Thalassobacter stenotrophicus gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel marine alpha-proteobacterium isolated from Mediterranean sea water.

A Gram-negative, slightly halophilic, strictly aerobic, chemo-organotrophic bacterium was isolated from Mediterranean sea water near Valencia (Spain). 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons showed that the isolate represented a separate branch within the α-3 subclass of the Proteobacteria, now included within the order ‘Rhodobacterales’. Jannaschia helgolandensis was the closest relative, but their low sequence similarity and other features indicated that they were not related at the genus level. Isolate 5SM22T produced bacteriochlorophyll a and grew on solid media as regular salmon-pink colonies. Cells are motile rods, with polar flagella. The DNA G+C content is 59·1 mol%. Morphological, physi…

Whole-Genome Analyses

Abstract Average nucleotide identity (ANI) was proposed almost 10 years ago as a means to compare genetic relatedness among prokaryotic strains. It was found that values around 95% corresponded to the 70% DNA–DNA hybridization cut-off value that is widely used to delineate archaeal and bacterial species. ANI calculations are one of the many aspects and approaches that can be derived from comparative genomic data and used for taxonomic purposes. Here, an overview about the impact and current usage of ANI values is given together with details of the existing user-friendly package tool, the biology-oriented software package JSpecies, which can be used to generate two types of ANI calculations …

Emendation of Rules 5b, 8, 15 and 22 of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes to include the rank of phylum.

Following the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes electronic discussion and vote on proposals to include the rank of phylum in the rules of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes, we here announce the results of the ballot. We also present draft versions of the emended Rules 5b, 8, 15 and 22, based on the outcome of the ballot, to be included in the proposal for the preparation of a new revision of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes.

Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea (GEBA) VI: learning from type strains

Type strains of species are one of the most valuable resources in microbiology. During the last decade, the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea (GEBA) projects at the US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (JGI) and their collaborators have worked towards sequencing the genome of all the type strains of prokaryotic species. A new project GEBA VI extends these efforts to functional genomics, including pangenome and transcriptome sequencing and exometabolite analyses. As part of this project, investigators with interests in specific groups of prokaryotes are invited to submit samples for analysis at JGI.

Preparing a revision of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes

The Editorial Board of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes here explains the proposed procedure towards the production of the next revision of the Prokaryotic Code, to include public discussion of a draft version, to be prepared by the editors, followed by balloting of the members of the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes.

Rapid and improved identification of drinking water bacteria using the Drinking Water Library, a dedicated MALDI-TOF MS database.

Abstract According to the European Directives (UE) 2020/2184 and 2009/54/EC, which establishes the sanitary criteria for water intended for human consumption in Europe, water suitable for human consumption must be free of the bacterial indicators Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens and Enterococcus spp. Drinking water is also monitored for heterotrophic bacteria, which are not a human health risk, but can serve as an index of bacteriological water quality. Therefore, a rapid, accurate, and cost-effective method for the identification of these colonies would improve our understanding of the culturable bacteria of drinking water and facilitate the task of water management by treatment f…

Marinomonas aquamarina sp. nov., isolated from oysters and seawater.

Abstract The characterization of three bacterial strains isolated from cultured oysters and seawater at the Spanish Mediterranean coast has been performed. Strains were phenotypically and genetically characterized and the results led us to identify them as members of the genus Marinomonas . A phylogenetic analysis based on the almost complete 16S rDNA sequences clustered all three strains together (with sequence similarities around 99.8%) in the vicinity of M. communis and M. vaga sequences and distantly related to the other four species of the genus. The most closely related species was M. communis that shared 97.4–97.6% with the Mediterranean strains. DNA–DNA hybridizations were performed…

Emendation of General Consideration 5 and Rules 18a, 24a and 30 of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes to resolve the status of the Cyanobacteria in the prokaryotic nomenclature

Following the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes electronic discussion and vote on proposals to resolve the status of the Cyanobacteria in the prokaryotic nomenclature, we announce here the results of the ballot. We also present the emended versions of General Consideration 5 and Rules 18a, 24a and 30, based on the outcome of the ballot, to be included in the new revision of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes.

Comparative Genomics of Thalassobius Including the Description of Thalassobius activus sp. nov., and Thalassobius autumnalis sp. nov.

A taxogenomic study was conducted to describe two new Thalassobius species and to analyze the internal consistency of the genus Thalassobius along with Shimia and Thalassococcus. Strains CECT 5113T, CECT 5114, CECT 5118T, and CECT 5120 were isolated from coastal Mediterranean seawater, Spain. Cells were Gram-negative, non- motile coccobacilli, aerobic chemoorganotrophs, with an optimum temperature of 26°C and salinity of 3.5–5%. Major cellular fatty acids of strains CECT 5113T and CECT 5114 were C18 : 1 ω7c/ω6c and C10 : 0 3OH, G+C content was 54.4–54.5 mol% and were able to utilize propionate, L-threonine, L- arginine, and L-aspartate as carbon sources. They exhibited 98.3% 16S rRNA gene s…

Draft genomic sequence of Nereida ignava CECT 5292T, a marine bacterium of the family Rhodobacteraceae

Nereida ignava strain 2SM4T (= CECT 5292T = DSM 16309T = CIP 108404T = CCUG 49433T) is a marine bacterium belonging to the Roseobacter group of the family Rhodobacteraceae within the class Alphaproteobacteria. The strain was isolated from sea water surrounding cultivated oysters 2–3 miles off the Mediterranean coast near Valencia (Spain) and was phylogenetically related to uncultured clones of gall symbiont bacteria of some species of Prionitis alga. Here we describe the genome sequence and annotation of this organism, the type strain of the single species of this genus. The genome comprised 2,888,349 bp, 2,872 protein-coding genes and 52 RNA genes. The annotation revealed the capacity to p…

Proposed minimal standards for the use of genome data for the taxonomy of prokaryotes

Advancement of DNA sequencing technology allows the routine use of genome sequences in the various fields of microbiology. The information held in genome sequences proved to provide objective and reliable means in the taxonomy of prokaryotes. Here, we describe the minimal standards for the quality of genome sequences and how they can be applied for taxonomic purposes.

Draft Genome Sequences of Vibrio renopiscarius Strains CECT 8603T and CECT 8604, Two Marine Gammaproteobacteria Isolated from Cultured Gilthead Sea Bream (Sparus aurata).

ABSTRACT Vibrio renopiscarius DCR 1-4-2 T (CECT 8603 T ) and DCR 1-4-12 (CECT 8604) were isolated from healthy gilthead sea bream ( Sparus aurata ) from Mediterranean fish farms (Castellón, Spain). Their draft genome sequences (30 and 44 contigs, respectively) have 4.3 Mbp and a G+C content of 45.2 mol% and contain almost 3,700 protein-encoding genes.

Multilocus sequence analysis of putative Vibrio mediterranei strains and description of Vibrio thalassae sp. nov.

A multilocus sequence analysis based on partial gyrB, mreB, rpoD and pyrH genes was undertaken with 61 putative Vibrio mediterranei/V. shilonii strains from different hosts (mussels, oysters, clams, coral, fish and plankton) or habitat (seawater and sediment) and geographical origins (Mediterranean, Atlantic and Pacific). A consistent grouping was obtained with individual and concatenated gene sequences, and the clade, comprising 54 strains, was split into three subclades by all methods: subclade A (40 strains, including AK1, the former type strain of Vibrio shilonii), subclade B (8 strains) corresponding to the species V. mediterranei, and subclade C (six strains) representing a new specie…

Genome-based analyses reveal a synonymy among Halorubrum distributum Zvyagintseva and Tarasov 1989; Oren and Ventosa 1996, Halorubrum terrestre Ventosa et al. 2004, Halorubrum arcis Xu et al. 2007 and Halorubrum litoreum Cui et al. 2007. Emended description of Halorubrum distributum Zvyagintseva and Tarasov 1989; Oren and Ventosa 1996

A comparative taxonomic study of Halorubrum distributum , Halorubrum terrestre , Halorubrum arcis and Halorubrum litoreum was carried out using different approaches, 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA), phylogenomic analysis based on the comparison of the core genome, orthologous average nucleotide identity (OrthoANI), Genome-to-Genome Distance Calculator (GGDC), synteny plots and polar lipid profile (PLP). The MLSA study, using the five concatenated housekeeping genes atpB, EF-2, glnA, ppsA and rpoB′, and the phylogenomic analysis based on 1347 core translated gene sequences obtained from their genomes showed that Halorubrum distributum JCM 9100T, Halorubru…

Phylogenetic relationships within the family Halomonadaceae based on comparative 23S and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis.

A phylogenetic study of the family Halomonadaceae was carried out based on complete 16S rRNA and 23S rRNA gene sequences. Several 16S rRNA genes of type strains were resequenced, and 28 new sequences of the 23S rRNA gene were obtained. Currently, the family includes nine genera (Carnimonas, Chromohalobacter, Cobetia, Halomonas, Halotalea, Kushneria, Modicisalibacter, Salinicola and Zymobacter). These genera are phylogenetically coherent except Halomonas, which is polyphyletic. This genus comprises two clearly distinguished clusters: group 1 includes Halomonas elongata (the type species) and the species Halomonas eurihalina, H. caseinilytica, H. halmophila, H. sabkhae, H. almeriensis, H. hal…

Genomic Insights Into Five Strains of Lactobacillus plantarum With Biotechnological Potential Isolated From chicha, a Traditional Maize-Based Fermented Beverage From Northwestern Argentina

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are indigenous microorganisms that have been involved in food fermentations throughout history to preserve food and also to give special characteristics to them. The traditional fermented foods that are still being elaborated in indigenous populations around the world are a potential source of LAB with important biotechnological properties and/or beneficial to health. In a previous work, LAB biodiversity associated with chicha, a traditional maize-based fermented beverage from Northwestern Argentina, was studied, both by culture dependent and independent methods. From that study, 392 isolates were recovered, mostly members of Lactobacillus and Leuconostoc. Biotech…

Tropicibacter multivorans sp. nov., an aerobic alphaproteobacterium isolated from surface seawater.

Strain MD5T, an aerobic marine alphaproteobacterium, was isolated from Mediterranean seawater at Malvarrosa beach, Valencia, Spain. The strain was characterized in a polyphasic study and was placed phylogenetically within the Roseobacter clade in the family Rhodobacteraceae . Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain MD5T is related to Tropicibacter naphthalenivorans C02T, Phaeobacter inhibens T5T, P. gallaeciensis BS107T and P. daeponensis TF-218T, with 96.9, 96.2, 96.1 and 96.1 % sequence similarity, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses also showed that strain MD5T forms a stable clade only with T. naphthalenivorans C02T. Strain MD5T requires Na+ plus a diva…

Euzebyella saccharophila gen. nov., sp. nov., a marine bacterium of the family Flavobacteriaceae.

Strain 7SM30T , an aerobic marine, Gram-negative, heterotrophic and yellow- to orange-pigmented bacterium isolated from seawater from Castellón, Spain, was characterized using a polyphasic approach. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the isolate represented a novel lineage within the family Flavobacteriaceae. The most closely related genera were Pseudozobellia, Zobellia and Kriegella. Cells of strain 7SM30T were non-motile rods that required sea salts for growth, used a wide variety of carbohydrates as sole carbon and energy sources and, unlike species of the genera Pseudozobellia and Zobellia, did not possess flexirubin-type pigment or hydrolyse agar. Strain 7SM30T containe…

Molecular Characterization of Protease Producing Idiomarina Species Isolated from Peruvian Saline Environments

Opinions 97, 98 and 99

The International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes has formally endorsed the conclusions of the Judicial Commission on three pending Requests for an Opinion, thereby allowing the corresponding Opinions to be issued. According to Opinion 97, the request for the conservation of the name Streptomyces scabies is denied, allowing the continued use of the correction Streptomyces scabiei . Opinions 98 and 99 conclude that in the absence of associated authentic type material, the names Bacillus aeolius and Pectinatus portalensis , respectively, are not validly published.

Multilocus sequence analysis of the central clade of the genus Vibrio by using the 16S rRNA, recA, pyrH, rpoD, gyrB, rctB and toxR genes.

The central clade of the genus Vibrio, also called the Vibrio core group, comprises six species that are tightly related (DNA–DNA reassociation values are very close to 70 % for most species pairs). Identification of novel strains to the species level within this group is troublesome and results are quite often dependent on the methodology employed. Therefore, this group represents an excellent framework to test the robustness of multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) not only for inferring phylogeny but also as an identification tool without the need for DNA–DNA hybridization assays. The genes selected, 16S rRNA, recA, pyrH, rpoD, gyrB, rctB and toxR, were amplified by direct PCR from 44 Vibr…

Marinifilum flexuosum sp. nov., a new Bacteroidetes isolated from coastal Mediterranean Sea water and emended description of the genus Marinifilum Na et al., 2009.

Abstract A facultatively anaerobe, moderately halophilic, Gram-negative, filamentous, non motile and unpigmented bacterium, designated M30 T , was isolated from coastal Mediterranean Sea water in Valencia, Spain. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA sequences placed this strain in the phylum “ Bacteroidetes ” with Marinifilum fragile JC2469 T as its closest relative with 97% sequence similarity. Average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between both strains were far below the 95% threshold value for species delineation (about 89% using BLAST and about 90% using MUMmer). A comprehensive polyphasic study, including morphological, biochemical, physiological, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic d…

Photobacterium toruni sp. nov., a bacterium isolated from diseased farmed fish.

Three bacterial strains were isolated from liver and spleen of diseased farmed redbanded seabream (Pagrus auriga) in south-west Spain. Their partial 16S rRNA gene sequences clustered within those of the genus Photobacterium , showing high similarity (98.6–99.3 %) to the type strains of Photobacterium iliopiscarium , P. piscicola , P. kishitanii , P. aquimaris and P. phosphoreum . Multilocus sequence analysis using six housekeeping genes (gapA, topA, mreB, ftsZ, gyrB and 16S rRNA) confirmed the new strains as forming an independent branch with a bootstrap value of 100, likely to represent a novel species. To confirm this, we used whole genome sequencing and genomic analysis (ANIb, ANIm and i…

Hoeflea alexandrii sp. nov., isolated from the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum AL1V

A Gram-negative, aerobic, non-symbiotic bacterium (AM1V30(T)) was isolated from the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum AL1V. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strain AM1V30(T) was most closely related (97.4 % similarity) to the type strain of Hoeflea marina, which belongs to the family Phyllobacteriaceae within the order Rhizobiales of the class Alphaproteobacteria. A polyphasic approach was used to clarify the taxonomic position of strain AM1V30(T). During the course of this study, a second species was described by others as belonging to the genus Hoeflea, namely Hoeflea phototrophica; it showed a somewhat higher level of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with respec…

Genome Sequence of Bifidobacterium breve INIA P734 (CECT 8178), a Strain Isolated from Human Breast Milk

Departamento de Tecnología de Alimentos​​ (INIA)

Roseivivax atlanticus (Li, Lai, Liu, Sun and Shao, 2015) is a later heterotypic synonym of Roseivivax marinus (Dai, Shi, Gao, Liu and Zhang, 2014)

The genomes of the type strains of Roseivivax atlanticus and Roseivivax marinus ( Rhodobacteraceae , Alphaproteobacteria ), were analysed to determine their respective Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) and in silico DNA–DNA hybridization (DDH) values. These species were proposed and effectively published relatively closely in time (February and August 2014, respectively) and so not taking account of the other. The intergenomic relatedness between both type strains, 97.0–97.4 % ANI and 82.8 % in silico DDH, confirm that they represent members of the same genomic species. This conclusion is also supported at the phenotypic level. Since the name Roseovarius marinus was validly published earlie…

Mesonia oceanica sp. Nov., isolated from oceans during the tara oceans expedition, with a preference for mesopelagic waters

10 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables

Photobacterium aphoticum sp. nov., isolated from coastal water

A facultatively anaerobic marine gammaproteobacterium, designated strain M46T, was isolated from Mediterranean seawater at Malvarrosa beach, Valencia, Spain. The strain was characterized by using a polyphasic approach and was found to be situated within the genus Photobacterium in the family Vibrionaceae. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain M46T was closely related to P. rosenbergii CECT 7644T, P. halotolerans CECT 5860T and P. ganghwense CECT 7641T, showing sequence similarities of 96.8, 96.4 and 96.2 %, respectively. According to the results of phylogenetic analyses based on recA and gyrB gene sequences, the most closely related taxon was P. ganghwens…

Bermanella marisrubri gen. nov., sp. nov., a genome-sequenced gammaproteobacterium from the Red Sea

5 pages, 2 figures, 1 table

Ruegeria denitrificans sp. nov., a marine bacterium in the family Rhodobacteraceae with the potential ability for cyanophycin synthesis.

Strain CECT 5091T, an aerobic, marine, Gram-reaction- and Gram-stain-negative, chemoheterotrophic bacterium was isolated from oysters harvested off the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence placed the strain within the genus Ruegeria , in the family Rhodobacteraceae , with 16S rRNA gene similarities of 98.7, 98.7 and 98.4 % to Ruegeria conchae , Ruegeria atlantica and Ruegeria arenilitoris , respectively. Average nucleotide identities (ANI) and in silico DNA–DNA hybridization (DDH) were determined, comparing the genome sequence of CECT 5091T with those of the type strains of 12 species of the genus Ruegeria : the values obtained were always below the thresholds…

Draft genomes of Nautella italica strains CECT 7645(T) and CECT 7321: Two roseobacters with potential pathogenic and biotechnological traits.

Nautella italica is a member of the family Rhodobacteraceae described in 2009. Strain LMG 24365(T) (=CECT 7645(T), =DSM 26436(T), =CCUG 55857(T)) was isolated from a marine electroactive biofilm growing in a stainless steel cathode exposed to natural water in Genoa, Italy. Strain AD 41 (=CECT 7321) was isolated from water surrounding cultivated gilthead seabream larvae in Cadiz, Spain. The genomes of strains CECT 7645(T) and CECT 7321 were sequenced, assembled, annotated and compared. Here we describe the most relevant findings: biofilm formation, quorum sensing, resistance to multiple drugs, heavy metals and oxidative stress, cytotoxins, and poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) production genes. T…

Neptuniibacter caesariensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel marine genome-sequenced gammaproteobacterium.

7 pages, 1 figure, 1 table

Lactobacillus sicerae sp. nov., a lactic acid bacterium isolated from Spanish natural cider

Strains CUPV261T and CUPV262 were isolated from ropy natural ciders of the Basque Country, Spain, in 2007. Cells are Gram-stain positive, non-spore-forming, motile rods, facultative anaerobes and catalase-negative. The strains are obligately homofermentative (final product dl-lactate) and produce exopolysaccharides from sucrose. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the highest similarity to both isolates corresponded to the type strain of Lactobacillus vini (99.1 %), followed by Lactobacillus satsumensis (96.4 %), and Lactobacillus oeni (96.2 %), and for all other established species, 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities were below 96 %. The species delineatio…

Description of Enterovibrio nigricans sp. nov., reclassification of Vibrio calviensis as Enterovibrio calviensis comb. nov. and emended description of the genus Enterovibrio Thompson et al. 2002

Eleven strains of halophilic, facultative anaerobes isolated from healthy and diseased Dentex dentex and Sparus aurata (bony fishes) cultured in Spanish Mediterranean fisheries have been studied by a polyphasic approach that included a wide phenotypic characterization, DNA-DNA hybridization and phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA, recA and rpoD gene sequences. All strains were phylogenetically related to Enterovibrio species and Vibrio calviensis. On the basis of sequence analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization data, eight of the strains were identified as Enterovibrio coralii. The remaining three strains formed a tight, independent clade in all sequence analyses and showed less than 70 % DNA-D…

Reinekea blandensis sp. nov., a marine, genome-sequenced gammaproteobacterium

6 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables

An MLSA approach for the taxonomic update of the Splendidus clade, a lineage containing several fish and shellfish pathogenic Vibrio spp.

A multilocus sequence analysis was undertaken in order to redefine the Splendidus clade of the genus Vibrio, a large group of species containing several pathogenic members that affect fish and shellfish, and are difficult to identify through both phenotypic and genotypic approaches. The study included analysis of partial sequences of recA, gyrB, mreB, rpoD and pyrH genes, as well as the 16S rRNA gene. Seventeen type strain species were included that were complemented with other reference strains and a collection of isolates tentatively identified as members of this clade, as well as a set of other Vibrio species. The clade was well defined and stable in all analyses, and was confirmed to co…

Photobacterium malacitanum sp. nov., and Photobacterium andalusiense sp. nov., two new bacteria isolated from diseased farmed fish in Southern Spain.

Three strains, H01100409BT, H01100413B, and H27100402HT, were isolated from several internal organs of diseased redbanded seabream (Pagrus auriga) reared in Andalusia (Southern Spain). All strains were studied by phenotypic, including chemotaxonomy, and genomic characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis based on concatenated sequences of six housekeeping genes (gyrB, ftsZ, topA, mreB, gapA, and 16S rRNA) supported the inclusion of the strains within the clade Phosphoreum of the genus Photobacterium, and two of the strains (H27100402HT and H01100409BT) formed a tight group separated from the closest species P. aquimaris. Genomic analyses, including average nucleotide identity (ANIb and ANIm) and…

Actibacterium mucosum gen. nov., sp. nov., a marine alphaproteobacterium from Mediterranean seawater

Strain R46T, a marine alphaproteobacterium, was isolated from Mediterranean seawater at Malvarrosa beach, Valencia, Spain. It is an aerobic chemo-organotrophic, mesophilic and slightly halophilic organism, with complex ionic requirements. Phylogenetic analyses based on the 16S rRNA and gyrB gene sequences showed that strain R46T formed a separate branch within the family Rhodobacteraceae , bearing similarities below 94.7 and 80.3 %, respectively, to any other recognized species. It contained Q10 as the predominant isoprenoid quinone and C18 : 1ω7c/C18 : 1ω6c as the major cellular fatty acid. Phosphatidylglycerol was the only identified polar lipid, although other lipids were also detected. …

Vibrio palustris sp. nov. and Vibrio spartinae sp. nov., two novel members of the Gazogenes clade, isolated from salt-marsh plants (Arthrocnemum macrostachyum and Spartina maritima)

Two bacterial strains, EAod9T and SMJ21T, isolated from salt-marsh plants, were determined to be related to species of the genus Vibrio from from 16S rRNA sequence comparisons. Their closest phylogenetic relatives are members of the Gazogenes clade, Vibrio mangrovi and Vibrio rhizosphaerae , which show the greatest similarity to the SMJ21TrRNA sequence (97.3 and 97.1 %, respectively), while EAod9T had less than 97.0 % similarity to any other species of the genus Vibrio . Both strains share the basic characteristics of the genus Vibrio , as they are Gram-stain negative, motile, slightly halophilic, facultatively anaerobic bacteria. In addition, they are oxidase-negative and unable to grow on…

Whole genome sequences reveal Vibrio hemicentroti Kim et al. 2013 as a later heterotypic synonym of Vibrio splendidus (Beijerinck 1900) Baumann et al. 1981.

The synonymy between Vibrio hemicentroti Kim et al. 2013 and Vibrio splendidus (Beijerinck 1900) Baumann et al. 1981 was suggested after a recent multilocus sequence analysis of the Splendidus clade, which included the type strains of both species. To clarify their status, we have determined genomic indexes from whole genome sequences of strains V. hemicentroti CECT 8714T and V. splendidus NCCB 53037T. Average Nucleotide Identities of 96.0–96.7 % and an in silico DNA–DNA hybridization value of 70.2 %, as well as similarity levels of selected housekeeping gene sequences support the consideration of V. hemicentroti as a later heterotypic synonym of V. splendidus .

Opinions 100, 101 and 102

The International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes has formally made final decisions, taking into account the conclusions of the Judicial Commission, on three pending Requests for an Opinion, thereby allowing the corresponding Opinions to be issued. According to Opinion 100, the request for the recognition of strain A1-86 (=DSM 17629=NCIMB 14373) as the neotype strain of Eubacterium rectale (Hauduroy et al. 1937) Prévot 1938 (Approved Lists 1980) is denied, ruling that a neotype does not need to be designated for E. rectale because strain VPI 0990 (=ATCC 33656=CIP 105953) is considered to be a duplicate isolate of the same strain as VPI 0989 (=ATCC 25578) and may serve as its nomencl…

Grimontia celer sp. nov., from sea water

Strain 96-237T, a Gram-reaction-negative, curved- to spiral-shaped motile bacterium, isolated from coastal marine water, was found to be related to species of the genus Grimontia by 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison, sharing 98.3 % similarity to Grimontia marina CECT 8713Tand 98.8 % to 'Grimontiaindica' AK16. Phenotypic analysis revealed that strain 96-237T is slightly halophilic, mesophilic and facultatively anaerobic, fermenting d-glucose, d-ribose, d-mannose, d-mannitol, maltose and sucrose. It was positive for oxidase and indole production and negative for arginine dihydrolase and lysine and ornithine decarboxylases. Its major fatty acids were C16 : 1ω7c/C16 : 1ω6c (SF3), C18 : 1ω7c and…

Shimia thalassica sp. nov., and reclassification of Pseudopelagicola gijangensis as Shimia gijangensis comb. nov., and Thalassobius activus as Cognatishimia activa comb. nov.

Strain CECT 7735T, a marine Gram-reaction negative, aerobic, non-motile bacterium, was isolated from coastal seawater in Valencia, Spain. Strain CECT 7735T is chemoorganotrophic, mesophilic, slightly halophilic, grows at 15–28 °C but not at 4 or 37 °C, requires seawater for growth and grows up to 6 % salinity. The major cellular fatty acid is summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c). The G+C content of the genome is 55.7 mol%. Comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence shows the strain is affiliated to the family Rhodobacteraceae , in the class Alphaproteobacteria , with highest similarities to Phaeobacter species (97.0–97.5 %), Shimia species (96.5–97.3 %) and Pseudopelagico…

Recommended minimal standards for describing new taxa of the family Halomonadaceae

Following Recommendation 30b of the Bacteriological Code (1990 Revision), a proposal of minimal standards for describing new taxa within the family Halomonadaceae is presented. An effort has been made to evaluate as many different approaches as possible, not only the most conventional ones, to ensure that a rich polyphasic characterization is given. Comments are given on the advantages of each particular technique. The minimal standards are considered as guidelines for authors to prepare descriptions of novel taxa. The proposals presented here have been endorsed by the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes Subcommittee on the Taxonomy of Halomonadaceae.

Draft genome sequence of Shimia marina CECT 7688T

Shimia marina is a member of the family Rhodobacteraceae described in 2006. Strain CL-TA03(T) (=CECT 7688(T)) was isolated from a biofilm formed on an acrylic slide submerged in surface water in a coastal fish farm in Tongyeong, Korea. Here we report the draft genome sequence and annotation of S. marina CECT 7688(T) which is composed by 4,001,860bp arranged in 45 scaffolds with a G+C content of 57.4%, 3878 protein coding genes, 40 tRNA genes, 4 rRNA genes and 1 repeat region. An overview of annotated genes revealed diverse genes encoding for exopolysaccharide and capsular biosynthesis enzymes, secondary metabolite biosynthesis enzymes, multiple antibiotic and metal resistance and the abilit…

Thalassocella blandensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel member of the family Cellvibrionaceae

9 pages, 1 figure, 3 tables

Thalassobius mediterraneus gen. nov., sp. nov., and reclassification of Ruegeria gelatinovorans as Thalassobius gelatinovorus comb. nov.

A Gram-negative, slightly halophilic, non-pigmented, strictly aerobic, chemo-organotrophic bacterium was isolated from sea water off the western Mediterranean coast near Valencia (Spain). This strain was able to grow on several organic acids and amino acids added to a minimal medium as carbon sources, but used few carbohydrates or yielded slight growth when sugars were used. Phylogenetic analysis based on an almost complete 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain XSM19T was a member of the Roseobacter group within the ‘Alphaproteobacteria’, with its closest phylogenetic neighbour being Ruegeria gelatinovorans (97·6 % sequence similarity). Following a polyphasic approach, it was conclude…

Value of recN sequences for species identification and as a phylogenetic marker within the family “Leuconostocaceae”

The genera Leuconostoc, Oenococcus, and Weissella (family “Leuconostocaceae”) constitute a group of lactic acid bacteria of great interest in food microbiology. From the taxonomic point of view, they are considered phylogenetically coherent according to their 16S rRNA gene sequences and other macromolecules. These three genera were the focus of the present study; specifically, the resolution and discriminatory power of recN (encoding a DNA repair and genetic recombination protein) as a molecular marker at the species level were investigated. For this purpose, partial sequences (about 1200 nt) were obtained from 23 type strains and from several additional strains following direct amplificati…

Thalassobacter stenotrophicus Macián et al. 2005 is a later synonym of Jannaschia cystaugens Adachi et al. 2004, with emended description of the genus Thalassobacter

The type strains of Jannaschia cystaugens (LMG 22015T) and Thalassobacter stenotrophicus (CECT 5294T) were analysed by means of genomic DNA–DNA hybridization, comparison of 16S rRNA gene sequences and phenotypic properties determined under the same methodological conditions. J. cystaugens LMG 22015T showed DNA–DNA relatedness levels of 72 % when hybridized with the genomic DNA of T. stenotrophicus CECT 5294T. Sequence comparisons revealed that the 16S rRNA genes of the two strains had a similarity of 99·8 %. The cellular fatty acid and polar lipid compositions of the two strains and their DNA mol% G+C contents were almost identical. Bacteriochlorophyll a (Bchl a) and polyhydroxybutyrate wer…

The status of the species Pectinatus portalensis Gonzalez et al. 2005. Request for an Opinion

On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and several key phenotypic features, it was ascertained that the cultures cited as the type strain of the species Pectinatus portalensis, CECT 5841(T) and LMG 22865(T), do not conform to the description, [Gonzalez, J. M., Jurado, V., Laiz, L., Zimmerman, J., Hermosin, B.Saiz-Jimenez, C. (2004). Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 86, 241-248]. The type strain does not exist in any other established culture collection or with the authors who described this species. Therefore, it cannot be included in any scientific study. It is proposed that the Judicial Commission place the name Pectinatus portalensis on the list of rejected names if a suitable replacemen…

Nereida ignava gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel aerobic marine alpha-proteobacterium that is closely related to uncultured Prionitis (alga) gall symbionts.

A Gram-negative, slightly halophilic, non-pigmented, strictly aerobic, chemo-organotrophic bacterium was isolated from Mediterranean sea water off the Spanish coast near Valencia. This strain was poorly reactive, being unable to grow in most carbon sources analysed in minimal medium. However, good growth was observed when more complex media and longer incubation times were used. Phylogenetic analysis based on an almost complete 16S rRNA gene sequence placed strain 2SM4T within the Roseobacter group, in the vicinity of uncultured bacteria described as gall symbionts of several species of the red alga Prionitis. Sequence similarity values between strain 2SM4T and the closest neighbouring spec…

Haliea mediterranea sp. nov., a marine gammaproteobacterium.

Strain 7SM29T, an aerobic marine gammaproteobacterium isolated from seawater from Castellón, Spain, was characterized by classical phenotyping, chemotaxonomy and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Strain 7SM29T was found to be closely related to strains in the genus Haliea and to Congregibacter litoralis KT71T, with which a genus-level cluster was formed within the NOR5/OM60 clade of the Gammaproteobacteria. Strain 7SM29T was a short, motile rod with a tuft of three polar flagella. The strain grew on marine agar and formed pale-yellow colonies. Strain 7SM29T required NaCl for growth, reduced nitrate to nitrite, degraded several polymers and showed a preference for organic acids and amino acid…

Marinomonas blandensis sp. nov., a novel marine gammaproteobacterium.

A novel Gram-staining-negative, chemoorganotrophic, moderately halophilic, strictly aerobic bacterium, strain MED121T, was isolated from a seawater sample collected at the Blanes Bay Microbial Observatory in the north-western Mediterranean Sea. Analysis of its 16S rRNA gene sequence, retrieved from the whole-genome sequence, showed that this bacterium was most closely related to Marinomonas dokdonensis and other Marinomonas species (96.3 and 93.3–95.7 % sequence similarities, respectively), within the family Oceanospirillaceae . Strain MED121T was included into a whole-genome sequencing study and, subsequently, it was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. It was found to be o…

Bacterias halófilas moderadas aisladas de las minas salinas de Atacocha - Ayacucho

Las bacterias halófilas producen una gran variedad de metabolitos y enzimas con interesantes aplicaciones bíotecnológicas. Con la finalidad de aislar bacterias halófilas moderadas de las minas salinas de Atacocha - Ayacucho, se recolectaron muestras de sal y se preenriquecieron en medio agua de sales al 5% suplementado con extracto de levadura al 0.5% durante una semana y luego se sembraron en medio sólido. De 40 aislados se seleccionaron 10 por presentar características morfológicas y culturales muy diferenciadas. A los aislados seleccionados se les determinó el rango de tolerancia al NaCl, temperatura, pH y sus características bioquímicas y nutricionales. Se encontró que los aislados tole…

Description of Tropicibacter mediterraneus sp. nov. and Tropicibacter litoreus sp. nov.

Four strains (M15∅_3, M17(T), M49 and R37(T)) were isolated from Mediterranean seawater at Malvarrosa beach, Valencia, Spain. Together with an older preserved isolate (strain 2OM6) from cultured oysters at Vinaroz, Castellón, Spain, the strains were thoroughly characterized in a polyphasic study and were placed phylogenetically within the Roseobacter clade in the family Rhodobacteraceae. Highest 16S rRNA sequence similarities of the five strains to the types of any established species corresponded to Tropicibacter multivorans (95.8-96.4%), Phaeobacter inhibens (95.9-96.3%) and Phaeobacter gallaeciensis (95.9-96.2%). On the other hand, whole genome (ANI) and protein fingerprinting (MALDI-TOF…

Vibrio renipiscarius sp. nov., isolated from cultured gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata)

Two strains of Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, slightly halophilic bacteria, isolated from healthy gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) cultured in Spanish Mediterranean fish farms, were different from their closest relatives,Vibrio scophthalmiandV. ichthyoenteri, by phenotypic, phylogenetic and genomic standards. The strains were negative for decarboxylase tests and lacked extracellular hydrolytic activities, but were able to fermentd-mannitol, sucrose, cellobiose andd-gluconate, among other carbohydrates. The major cellular fatty acids were C16:1and C16:0, in agreement with other species of the genusVibrio. Their 16S rRNA gene sequences were 98.4 and 97.2 % similar to those of the t…

Multilocus Sequence Analysis of the redefined clade Scophthalmi in the genus Vibrio.

A Multilocus Sequence Analysis (MLSA) was performed on members of the Scophthalmi clade in the genus Vibrio, including type and reference strains of the species V. scophthalmi, V. ichthyoenteri, and 39 strains phenotypically identified as Vibrio ichthyoenteri-like, with the aim of better defining boundaries between these two closely related, fish-associated species. The type strain of V. ponticus, recently added to the clade Scophthalmi, was also included. The study was based on partial sequences of the protein-coding housekeeping genes rpoD, mreB, recA, ftsZ, and gyrB, and the 16S rRNA. While the 16S rRNA gene-based trees were unable to pull apart members of V. scophthalmi or V. ichthyoent…

Draft genome of Leisingera aquaemixtae CECT 8399T, a member of the Roseobacter clade isolated from a junction of fresh and ocean water in Jeju Island, South Korea

We report the draft genome sequence and annotation of Leisingera aquaemixtae CECT 8399T (DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank accession number CYSR00000000) which comprises 4,614,060 bp, 4313 protein coding genes, 54 tRNA coding genes and 7 rRNA coding genes. General findings of the annotated genome, such as pigment indigoidine operon, phenylacetate oxidation genes or predictable number of replicons, are commented in comparison to other Leisingera species. Average Nucleotide Identity between available genomes of type strains of species of Leisingera and Phaeobacter genera has been calculated to evaluate its current classification. Keywords: Rhodobacteraceae, Phaeobacter, Ectoine, Indigoidine, Phenylacetate de…

In silico evaluation of molecular probes for detection and identification of Ralstonia solanacearum and Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus.

Ralstonia solanacerum and Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus are the two most relevant bacterial pathogens of potato for which a large number of molecular diagnostic methods using specific DNA sequences have been developed. About one hundred oligonucleotides have been described and thoroughly tested experimentally. After having compiled and evaluated all these primers and probes in silico to check their specificity, many discrepancies were found. A detailed analysis permitted the recognition of different possible reasons for such discrepancies: sequencing errors in public sequences, wrong supposed specificity (sometimes due to more recent sequences than the oligonucleoticles being…

gcType : a high-quality type strain genome database for microbial phylogenetic and functional research

Abstract Taxonomic and functional research of microorganisms has increasingly relied upon genome-based data and methods. As the depository of the Global Catalogue of Microorganisms (GCM) 10K prokaryotic type strain sequencing project, Global Catalogue of Type Strain (gcType) has published 1049 type strain genomes sequenced by the GCM 10K project which are preserved in global culture collections with a valid published status. Additionally, the information provided through gcType includes >12 000 publicly available type strain genome sequences from GenBank incorporated using quality control criteria and standard data annotation pipelines to form a high-quality reference database. This …

Sequencing orphan species initiative (SOS): Filling the gaps in the 16S rRNA gene sequence database for all species with validly published names

Yarza, Pablo et al.

Identification of Beijerinckia fluminensis strains CIP 106281T and UQM 1685T as Rhizobium radiobacter strains, and proposal of Beijerinckia doebereinerae sp. nov. to accommodate Beijerinckia fluminensis LMG 2819.

During the course of a research project with free-living, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, we determined the 16S rRNA gene sequence of Beijerinckia fluminensis strains UQM 1685T and CIP 106281T and discovered that they were only 90.6–91.2 % similar to the sequences of strains of other Beijerinckia species and subspecies. Moreover, the highest similarity to these sequences (99.7 %) corresponded to strains of Rhizobium radiobacter (including Agrobacterium tumefaciens). Other diagnostic features confirmed that the two strains have the same origin but do not descend from the nomenclatural type. At the same time, B. fluminensis LMG 2819 was characterized and it was found that its properties also do not…

The role of public biological resource centers in providing a basic infrastructure for microbial research

Public collections of microorganisms have been established since the late 19th century, and currently 573 service collections are registered at the World Data Center for Microorganisms (www.wdcm.org). All together, they hold more than 1.5 million microorganisms. By implementing guidelines compiled by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), many public service collections evolve into professional ex situ repositories of biodiversity and distribution nodes for known, validated and precisely identified microbial resources and associated information to legitimate end-users. These Biological Resource Centers (BRCs) may be the preferred mechanism for the appropriate exp…

Vibrio aestivus sp. nov. and Vibrio quintilis sp. nov., related to Marisflavi and Gazogenes clades, respectively

Abstract Two new Vibrio species, Vibrio aestivus and Vibrio quintilis , are described after a polyphasic characterization of strains M22 T , M61 and M62 T , isolated from seawater collected off a beach on the East coast of Spain (Valencia). All three strains are Gram negative, mesophilic, slightly halophilic, fermentative rods. V. aestivus (M22 T  = CECT 7558 T  = CAIM 1861 T  = KCTC 23860 T and M61 = CECT 7559 = CAIM 1862 = KCTC 23861) is oxidase positive, reduces nitrates to nitrites, is negative for Voges Proskauer, arginine dihydrolase and indole and non hydrolytic on most substrates tested. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of M22 T and M61 are most similar to Vibrio marisflavi (97.1–97.2%) …

Public discussion on a proposed revision of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes

The Editorial Board for the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP) has compiled proposed revisions of the ICNP. As outlined previously (Oren et al., Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2021;71:004598; https://doi.org/10.1099/ijsem.0.004598) and to comply with Articles 13(b)(4) and 4(d) of the statutes of the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes, a public discussion of the document will start on 1 July 2021, to last for 6 months. Here, we present the procedure for this discussion.

Draft genome sequence of Thalassobius gelatinovorus CECT 4357 T , a roseobacter with the potential ability to degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract Thalassobius gelatinovorus is a member of the family Rhodobacteraceae previously classified in the genera Agrobacterium and Ruegeria . Strain Ahrens B6 T (= ATCC 25655 T , = B6 T , = CECT 4357 T , = CIP 105976 T , = DSM 5887 T , = IAM 12617 T , = JCM 20688 T , = KCTC 22092 T , = LMG 129 T , = NBRC 15761 T , = NCIMB 2206 T ) was isolated in 1967 from a sea water sampled in Kiel Fjord in Baltic Sea. Genomic DNA sequence of T. gelatinovorus CECT 4357 T was assembled into a draft genome and annotated. Here we report the main features of this draft genome composed by 3,902,797 bp arranged in 30 contigs with a G + C content of 58.4%, 3770 protein coding genes, 44 tRNA genes, 7 rRNA genes…

Draft Genome Sequence of Actibacterium mucosum KCTC 23349, a Marine Alphaproteobacterium with Complex Ionic Requirements Isolated from Mediterranean Seawater at Malvarrosa Beach, Valencia, Spain

ABSTRACT Strain R46 (CECT 7668; KCTC 23349), a nomenclatural type of Actibacterium mucosum , was isolated from surface seawater collected at Malvarrosa Beach (Valencia, Spain) in July 2008. The draft genome sequence of strain R46 (approximately 3.72 Mbp) contains 22 scaffolds and 3,619 protein-encoding genes, with a G+C content of 60.8 mol%.

Emended descriptions of genera of the family Halobacteriaceae.

The family Halobacteriaceae currently contains 96 species whose names have been validly published, classified in 27 genera (as of September 2008). In recent years, many novel species have been added to the established genera but, in many cases, one or more properties of the novel species do not agree with the published descriptions of the genera. Authors have often failed to provide emended genus descriptions when necessary. Following discussions of the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes Subcommittee on the Taxonomy of Halobacteriaceae, we here propose emended descriptions of the genera Halobacterium, Haloarcula, Halococcus, Haloferax, Halorubrum, Haloterrigena, Natrialba…

The status of the species Beijerinckia fluminensis Dobereiner and Ruschel 1958. Request for an Opinion.

In a previous article [Oggerin M., Arahal, D. R., Rubio, V. & Marin, I. (2009). Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 59, 2323–2328], it has been shown that strain Beijerinckia fluminensis UQM 1685T and its derived equivalent B. fluminensis CIP 106281T do not conform to the description of the type strain of Beijerinckia fluminensis Döbereiner and Ruschel 1958. Indeed, both strains were identified as members of the species Rhizobium radiobacter and exhibited marked phenotypic and genotypic differences with members of the genus Beijerinckia. It was concluded that both strains, and any other equivalents derived from them, do not descend from the nomenclatural type. Since then, our attempts to find old…

Draft genome sequence of Thalassobius mediterraneus CECT 5383T, a poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate producer

Thalassobius mediterraneus is the type species of the genus Thalassobius and a member of the Roseobacter clade, an abundant representative of marine bacteria. T. mediterraneus XSM19T (=CECT 5383T) was isolated from the Western Mediterranean coast near Valencia (Spain) in 1989. We present here the draft genome sequence and annotation of this strain (ENA/DDBJ/NCBI accession number CYSF00000000), which is comprised of 3,431,658 bp distributed in 19 contigs and encodes 10 rRNA genes, 51 tRNA genes and 3276 protein coding genes. Relevant findings are commented, including the complete set of genes required for poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) synthesis and genes related to degradation of aromatic …

The Family Rhodobacteraceae

The family Rhodobacteraceae can be considered a paradigm of modern taxonomy of prokaryotes. Taking into account the number of species and genera that conforms the family, together with the knowledge about their abundance and vast global distribution, it surprises that most of them have been described relatively recent to our days. Two notable exceptions are Rhodonostoc capsulatum (Molisch, Die purpurbakterien nach neuen untersuchungen, vols i–vii. G. Fischer, Jena, pp 1–95, 1907) and Micrococcus denitrificans Beijerinck and Minkman (Zentbl Bakteriol, Parasitenkd, Infektionskr Hyg. Abt II 25:30–63, 1910), early basonyms of Rhodobacter capsulatus and Paracoccus denitrificans, respectively. Th…

Stappia alba sp. nov., isolated from Mediterranean oysters

Abstract Three bacterial strains isolated from oysters recovered at the Spanish Mediterranean coast have been phenotypically and genetically characterized. The results of the phylogenetic analysis based on almost complete 16S rDNA sequences clustered all three strains together with 99.9% average sequence similarity and situated them in the neighbourhood of the genera Stappia , Roseibium and Pannonibacter , Stappia aggregata being their closest neighbour with sequence similarities between 98.8% and 98.9%. DNA–DNA hybridization experiments using DNA of strains 5OM6 T and S. aggregata CECT 4269 T as reference DNAs confirmed the independent status at species level of the oyster isolates. Phenot…

International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes Subcommittee on the taxonomy of Halobacteria and Subcommittee on the taxonomy of Halomonadaceae. Minutes of the joint open meeting, 11 July 2017, Valencia, Spain.

Jannaschia rubra sp. nov., a red-pigmented bacterium isolated from sea water.

A Gram-negative, slightly halophilic, strictly aerobic, chemo-organotrophic bacterium was isolated from Mediterranean sea water near Valencia (Spain). Comparison of the almost complete 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain 4SM3T belonged to the Roseobacter group, with Jannaschia helgolandensis as its closest relative, with a similarity of 98·7 %. DNA–DNA hybridization analysis showed that the Mediterranean isolate had a level of relatedness of less than 42 % with J. helgolandensis and therefore that it represented a novel species of the genus Jannaschia. Phenotypic characteristics gave further evidence that the two organisms are not related at the species level. Isolate 4SM3T grows on s…

Chryseobacterium potabilaquae sp. nov., Chryseobacterium aquaeductus sp. nov. and Chryseobacterium fistulae sp. nov., from drinking water systems

A polyphasic taxonomic study was conducted on three strains isolated from drinking water systems that had previously been deposited as Chryseobacterium species at the Spanish Type Culture Collection in order to complete their classification. Strains CECT 9293T, CECT 9390T and CECT 9393T were isolated from sites in Barcelona, Spain, in the framework of a project aimed at generating the first MALDI-TOF database specific for bacteria present in water for human consumption. Their partial 16S rRNA sequences showed that their closest relatives among the type strains of Chryseobacterium exhibited 98 % similarity or less, supporting their taxonomic novelty. At the same time, comparison between them…