Limibacillus halophilus gen. nov., sp nov., a moderately halophilic bacterium in the family Rhodospirillaceae isolated from reclaimed land

Abstract

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming and short rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated CAU 1121(T), was isolated from reclaimed land in the Republic of Korea and its taxonomic position was investigated using a polyphasic approach. The bacterium grew optimally at 37 degrees C, at pH 6.5 and in the presence of 2 % (w/v) NaCl. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, the novel isolate belonged to the family Rhodospirillaceae within the class Alphaproteobacteria and formed an independent lineage within the evolutionary radiation encompassed by the phylum Proteobacteria. Strain CAU 1121(T) exhibited very low levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with its phylogenetic neighbours Pelagibius litoralis (similarity, 92.5 %), Fodinicurvata fenggangensis (similarity, 91.4 %), Fodinicurvata sediminis (similarity, 90.7 %) and Tistlia consotensis (similarity, 91.0 %). Strain CAU 1121(T) contained ubiquinone10 as the only respiratory quinone and C-18 : 1 omega 7c as the major cellular fatty acid. The DNA G+C content of the strain was 65 mol%. On the basis of phylogenetic inference, and physiological and chemotaxonomic data, it is proposed that strain CAU 1121(T) represents a novel genus and novel species in the family Rhodospirillaceae, for which the name Limibacillus halophilus gen. nov., sp. nov. is suggested. The type strain is CAU 11211 (=KCTC 42420(T)=CECT 8803(T)=NBRC 110928(T)).