The N-fixing legume Periandra mediterranea constrains the invasion of an exotic grass (Melinis minutiflora P. Beauv) by altering soil N cycling

Melinis minutiflora is an invasive species that threatens the biodiversity of the endemic vegetation of the campo rupestre biome in Brazil, displacing the native vegetation and favouring fire spread. As M. minutiflora invasion has been associated with a high nitrogen (N) demand, we assessed changes in N cycle under four treatments: two treatments with contrasting invasion levels (above and below 50%) and two un-invaded control treatments with native vegetation, in the presence or absence of the leguminous species Periandra mediterranea. This latter species was considered to be the main N source in this site due to its ability to fix N2 in association with Bradyrhizobia species. Soil proteolytic activity was high in treatments with P. mediterranea and in those severely invaded, but not in the first steps of invasion. While ammonium was the N-chemical species dominant in plots with native species, including P.mediterranea, soil nitrate prevailed only in fully invaded plots due to the stimulation of the nitrifying bacterial (AOB) and archaeal (AOA) populations carrying the amoA gene. However, in the presence of P. mediterranea, either in the beginning of the invasion or in uninvaded plots, we observed an inhibition of the nitrifying microbial populations and nitrate formation, suggesting that this is a biotic resistance strategy elicited by P. mediterranea to compete with M. minutiflora. Therefore, the inhibition of proteolytic activity and the nitrification process were the strategies elicited by P.mediterranea to constrain M.munitiflora invasion

Genome Analysis of Endobacterium cerealis, a Novel Genus and Species Isolated from Zea mays Roots in North Spain.

In the present work, we analyse the genomic and phenotypic characteristics of a strain named RZME27T isolated from roots of a Zea mays plant grown in Spain. The phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA gene and whole genome sequences showed that the strain RZME27T clustered with the type strains of Neorhizobium galegae and Pseudorhizobium pelagicum from the family Rhizobiaceae. This family encompasses several genera establishing symbiosis with legumes, but the genes involved in nodulation and nitrogen fixation are absent in its genome. Nevertheless, genes related to plant colonization, such as those involved in motility, chemotaxis, quorum sensing, exopolysaccharide biosynthesis and hydrolytic enzymes production were found. The comparative pangenomic analyses showed that 78 protein clusters present in the strain RZME27T were not found in the type strains of its closest relatives N. galegae and P. pelagicum. The calculated average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between the strain RZME27T and the type strains of N. galegae and P. pelagicum were 75.61% and 75.1%, respectively, similar or lower than those found for other genera from family Rhizobiaceae. Several phenotypic differences were also found, highlighting the absence of the fatty acid C19:0 cyclo ω8c and propionate assimilation. These results support the definition of a novel genus and species named Endobacterium cerealis gen. nov. sp. nov. whose type strain is RZME27T

Pseudomonas versuta sp. nov., isolated from Antarctic soil

In this study we used a polyphasic taxonomy approach to analyse three bacterial strains coded L10.10T, A4R1.5 and A4R1.12, isolated in the course of a study of quorum-quenching bacteria occurring Antarctic soil. The 16S rRNA gene sequence was identical in the three strains and showed 99.7% pairwise similarity with respect to the closest related species Pseudomonas weihenstephanensis WS4993T, and the next closest related species were P. deceptionensis M1T (99.5%), P. psychrophila E-3T, P. endophytica BSTT44T and P. fragi ATCC 4973T (99.2%). Therefore, the three strains were classified within the genus Pseudomonas. Analysis of housekeeping genes (rpoB, rpoD and gyrB) sequences showed similarities of 84-95% with respect to the closest relatives, confirming its phylogenetic affiliation. The whole genome average nucleotide identity (ANI) values were more than 99% similar among the three strains, and less than 86% to the closest related species type strains. The respiratory quinone is Q9. The major fatty acids are C16:0, C16:1 ω7c/C16:1 ω6c in summed feature 3 and C18:1 ω7c/C18:1 ω6c in summed feature 8. The strains are oxidase- and catalase-positive. The arginine dihydrolase and urease tests are positive. Growth occurs at 4–30 °C with an optimum at 28 °C, and at pH 4.0–10. The DNA G + C content is 58.2–58.3 mol %. The combined genotypic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data support the classification of strains L10.10T, A4R1.5 and A4R1.12 into a novel species of Pseudomonas, for which the name P. versuta sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is L10.10T (LMG 29628T, DSM 101070T)

Agrobacterium cavarae sp. nov., isolated from maize (Zea mays L.) roots

A bacterial strain designated as RZME10T was isolated from a Zea mays L. root collected in Spain. Results of analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that this strain belongs to the genus Agrobacterium with Agrobacterium larrymoorei ATCC 51759T being the most closely related species with 99.9 % sequence similarity. The similarity values of the rpoB, recA, gyrB, atpD and glnII genes between strain RZME10T and A. larrymoorei ATCC 51759T were 93.5, 90.0, 88.7, 87.9 and 90.1 %, respectively. The estimated average nucleotide identity using blast and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values between these two strains were 80.4 and 30.2 %, respectively. The major fatty acids of strain RZME10T are those from summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω6c/C18 : 1 ω7c) and C16 : 0. Pathogenicity tests on tomato and carrot roots showed that strain RZME10T was not able to induce plant tumours. Based on the results of genomic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic analyses, we propose that strain RZME10T represents a novel species named Agrobacterium cavarae sp. nov. (type strain RZME10T=CECT 9795T=LMG 31257T)

Rhizobium laguerreae sp. nov. nodulates Vicia faba in several continents

Several fast-growing strains nodulating Vicia faba in Peru, Spain and Tunisia formed a cluster related to Rhizobium leguminosarum. The 16S rRNA gene sequences were identical to that of R. leguminosarum USDA 2370 T , whereas rpoB, recA and atpD gene sequences were phylogenetically distant, with sequence similarities of less than 96 %, 97 % and 94 %, respectively. DNA-DNA hybridization analysis showed a mean relatedness value of 43 % between strain FB206 T and R. leguminosarum USDA 2370 T . Phenotypic characteristics of the novel strains also differed from those of the closest related species of the genus Rhizobium. Therefore, based on genotypic and phenotypic data obtained in this study, we propose to classify this group of strains nodulating Vicia faba as a novel species of the genus Rhizobium named Rhizobium laguerreae sp. nov. The type strain is FB206 T (5LMG 27434 T 5CECT 8280 T )