Sphingobacterium tenebrionis sp. nov., isolated from intestine of mealworm

A bacterial strain designated PU5-4T was isolated from the mealworm (the larvae of Tenebrio molitor) intestines. It was identified to be Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, rod-shaped, non-motile, and non-spore-forming. Strain PU5-4T was observed to grow at 10-40 °C, at pH 7.0-10.0, and in the presence of 0-3.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain PU5-4T should be assigned to the genus Sphingobacterium. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity analysis showed that strain PU5-4T was closely related to the type strains of Sphingobacterium lactis DSM 22361T (98.49 %), Sphingobacterium endophyticum NYYP31T (98.11 %), Sphingobacterium soli NCCP 698T (97.69 %) and Sphingobacterium olei HAL-9T (95.73 %). The predominant isoprenoid quinone is MK-7. The major fatty acids were identified as iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 03-OH and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1  ω7c and/or C16 : 1  ω6c) and summed feature 9 (iso-C17 : 0  ω9c). The polar lipids are phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified phospholipid, and six unidentified lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain PU5-4T is 40.24 mol%. The average nucleotide identity of strain PU5-4T exhibited respective values of 73.88, 73.37, 73.36 and 70.84 % comparing to the type strains of S. lactis DSM 22361T, S. soli NCCP 698T, S. endophyticum NYYP31T and S. olei HAL-9T, which are below the cut-off level (95-96 %) for species delineation. Based on the above results, strain PU5-4T represents a novel species of the genus Sphingobacterium, for which the name Sphingobacterium temoinsis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PU5-4T (=CGMCC 1.61908T=JCM 36663T).

Sphingobacterium faecale sp. nov., a 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase producing bacterium isolated from camel faeces

An investigation of the diversity of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase producing bacteria associated with camel faeces revealed the presence of a novel bacterial strain designated C459-1T. It was Gram-stain-negative, short-rod-shaped and non-motile. Strain C459-1T was observed to grow optimally at 35 °C, at pH 7.0 and in the presence of 0 % NaCl on Luria–Bertani agar medium. The cells were found to be positive for catalase and oxidase activities. The major fatty acids (>10 %) were identified as iso-C15 : 0, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1  ω6c and/or C16 : 1  ω7c) and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. The predominant menaquinone was MK-7. The major polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, one sphingophospholipid, two unknown aminophospholipids, three unknown glycolipids and five unknown lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content was 40.3 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain C459-1T was affiliated with the genus Sphingobacterium and had the highest sequence similarity to Sphingobacterium tabacisoli h337T (97.0 %) and Sphingobacterium paucimobilis HER1398T (95.6 %). The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain C459-1T and S. tabacisoli h337T were 83.8 and 33.8 %, respectively. Phenotypic characteristics including enzyme activities and carbon source utilization differentiated strain C459-1T from other Sphingobacterium species. Based on its phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic properties, strain C459-1T represents a novel species of the genus Sphingobacterium , for which the name Sphingobacterium faecale sp. nov. is proposed, with strain is C459-1T (CGMCC 1.18716T=KCTC 82381T) as the type strain.

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

A bacterial strain designated NYYP31^T was isolated from the leaves of an annual halophytes, Suaeda corniculata Bunge, collected from the southern edge of the Gurbantunggut desert, north-west China. Strain NYYP31^T was Gram-staining negative, strictly aerobic, rod-shaped, non-motile, and non-spore-forming. Growth was observed at 4-42 °C, at pH 5.0-10.0, in the presence of up to 8% (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and coding sequences of 92 protein clusters showed that strain NYYP31^T should be assigned to the genus Sphingobacterium. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity analysis showed that strain NYYP31^T was most closely related to the type strain of Sphingobacterium daejeonense (97.9%) and Sphingobacterium lactis (97.7%). The predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7. The major fatty acids were identified as iso-C_15:0, iso-C_17:0 3-OH and summed feature 3 (C_16:1 ω7c and/or C_16:1 ω6c). The polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified phospholipids, three unidentified lipids, three unidentified amino phospholipids, and two unidentified glycolipids. The genomic DNA G + C content was 36.4 mol%. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) values for strain NYYP31^T to the type strains of S. daejeonense and S. lactis were 77.9 and 74.1%, respectively, which were below the cut-off level (95-96%) for species delineation. Based on the above results, strain NYYP31^T represents a novel species of the genus Sphingobacterium, for which the name Sphingobacterium endophyticum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NYYP31^T (= CGMCC 1.16979^T = NBRC 114258^T).

Sphingobacterium puteale sp. nov., isolated from a deep subsurface aquifer

A bacterial strain M05W1-28^T was isolated from a well that collected water for irrigation from a deep aquifer at a depth of 400 m. Cells were observed to be rod-shaped, non-motile, aerobic, stained Gram-negative. Optimal growth was obtained at pH 7.0 (range: 6.0-9.0), 28 °C (range: 15-37 °C) and 0 % NaCl (range: 0-1.5 %, w/v) in modified tryptic soy broth (mTSB) without added NaCl and R2A. The cells were found to be positive for catalase and oxidase activities. The major fatty acids (>10 %) were identified as summed feature 3 (C_16 : 1  ω7c / C_16 : 1  ω6c) and iso-C_15 : 0. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, glycolipid, phosphoglycolipids, phospholipids, and unidentified lipids. The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone-7 (MK-7). The genomic G+C content of strain M05W1-28^T was 40.7 %. Based on similarities of 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain M05W1-28^T was affiliated with the genus Sphingobacterium, exhibiting the highest sequence similarities with S. multivorum LMG 8342^T (97.5 %), S. ginsenosidimutans THG07^T (97.1 %) and less than 97.0 % to other members of the genus. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridisation values (dDDH) between M05W1-28^T and S. multivorum LMG 8342^T were 78.1 and 22.5 %, respectively. Phenotypic characteristics including enzyme activities and carbon source utilisation differentiated the strain from other Sphingobacterium species. The phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic properties suggested that strain M05W1-28^T represented a novel species within the genus Sphingobacterium, for which the name Sphingobacterium puteale sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is M05W1-28^T (=CGMCC 1.13711^T=KCTC 72027^T).

Sphingobacterium tabacisoli sp. nov., isolated from a tobacco field soil sample

A Gram-staining-negative, non-motile and rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain h337T, was isolated from an arable soil sample of a tobacco field in Kunming, south-west China. The cells showed oxidase-positive and catalase-positive reactions. Growth was observed at 10-35 °C, at pH 6.0-9.0 and in the presence of up to 3 % (w/v) NaCl, with optimal growth at 30 °C, pH 7.0 and with 1-2 % (w/v) NaCl. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7. The major fatty acids were identified as iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c) and summed feature 4 (iso-C17 : 1 I and/or anteiso-C17 : 1 B). The cellular polar lipids contained phosphatidylethanolamine, sphingophospholipid, four unidentified phospholipids, five unidentified lipids and three unidentified aminophospholipids. The genomic DNA G+C content was 41.5 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain h337T should be assigned to the genus Sphingobacterium. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity analysis showed that strain h337T was most closely related to 'Sphingobacteriumyamdrokense' 3-0-1 (98.8 %) and Sphingobacteriumyanglingense CCNWSP36-1T (98.5 %) and shared less than 97 % similarity with other species of the genus Sphingobacterium. DNA-DNA hybridization data indicated that the isolate represented a novel genomic species belonging to the genus Sphingobacterium. The characteristics determined in this polyphasic taxonomic study indicated that strain h337T represents a novel species of the genus Sphingobacterium, for which the name Sphingobacterium tabacisoli sp. nov. (type strain h337T=KCTC 52298T=CCTCC AB 2017155T) is proposed.

Sphingobacterium chuzhouense sp. nov., isolated from farmland soil

A novel Gram-staining-negative bacterium, designated DH-5T, was isolated from a farmland soil in Chuzhou, Anhui province, China. Cells of strain DH-5T were aerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming and rod-shaped. The organism grew at 20-37 °C, pH 6.0-9.0 and with 0-5 % NaCl (w/v). The DNA G+C content was 42.8 mol%. The major fatty acids (>5 %) were iso-C15 : 0, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c), iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and C16 : 0. The respiratory quinone was MK-7, and the major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphoglycolipid. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain DH-5T was a member of the genus Sphingobacterium and shared the highest similarity with Sphingobacterium gobiense H7T (96.0 %), followed by Sphingobacterium arenae H-12T (94.5 %). Strain DH-5T exhibited low DNA-DNA relatedness with S. gobiense H7T (35.1±1.4 %) and S. arenae H-12T (21.4±1.0 %). On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic evidence, DH-5T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Sphingobacterium, for which the name Sphingobacterium chuzhouense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DH-5T (=ACCC 19856T=KCTC 42746T).

Sphingobacterium jejuense sp. nov., with ginsenoside-converting activity, isolated from compost

A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, non-motile, light yellow, short-rod bacterium (designated GJ30-7T) isolated from compost, was characterized using a polyphasic approach, in order to clarify its taxonomic position. Strain GJ30-7T was observed to grow optimally at 30 °C and at pH 7.0 on R2A agar medium. Strain Gsoil GJ30-7T possessed β-glucosidase activity, which was responsible for its ability to transform ginsenosides Rb1 and Rc (the two main active components of ginseng) to ginsenoside F2. Phylogenetic analysis, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, indicated that GJ30-7T belongs to the genus Sphingobacterium of the family Sphingobacteriaceae and was most closely related to Sphingobacterium yanglingense JCM 30166T (92.6 %), Sphingobacterium psychroaquaticum KACC 18188T (92.6 %), and Sphingobacterium thermophilum KCTC 23708T (92.0 %). The DNA G+C content was 43 mol% and MK-7 was the major isoprenoid quinone. The main polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified phospolipid and one unknown polar lipid. In contrast to standard and reference strains, unidentified sphingolipid was also present. The predominant fatty acids of strain GJ30-7T were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c (summed feature 3) and iso-C17 : 1ω9c and/or C16 : 0 10-methyl (summed feature 9), supporting the affiliation of strain GJ30-7T to the genus Sphingobacterium. However, strain GJ30-7T could be distinguished genotypically and phenotypically from species of the genus Sphingobacterium with validly published names. The novel isolate therefore represents a novel species, for which the name Sphingobacterium jejuense sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain GJ30-7T (=KACC 18625T=JCM 30948T).

Sphingobacterium zeae sp. nov., an endophyte of maize

A yellow-pigmented strain (JM-1081^T) isolated from healthy stem tissue of Zea mays was taxonomically characterized. Cells of the strain were rod-shaped and Gram-stain-negative. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed closest relationship to the type strains of Sphingobacterium multivorum (98.1 % similarity), Sphingobacterium mucilaginosum (97.9 %) and Sphingobacterium siyangense (97.8 %). 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to the type strains of all other Sphingobacterium species were below 97.8 %. Fatty acid analysis of whole-cell hydrolysates of the strain resulted in a pattern typical of the genus Sphingobacterium with iso-C15 : 0 2-OH and/or C16 : 1ω7c, iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and C16 : 0 and as major compounds. The polyamine pattern contained predominantly sym-homospermidine. The major quinone was menaquinone MK-7 and the only identified lipids in the polar lipid profile were phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine. In addition, 15 unidentified lipids were detected in moderate to major amounts. Sphingolipid was detected. The diagnostic diamino acid of the peptidoglycan was meso-diaminopimelic acid. DNA-DNA hybridizations with two of the closely related type strains, those of S. multivorum and S. siyangense, as well as Sphingobacterium canadense resulted in values below 70 %. In addition to the genotypic differences, differential biochemical and chemotaxonomic properties confirmed that the isolate JM-1081^T represents a novel species, for which the name Sphingobacterium zeae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JM-1081^T (=LMG 29191^T=CCM 8652^T).

Chryseobacterium panacis sp. nov., isolated from ginseng soil

A novel strain, DCY107(T), was isolated from soil collected from a ginseng field in Gochang, Republic of Korea. Strain DCY107(T) is Gram-negative, yellow pigmented, non-motile, non-flagellate, rod-shaped and aerobic. The strain was found to grow optimally at 25-30 °C and pH 6.5-7. Phylogenetically, strain DCY107(T) is closely related to Chryseobacterium polytrichastri DSM 26899(T) (98.49 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Chryseobacterium yeoncheonense JCM 18516(T) (97.78 %), Chryseobacterium aahli LMG 27338(T) (97.74 %), Chryseobacterium limigenitum LMG28734(T) (97.74 %), Chryseobacterium ginsenosidimutans JCM 16719(T) (97.47 %) and Chryseobacterium gregarium LMG 24052(T) (97.31 %). The DNA-DNA relatedness values between strain DCY107(T) and reference strains were found to be clearly below 70 %. The DNA G+C content of strain DCY107(T) was determined to be 34.2 mol%. The predominant quinone was identified menaquinone 6 (MK-6). The major polar lipids were identified as phosphatidylethanolamine and unidentified lipids: aminolipids AL1, AL2 and lipid L2. C16:00, iso-C15:00, iso-C15:02OH, iso-C17:03OH and summed feature 9 (iso-C17:1 ω9c and/or C16:0 10-methyl) were identified as the major fatty acids present in strain DCY107(T). The results of physiological and biochemical tests allowed strain DCY107(T) to be differentiated phenotypically from other recognised species belonging to the genus Chryseobacterium. Therefore, it is suggested that the newly isolated organism represents a novel species, for which the name Chryseobacterium panacis sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain designated as DCY107(T) (=CCTCC AB 2015195(T) = KCTC 42750(T)).