sources

Three new yeast species, Candida kashinagacola (JCM 15019(T) = CBS 10903(T)), C. pseudovanderkliftii (JCM 15025(T) = CBS 10904(T)), and C. vanderkliftii (JCM 15029(T) = CBS 10905(T)) are described on the basis of comparison of nucleotide sequences of large subunit ribosomal DNA D1/D2 region (LSU rDNA D1/D2). The nearest assigned species of the three new species was Candida llanquihuensis. Candida kashinagacola and C. pseudovanderkliftii differed from C. llanquihuensis by 3.8% nucleotide substitution of the region, while C. vanderkliftii did by 4.4%. Three new species differed in a number of physiological and growth characteristics from any previously assigned species and from one another. A phylogenetic tree based on the sequences of LSU rDNA D1/D2 showed that these new species together with Candida sp. ST-246, Candida sp. JW01-7-11-1-4-y2, Candida sp. BG02-7-20-001A-2-1 and C. llanquihuensis form a clade near Ambrosiozyma species. The new species did not assimilate methanol as a sole source of carbon, which supported the monophyly of these non methanol-assimilating species which are closely related to the methylotrophic yeasts. Candida kashinagacola was frequently isolated from the beetle galleries of Platypus quercivorus in three different host trees (Quercus serrata, Q. laurifolia and Castanopsis cuspidata) located in the sourthern part of Kyoto, Japan, thus indicating that this species may be a primary ambrosia fungus of P. quercivorus. On the other hand, C. pseudovanderkliftii and C. vanderkliftii were isolated only from beetle galleries in Q. laurifolia. Candida vanderkliftii was isolated from beetle gallery of Platypus lewisi as well as those of P. quercivorus. Candida pseudovanderkliftii and C. vanderkliftii are assumed to be auxiliary ambrosia fungi of P. quercivorus.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Salinicola socius</Emphasis> gen. nov., sp. nov., a moderately halophilic bacterium from a naphthalene-utilizing microbial association

A chemoorganotrophic, moderately halophilic bacterium (strain SMB35) has been isolated from a naphthalene-utilizing microbial community obtained from salt mines (Perm region of Russia). Strain SMB35 grows in a wide salinity range, 0.5 to 30% (wt/vol) NaCl. Cells are gram-negative rods motile by means of a single polar flagellum. The predominant fatty acids are 16:1ω7, 16:0, 18:1ω7, and 19 cy. The major lipoquinone is an unsaturated ubiquinone with nine isoprene units (Q₉). The DNA G+C content is 63.0 mol %. The 16S rDNA-based phylogenetic analysis has shown that strain SMB35 formed a separate clade in the cluster of the family Halomonadaceae. The 16S rDNA sequence similarity of the isolate to the members of the family is in the range from 90.6 to 95.1%. The phylogenetic and phenotypic differences from Halomonas elongata (the type species of the genus) and from other members of the family suggest that the isolate represents a novel genus and species, for which the name Salinicola socius gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SMB35^T(=VKM B-2397^T).     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium matuoi</Emphasis> sp. nov. and its teleomorph <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cosmospora matuoi</Emphasis> sp. nov.

A group of Fusarium isolates from slime flux similar to F. aquaeductuum produced unique, strongly curved, aseptate, C-shaped conidia. They were found to be identical to F. splendens nom. nud. Dried specimens from which F. splendens was originally isolated were reexamined and characterized as a new species of Cosmospora. Cosmospora matuoi sp. nov. is proposed for the teleomorph, and Fusarium matuoi sp. nov. is proposed for its anamorph.     

Novel chemolithotrophic,thermophilic, anaerobic bacteria <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thermolithobacter ferrireducens</Emphasis> gen. nov., sp. nov. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thermolithobacter carboxydivorans</Emphasis> sp. nov.

Three thermophilic strains of chemolithoautotrophic Fe(III)-reducers were isolated from mixed sediment and water samples (JW/KA-1 and JW/KA-2(T): Calcite Spring, Yellowstone N.P., WY, USA; JW/JH-Fiji-2: Savusavu, Vanu Levu, Fiji). All were Gram stain positive rods (approximately 0.5 x 1.8 microm). Cells occurred singly or in V-shaped pairs, and they formed long chains in complex media. All utilized H(2) to reduce amorphous iron (III) oxide/hydroxide to magnetite at temperatures from 50 to 75 degrees C (opt. approximately 73 degrees C). Growth occurred within the pH(60C) range of 6.5-8.5 (opt. pH(60C) 7.1-7.3). Magnetite production by resting cells occurred at pH(60C) 5.5-10.3 (opt. 7.3). The iron (III) reduction rate was 1.3 mumol Fe(II) produced x h(-1) x ml(-1) in a culture with 3 x 10(7) cells, one of the highest rates reported. In the presence or absence of H(2), JW/KA-2(T) did not utilize CO. The G + C content of the genomic DNA of the type strain is 52.7 +/- 0.3 mol%. Strains JW/KA-1 and JW/KA-2(T) each contain two different 16S rRNA gene sequences. The 16S rRNA gene sequences from JW/KA-1, JW/KA-2(T), or JW/JH-Fiji-2 possessed >99% similarity to each other but also 99% similarity to the 16S rRNA gene sequence from the anaerobic, thermophilic, hydrogenogenic CO-oxidizing bacterium 'Carboxydothermus restrictus' R1. DNA-DNA hybridization between strain JW/KA-2(T) and strain R1(T) yielded 35% similarity. Physiological characteristics and the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that the strains represent two novel species and are placed into the novel genus Thermolithobacter within the phylum 'Firmicutes'. In addition, the levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between the lineage containing the Thermolithobacter and well-established members of the three existing classes of the 'Firmicutes' is less than 85%. Therefore, Thermolithobacter is proposed to constitute the first genus within a novel class of the 'Firmicutes', Thermolithobacteria. The Fe(III)-reducing Thermolithobacter ferrireducens gen. nov., sp. nov. is designated as the type species with strain JW/KA-2(T) (ATCC 700985(T), DSM 13639(T)) as its type strain. Strain R1(T) is the type strain for the hydrogenogenic, CO-oxidizing Thermolithobacter carboxydivorans sp. nov. (DSM 7242(T), VKM 2359(T)).     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Arthrobacter soli</Emphasis> sp. nov., a novel bacterium isolated from wastewater reservoir sediment

A novel Gram-positive bacterium, designated SYB2T, was isolated from wastewater reservoir sediment, and a polyphasic taxonomic study was conducted based on its morphological, physiological, and biochemical features, as well as the analysis of its 16S rRNA gene sequence. During the phylogenetic analysis of the strain SYB2T, results of a 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis placed this bacterium in the genus Arthrobacter within the family Micrococcaceae. SYB2T and Arthrobacter protophormiae ATCC 19271T, the most closely related species, both exhibited a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 98.99%. The genomic DNA G+C content of the novel strain was found to be 62.0 mol%. The predominant fatty acid composition was anteiso-C15:0, anteiso-C17:0, iso-C16:0, and iso-C15:0. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences and DNA-DNA relatedness, as well as physiological and biochemical tests, showed genotypic and phenotypic differences between strain SYB2T and other Arthrobacter species. The type strain of the novel species was identified as SYB2T (= KCTC 19291T= DSM 19449T).     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Tubulideres seminoli</Emphasis> gen. et sp. nov. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zelinkaderes brightae</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Kinorhyncha,Cyclorhagida) from Florida

One new kinorhynch genus and species and one new species from the genus Zelinkaderes are described from sandy sediment off Fort Pierce, Florida. The new genus and species, Tubulideres seminoli gen. et sp. nov. is characterized by the presence of the first trunk segment consisting of a closed ring, the second segment of a bent tergal plate with a midventral articulation and the following nine segments consisting of a tergal and two sternal plates. Cuspidate spines are not present, but flexible tubules are located on several segments, and in particular concentrated on the ventral side of the second segment. Middorsal spines are present on all trunk segments and are alternatingly offset to a position slightly lateral to the middorsal line. Zelinkaderes brightae nov. sp. is characterized by its spine formula in having middorsal spines on trunk segments 4, 6 and 8–11, lateroventral acicular spines on segment 2, lateral accessory cuspidate spines on segments 2 and 8, ventrolateral cuspidate spines on segments 4–6 and 9, lateroventral acicular spines present on segments 8 and 9, and midterminal, lateral terminal and lateral terminal accessory spines on segment 11. The spine formula of Z. brightae nov. sp. places it in a position in between Z. submersus and a clade consisting of Z. klepali and Z. floridensis. The new findings on Z. brightae nov. sp. have led us to propose an emended diagnosis for the genus.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Natronincola ferrireducens</Emphasis> sp. nov., and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Natronincola peptidovorans</Emphasis> sp. nov., new anaerobic alkaliphilic peptolytic iron-reducing bacteria isolated from soda lakes

Two novel strains of obligately alkaliphilic (pH 7.5–10.2, optimum pH 8.4–8.8) anaerobic spore-forming rod-shaped bacteria, Z-0511 and Z-7031, were isolated from enrichment cultures obtained from the iron-reducing (Lake Khadyn, Tyva) and cellulolytic (Lake Verkhnee Beloe, Buryatia) bacterial communities, respectively. The organisms ferment peptides and do not ferment proteins and amino acids, with the exception of histidine and glutamate utilized by strain Z-0511. The major fermentation products were acetate and propionate for strain Z-0511 and formate and acetate for strain Z-7031, respectively. Carbohydrates and fermentable organic acids could not serve as substrates, except for pyruvate in the case of strain Z-7031. Nitrogen and sulfur compounds were not utilized as electron acceptors by the strains grown on medium with yeast extract. Strain Z-0511 utilized fumarate, crotonate, and EDTA-Fe(III) as electron acceptors. Anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (quinone) and Mn(IV) were utilized by both strains, as well as amorphous ferric hydroxide (AFH), which was reduced to iron sesquioxides and magnetite. The presence of AFH stimulated growth; it enhanced the yield of the fermentation products and changed the quantitative ratios of these products. According to a phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences and the phenotypic characteristics of the new strains, they were classified as new species of the genus Natronincola, Natronincola ferrireducens sp. nov. Z-0511^T (= VKM B-2402, = DSM 18346) and Natronincola peptidovorans sp. nov. Z-7031^T (= VKM B-2503, = DSM 18979).     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">mayteni</Emphasis> sp. nov., a novel actinomycete isolated from a Chinese medicinal plant

An actinomycete strain, designated YIM 60475^T, was isolated from the roots of Maytenus austroyunnanensis and was characterized by using a polyphasic approach. The strain was determined to belong to the genus Streptomyces, based on its phenotypic and phylogenetic characteristics. The strain produced spiral spore chains on aerial mycelium. The cell wall contained ll-diaminopimelic acid. Whole-cell hydrolysates contained galactose, glucose, and xylose. The phospholipid was type II. The DNA G+C content of the type strain was 73.3 mol%. DNA–DNA hybridization and comparison of physiological and chemical characteristics suggested that strain YIM 60475^T is a new Streptomyces species, for which the name Streptomyces mayteni sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 60475^T (=CCTCC AA 207005^T = KCTC 19383^T). Hua-Hong Chen and Sheng Qin contributed equally to this work.     

Floral development and systematic position of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arillastrum</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Allosyncarpia</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stockwellia</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eucalyptopsis</Emphasis> (Myrtaceae)

We have investigated the floral ontogeny of Arillastrum, Allosyncarpia, Stockwellia and Eucalyptopsis (of the eucalypt group, Myrtaceae) using scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. Several critical characters for establishing relationships between these genera and to the eucalypts have been determined. The absence of compound petaline primordia in Arillastrum, Allosyncarpia, Stockwellia and Eucalyptopsis excludes these taxa from the eucalypt clade. Post-anthesis circumscissile abscission of the hypanthium above the ovary in Stockwellia, Eucalyptopsis and Allosyncarpia is evidence that these three taxa form a monophyletic group; undifferentiated perianth parts and elongated fusiform buds are characters that unite Stockwellia and Eucalyptopsis as sister taxa. No floral characters clearly associate Arillastrum with either the eucalypt clade or the clade of Stockwellia, Eucalyptopsis and Allosyncarpia.We gratefully acknowledge Clyde Dunlop and Bob Harwood (Northern Territory Herbarium) for collecting specimens of Allosyncarpia, and Bruce Gray (Atherton) for collecting specimens of Stockwellia. The Australian National Herbarium (CANB) kindly lent herbarium specimens of Eucalyptopsis for examination. This research was supported by a University of Melbourne Research Development Grant to Andrew Drinnan.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces tritolerans</Emphasis> sp. nov., a novel actinomycete isolated from soil in Karnataka,India

A Gram-positive, nonmotile, moderately halophilic, alkali and thermotolerant strain designated DAS 165(T), was isolated from a dry land soil sample from the Gulbarga region, Karnataka province, India. The isolate produced yellow substrate mycelia and gray aerial mycelia on most tested media. Strain DAS 165(T) showed growth in the presence of 5 to 7% NaCl and at 45 degrees C. The DNA G + C content was 69.7%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis together with these characteristics consistently assigned strain DAS 165(T) to the genus Streptomyces. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain DAS 165(T) was most closely related to S. tendae ATCC 19812(T) (D 63873) with a sequence similarity of 99.6% (three nucleotide differences out of 1,517). Strain DAS 165(T) formed a distinct clade based on analysis of the almost complete sequence and 120-nucleotide variable gamma region of the 16S rRNA gene. Despite the high sequence similarity, strain DAS 165(T) was phenotypically different from S. tendae ATCC 19812(T). DNA-DNA hybridization between these strains was 47% showing that strain DAS 165(T) is a distinct genomic species. Phenetic and genetic results support the classification of strain DAS 165(T) as a new species, for which the name S. tritolerans is proposed, with strain DAS 165(T) as the type strain (=DSM 41899(T )= CCTCCAA 206013(T)).     

A new peronosporomycete, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Halioticida noduliformans</Emphasis> gen. et sp. nov., isolated from white nodules in the abalone <Emphasis Type="Italic">Haliotis</Emphasis> spp. from Japan

Four strains belonging to the Peronosporomycetes (formerly Oomycetes) were isolated from white nodules found on the mantle of three species of abalone. In artificial seawater, the four isolates formed fragments such as in the genus Haliphthoros, but the protoplasm constriction was weaker, and fragments were longer, with smaller spaces between them, than those of Haliphthoros. The four strains form one or more discharge tubes from each zoosporangium. The four strains were similar, but not identical, to the genus Haliphthoros based on morphological characteristics. As a result, the four isolates were classified in a new genus and species, Halioticida noduliformans gen. et sp. nov. Phylogenetic analysis of the D1/D2 region of the large subunit ribosomal RNA gene (LSU rDNA) was performed, and the four isolates showed 100%–99.8% concordance. In the phylogenetic tree, the four isolates were not classified in the subclass Peronosporomycetidae, Saprolegniomycetidae, or Rhipidiomycetidae. However, the four isolates formed a new clade with genera Haliphthoros and Halocrusticida in Peronosporomycetes. Within this new clade, the four isolates, Haliphthoros spp. and Halocrusticida spp., were grouped in their respective independent subclades. These results showed that these were the new genus and species from the morphological characteristics.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Acinetobacter soli</Emphasis> sp. nov., isolated from forest soil

A non-motile and rod shaped bacterium, designated strain B1(T), was isolated from forest soil at Mt. Baekwoon, Republic of Korea. Cells were Gram-negative, catalase-positive, and oxidase-negative. The major fatty acids were 9-octadecenoic acid (C(18:1) omega9c; 42%) and hexadecanoic acid (C(16:0); 25.9%) and summed feature 3 (comprising iso-C(15:0) 2-OH and/or C(16:1) omega7c; 10.0%). The DNA G+C content was 44.1 mol%. A phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain B1(T) formed a lineage within the genus Acinetobacter and was closely related to A. baylyi DSM 14961(T) (98.6% sequence similarity), followed by A. baumannii DSM 30007(T) (97.4%), A. calcoaceticus DSM 30006(T) (97.0%) and 3 genomic species (96.8 approximately 7.6%). Phenotypic characteristics, gyrB gene sequence analysis and DNA-DNA relatedness data distinguished strain B1(T) from type strains of A. baylyi, A. baumannii, and A. calcoaceticus. On the basis of the evidence presented in this study, strain B1(T) represents a novel species of the genus Acinetobacter, for which the name Acinetobacter soli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is B1(T) (= KCTC 22184(T)= JCM 15062(T)).     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Henriciella marina</Emphasis> gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel member of the family <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hyphomonadaceae</Emphasis> isolated from the East Sea

A bacterial strain, designated Iso4^T, was isolated from the East Sea of Korea and was subjected to a poly-phasic taxonomy study including phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics as well as 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Cells of the strain were Gram-negative, motile, non-budding, non-stalked, and strictly aerobic. Strain Iso4^T grew optimally at 20°C in the presence of 1∼2% (w/v) NaCl and at pH 6.9∼7.6. The major respiratory quinone was Q-10 and the major cellular fatty acids were C_18:1 ω7c (53.5%), C_17:1 ω5c (11.7%), C_17:1 ω6c (8.1%), C_16:0 (7.8%), C_17:0 (4.8%), C_15:0 (2.9%), and C_16:1 ω5c (2.2%). The DNA G+C content of strain Iso4^T was 56.2 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain Iso4^T formed a monophyletic clade in the family Hyphomonadaceae, supported by high bootstrap value and was most closely related to the genus Hyphomonas (92∼94%), a member of marine bacteria in the family. The phenotypic, genotypic, and chemotaxonomic evidences also suggest strain Iso4^T represents a novel genus and species in the family Hyphomonadaceae, for which the name Henriciella gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Iso4^T (=KCTC 12513^T =DSM 19595^T =JCM 15116^T).     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Thermococcus marinus</Emphasis> sp. nov. and<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Thermococcus radiotolerans</Emphasis> sp. nov., two hyperthermophilic archaea from deep-sea hydrothermal vents that resist ionizing radiation

Enrichments for anaerobic, organotrophic hyperthermophiles were performed with hydrothermal chimney samples collected from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at a depth of 3,550 m (23°22N, 44°57W) and the Guaymas Basin (27°01N, 111°24W) at a depth of 2,616 m. Positive enrichments were submitted to -irradiation at doses of 20 and 30 kGy. Two hyperthermophilic, anaerobic, sulfur-metabolizing archaea were isolated. Strain EJ1^T was isolated from chimney samples collected from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge after -irradiation at 20 kGy, and strain EJ2^T was isolated from the Guaymas Basin after -irradiation at 30 kGy. Only strain EJ2^T was motile, and both formed regular cocci. These new strains grew between 55 and 95 °C with the optimal temperature being 88 °C. The optimal pH for growth was 6.0, and the optimal NaCl concentration for growth was around 20 g l^–1. These strains were obligate anaerobic heterotrophs that utilized yeast extract, tryptone, and peptone as a carbon source for growth. Ten amino acids were essential for the growth of strain EJ1^T, such as arginine, aspartic acid, isoleucine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, threonine, tyrosine, and valine, while strain EJ2^T was unable to grow on a mixture of amino acids. Elemental sulfur or cystine was required for EJ2^T growth and was reduced to hydrogen sulfide. Rifampicin inhibited growth for both strains EJ1^T and EJ2^T. The G+C contents of the genomic DNA were 52.3 and 54.5 mol% for EJ1^T and EJ2^T, respectively. As determined by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, these strains were more closely related to Thermococcus gorgonarius, T. celer, T. guaymasensis, T. profundus, and T. hydrothermalis. However, no significant homology was observed between them with DNA–DNA hybridization. These novel organisms also possess phenotypic traits that differ from those of its closest phylogenetic relatives. Therefore, it is proposed that these isolates, which are amongst the most radioresistant hyperthermophilic archaea known to date with T. gammatolerans (Jolivet et al. 2003a), should be described as novel species T. marinus sp. nov. and T. radiotolerans sp. nov. The type strain of T. marinus is strain EJ1^T (=DSM 15227^T=JCM 11825^T) and the type strain of T. radiotolerans is strain EJ2^T (=DSM 15228^T=JCM 11826^T).Communicated by J. WiegelThe GenBank accession numbers for the 16S rRNA sequence of Thermococcus marinus strain EJ1^T and Thermococcus radiotolerans EJ2^T are AF479012 and AF479013, respectively.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Thiocapsa imhoffii</Emphasis>, sp. nov., an alkaliphilic purple sulfur bacterium of the family <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chromatiaceae</Emphasis> from Soap Lake,Washington (USA)

An alkaliphilic purple sulfur bacterium, strain SC5, was isolated from Soap Lake, a soda lake located in east central Washington state (USA). Cells of strain SC5 were gram-negative, non-motile, and non-gas vesiculate cocci, often observed in pairs or tetrads. In the presence of sulfide, elemental sulfur was deposited internally. Liquid cultures were pink to rose red in color. Cells contained bacteriochlorophyll a and spirilloxanthin as major photosynthetic pigments. Internal photosynthetic membranes were of the vesicular type. Optimal growth of strain SC5 occurred in the absence of NaCl (range 0–4%), pH 8.5 (range pH 7.5–9.5), and 32°C. Photoheterotrophic growth occurred in the presence of sulfide or thiosulfate with only a limited number of organic carbon sources. Growth factors were not required, and cells could fix N₂. Dark, microaerobic growth occurred in the presence of both an organic carbon source and thiosulfate. Sulfide and thiosulfate served as electron donors for photoautotrophy, which required elevated levels of CO₂. Phylogenetic analysis placed strain SC5 basal to the clade of the genus Thiocapsa in the family Chromatiaceae with a 96.7% sequence similarity to its closest relative, Thiocapsa roseopersicina strain 1711^T (DSM217^T). The unique assemblage of physiological and phylogenetic properties of strain SC5 defines it as a new species of the genus Thiocapsa, and we describe strain SC5 herein as Tca. imhoffii, sp. nov.