Penicillium siamensis sp. nov., from Thailand soil

Fungal flora of 20 samples of lentil seeds collected from Assiut governorate, Egypt, were studied. Seventeen genera and 13 species were isolated on glucose- (15 genera and 27 species), cellulose-(15 genera and 25 species)Czapek's agar media at 28 °C. The most common species were as follows: on glucose-Czapek's agar, Aspergillus fumigatus, A. niger, A. flavus, A. terreus, Penicillium notatum and Rhizopus oryzae and on cellulose agar, A. fumigatus, A. niger, A. flavus and P. notatum. Thin layer chromatographic (TLC) analysis and a biological test (Artemia salina) indicated the presence and the toxicity of aflatoxin in the extract of one sample (aflatoxins B₁, B₂, G₁ and G₂, at 20 mg/kg, total). This is the first report of the natural occurrence of aflatoxins in lentils.     

Actinomadura fibrosa sp. nov. isolated from soil

A new species of the genus Actinomadura which belongs to the Actinomadura madurae group of Goodfellow et al. was isolated from soil collected in Togo, West Africa. Traditional taxonomic methods plus contemporary fatty acid analysis techniques were used to establish the position of this species. Both physiological characteristics and fatty acid composition differentiate this strain from previously described species. This culture produces a new polyether antibiotic. It is characterized by the production of white to pink aerial hyphae on a limited number of media. The aerial hyphae appear asporogenous, forming thick fibers and projections instead of true spores. The reverse side is a distinctive reddish orange. This organism is resistant to 5% NaCl and grows at temperatures between 20 and 45 degrees C. Whole cells contain meso-diaminopimelic acid, galactose, glucose, mannose, madurose, phosphatidylinositol, and diphosphatidylglycerol. The menaquinones detected were MK-9(H6) and minor amounts of MK-9(H8). The name proposed for this new species is Actinomadura fibrosa; the type strain is strain NRRL 18348.     

Nocardia rhamnosiphila sp. nov., isolated from soil

In this study two actinomycete strains were isolated in Cape Town (South Africa), one from a compost heap (strain 202GMO^T) and the other from within the fynbos-rich area surrounded by the horseracing track at Kenilworth Racecourse (strain C2). Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence BLAST analysis, the strains were identified as members of the genus Nocardia. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the strains clustered together and are most closely related to Nocardia flavorosea NRRL B-16176^T, Nocardia testacea JCM 12235^T, Nocardia sienata IFM 10088^T and Nocardia carnea DSM 43397^T. This association was also supported by gyrB based phylogenetic analysis. The results of DNA–DNA hybridization and physiological tests allowed genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of both strains 202GMO^T and C2 from related species. However, their high DNA relatedness showed that they belong to the same species. Strain 202GMO^T was selected as the type strain to represent this novel species, for which the name Nocardia rhamnosiphila is proposed (=DSM 45147^T = NRRL B-24637^T).     

Paraherbaspirillum soli gen. nov., sp. nov. isolated from soil

A bacterial strain, designated JS5-2^T, was isolated from soil collected from Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. The cells of the strain were Gram-negative, nonspore forming, catalase- and oxidase-positive, aerobic, nonmotile and rod-shaped. Strain JS5-2^T exhibited 96.2–97.2, 95.1–96.3, and 95.4–95.8% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to the genera Herbaspirillum, Oxalicibacterium, and Herminiimonas, respectively. The highest sequence similarities were with Herbaspirillum autotrophicum IAM 14942^T (97.2%) and Herbaspirillum frisingense GSF30^T (97.1%). The major fatty acids of strain JS5-2^T were C_16:0 (35.0%), C_17:0 cyclo (19.9%), C_18:1 ω7c (11.4%), and summed feature 3 (C_16:1 ω7c/C_15:0 iso 2-OH) (15.2%), and the major polar lipids of strain JS5-2^T were diphosphatidylglycerol and an unknown aminophospholipid. The strain contained Q-8 as the predominant ubiquinone. DNA-DNA relatedness values between strain JS5-2^T and H. autotrophicum IAM 14942^T, and H. frisingense GSF30^T were 32 and 35%, respectively. The DNA G+C content of strain JS5-2^T was 59.0 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic, and physiological evidence, strain JS5-2^T represents a novel species of a new genus, for which the name Paraherbaspirillum soli gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain JS5-2^T (=KACC 12633^T =NBRC 106496^T) is proposed.     

Cohnella boryungensis sp. nov., isolated from soil

A Gram-staining positive, endospore-forming, motile and rod-shaped bacterial strain, BR-29^T, was isolated from soil from west coast of the Korean peninsula, and its taxonomic position was investigated by a polyphasic study. Strain BR-29^T grew optimally at around pH 7.5, at 30°C and in the presence of 0.5% (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain BR-29^T fell into a clade comprising the type strains of Cohnella species, with which it exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 92.8–96.4%. Strain BR-29^T contained a cell wall peptidoglycan based on meso-diaminopimelic acid and MK-7 as the predominant menaquinone. The major fatty acids were anteiso-C_15:0, C_16:0 and iso-C_16:0. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, lysylphosphatidylglycerol and two unidentified phospholipids; a minor amount of phosphatidylglycerol was present. The DNA G+C content was 54.9 mol%. Strain BR-29^T could be differentiated from phylogenetically related Cohnella species by differences in phenotypic characteristics. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic data, strain BR-29^T represents a novel species of the genus Cohnella, for which the name Cohnella boryungensis sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is BR-29^T (= KCTC 13735^T = CCUG 59598^T).     

Niabella terrae sp. nov. isolated from greenhouse soil

An orange-colored bacterial strain, ICM 1–15^T, was isolated from greenhouse soil. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of this strain showed the highest sequence similarity with Niabella ginsengisoli GR10-1^T (95.2%) and Niabella yanshanensis CCBAU 05354^T (95.0%) among the type strains. The strain ICM 1–15^T was a strictly aerobic, Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, non-motile, flexirubin pigment-producing, short rod-shaped bacterium. The strain grew at 15–35°C (optimum, 25°C), at a pH of 5.0–8.5 (optimum, pH 6.5), and in the presence of 0–3% NaCl (optimum, 1%). The DNA G+C content of strain ICM 1–15^T was 43.6 mol%. It contained MK-7 as the major isoprenoid quinone and iso-C_15:0 (38.9%), iso-C_15:1 G (20.3%), and iso-C_17:0 3-OH (12.9%) as the major fatty acids. On the basis of evidence from our polyphasic taxonomic study, we concluded that strain ICM 1–15^T should be classified within a novel species of the genus Niabella, for which the name Niabella terrae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ICM 1–15^T (=KACC 17443^T =JCM 19502^T).     

Paenibacillus cucumis sp. nov. isolated from greenhouse soil

Strain CO 4–7^T was isolated from greenhouse soil used for cultivation of cucumbers in Korea. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain CO 4–7^T showed the highest sequence similarity with Paenibacillus contaminans CKOBP-6^T (94.2%) among the type strains. Strain CO 4–7^T was a strictly aerobic, Gram-staining-positive, endospore-forming, and motile rodshaped bacterium. Strain CO 4–7^T grew at 10–45°C (optimum, 30°C), at pH 6.0–7.5 (optimum, pH 6.5) and in the presence of 0–5% NaCl (optimum, 0.5%). The DNA G+C content of strain CO 4–7^T was 48.5 mol%. It contained MK-7 as the major isoprenoid quinone and anteiso-C15:0 (51.8%), C16:0 (12.7%), and iso-C16:0 (8.6%) as the major fatty acids. The cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. Based on evidence from our polyphasic taxonomic study, it was concluded that strain CO 4-7T should be classified as a novel species of the genus Paenibacillus, for which, the name Paenibacillus cucumis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CO 4–7^T (=KACC 17444^T=JCM 19515^T).     

Paracoccus niistensis sp. nov., isolated from forest soil, India

A Gram-negative, non-motile, catalase-positive and oxidase-positive, aerobic bacterium designated as NII-0918(T) was isolated from soil sample in Western ghat forest, India. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain NII-0918(T) belongs to the subclass α-Proteobacteria, being related to the genus Paracoccus, and sharing highest sequence similarity with Paracoccus chinensis NBRC 104937(T) (99.4%), Paracoccus marinus NBRC 100640(T) (97.3%), Paracoccus koreensis Ch05(T) (97.1%) and Paracoccus kondratievae GB(T) (97.0%). Other members of Paracoccus showed below 97.0% similarity. The DNA-DNA hybridization values between these four strains and NII-0918(T) were 44.7, 28, 32 and 41%, respectively. The major fatty acids of strain NII-0918(T) were summed feature 7 (C18:1 ω7c/ω 9t/ω 12t) (83.0%) and C18:0 (12.5%). Ubiquinone Q-10 was detected as the major respiratory quinone. The G+C content of genomic DNA of NII-0918(T) was 66.6 mol%. On the basis of physiological, morphological, chemotaxonomical and DNA-DNA hybridization data, it is proposed that strain NII-0918(T) should be placed as a novel species, for which we propose Paracoccus niistensis sp. nov. The type strain is NII-0918(T) (CCTCC AA 209055(T) = NCIM 5340(T) = KCTC 22789(T)).     

Micromonospora haikouensis sp. nov., isolated from mangrove soil

An actinomycete strain 232617^T was isolated from a composite mangrove sediment sample collected in Haikou, China. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain 232617^T indicated the highest similarity with Micromonospora siamensis TT2-4^T (99.05%), Micromonospora krabiensis A-2^T (98.99%) and Micromonospora carbonacea DSM 43815^T (98.91%). The gyrB gene sequence analysis also indicated that 232617^T should be assigned to the genus Micromonospora. The cell wall contains meso-DAP and glycine. The major menaquinones were MK-10(H₄) and MK-10(H₆), with MK-9(H₄) as minor components. The characteristic whole-cell sugars are xylose, arabinose and glucose. The phospholipid profile comprises phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidlglycerol and phosphatidylinositol mannoside. The DNA G+C content is 71.5 mol%. Furthermore, a combination of DNA–DNA relatedness and some physiological and biochemical properties indicated that the novel strain could be readily distinguished from the closest related species. On the basis of these phenotypic and genotypic data, strain 232617^T represents a novel species of the genus Micromonospora, for which the name Micromonospora haikouensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 232617^T (= CCTCC AA 201112 ^T = DSM 45626 ^T).     

Planococcus soli sp. nov., isolated from antarctic soil

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek - A novel bacterial strain, designated C23T, was isolated from a soil sample obtained from King George Island, Antarctica. Phenotypic, phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and...