Characterization of Bacillus strains of marine origin

A total of twenty aerobic endospore-forming bacilli, isolated from marine invertebrates and sea water of different areas of the Pacific Ocean, were taxonomically characterized. Most of the bacilli (11 strains) of marine origin belonged to the species Bacillus subtilis, according to their phenotypic characteristics, antibiotic susceptibility profiles, and fatty acids patterns. A group of four alkaliphilic strains formed a separate cluster that was tentatively classified as B. horti. One isolate, KMM 1717, associated with a sponge from the Coral Sea was identified as B. pumilus. Two strains, Bacillus KMM 1916 and KMM 1918, showed antibiotic sensitivity profiles similar to B. licheniformis, but they had a distinct fatty acid composition and peculiar phenotypic traits. The taxonomic affiliation of KMM 1810 and KMM 1763 remained unclear since their fatty acid composition and antibiotic sensitivity patterns were not resembled with none of these obtained for Bacillus strains

Bizionia echini sp. nov., isolated from a sea urchin

A bacterial strain, designated KMM 6177(T), was isolated from the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic investigation. The bacterium was found to be heterotrophic, aerobic, non-motile by gliding and orange-pigmented. Comparative phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing placed the marine isolate in the genus Bizionia, a member of the family Flavobacteriaceae, with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 94.9-98.6% with recognized Bizionia species. Strain KMM 6177(T) grew at 4-39 degrees C and with 1-8% NaCI. It produced alkaline phosphatase, catalase and oxidase and hydrolysed aesculin, gelatin, DNA and Tween 20. The predominant fatty acids were iso-C(15:1), iso-C(15:0), C(15.0) 3-OH, iso-C(17:0) 3-OH and a summed feature (comprising iso-C(15:0) 2-OH and/or C(16:1)omega 7c). The DNA G+C content was 34.4 mol%. A combination of phylogenetic, genotypic and phenotypic data clearly indicated that strain KMM 6177(T) represents a novel species in the genus Bizionia, for which the name Bizionia echini sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KMM 6177(T) (= KCTC 22015(T)= LMG 25220(T))

Winogradskyella echinorum sp. nov., a marine bacterium of the family Flavobacteriaceae isolated from the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius

The taxonomic position of a novel marine, yellow-pigmented bacterium, designated strain KMM 6211(T), was examined by using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain KMM 6211(T) is a member of the family Flavobacteriaceae, phylum Bacteroidetes. The closest relative of strain KMM 6211(T) was Winogradskyella eximia KMM 3944(T), the sequence similarity being 97.1 %. The DNA G + C content of KMM 6211(T) was 33.6 mol%. The strain was motile by gliding and grew with 1-6 % NaCl and at 4-37 degrees C. Aesculin, casein and gelatin were hydrolysed, but agar, starch, DNA and chitin were not degraded. On the basis of phylogenetic data and phenotypic differences between the isolate and recognized Winogradskyella species, strain KMIM 6211(T) represents a novel species of the genus Winogradskyella, for which the name Winogradskyella echinorum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KMM 6211(T) (=KCTC 22026(T) =LMG 24757(T))

Bacillus berkeleyi sp. nov., isolated from the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius

A bacterial strain, designated KMM 6244(T), was isolated from the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic investigation. The bacterium was found to be heterotrophic, aerobic, non-motile and spore-forming. Comparative phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing placed the marine isolate in the genus Bacillus. The nearest neighbor of strain KMM 6244(T) was Bacillus decolorationis LMG 19507(T) with a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 98.0%. Sequence similarities with the other recognized Bacillus species were less than 96.0%. The results of the DNA-DNA hybridization experiments revealed a low relatedness (37%) of the novel isolate with the type strain of B. decolorationis LMG 19507(T). Strain KMM 6244(T) grew at 4-45A degrees C and with 0-12% NaCl. It produced catalase and oxidase and hydrolyzed aesculin, casein, gelatin and DNA. The predominant fatty acids were anteiso-C-15:0, iso-C-15:0, anteiso-C-17:0, C-15:0, iso-C-16:0 and iso-C-14:0. The DNA G + C content was 39.4 mol%. A combination of phylogenetic, genotypic and phenotypic data clearly indicated that strain KMM 6244(T) represents a novel species in the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus berkeleyi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KMM 6244(T) (KCTC 12718(T) = LMG 26357(T))

Lutibacter holmesii sp. nov., a marine bacterium of the family Flavobacteriaceae isolated from the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius, and emended description of the genus Lutibacter

Seven Gram-staining-negative, strictly aerobic, pale-yellow-pigmented, rod-shaped and nonmotile strains were isolated from the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius collected from Troitsa Bay, Sea of Japan. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that these isolates were affiliated with the family Flavobacteriaceae. The novel isolates showed 99.9-100 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to each other and were closely related to the type strains of the recognized members of the genus Lutibacter with sequence similarities of 95.8-98.4 %. The G + C content of the genomic DNA was 35-36 mol%. DNA-DNA relatedness among the sea urchin isolates was 95-99 % and between strain KMM 6277(T) and its most closely related type strains, Lutibacter agarilyticus KCTC 23842(T) and Lutibacter litoralis JCM 13034(T), was 38 and 27 %, respectively. The prevalent fatty acids were iso-C-15 (: 0), anteiso-C-15 (: 0), summed feature 3 (comprising iso-C-15 : 0 2-OH and/or C-16 : 1 omega 7c fatty acids), iso-C-15 : 1 and C-15 : 0. The polar lipid profile was composed of the phosphatidylethanolamine, one unknown aminolipid and one unknown lipid. The main respiratory isoprenoid quinone was MK-6. The results of phylogenetic, phenotypic and genotypic analyses indicated that the novel strains represent a novel species within the genus Lutibacter, for which the name Lutibacter holmesii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KMM 6277(T) (= CCUG 62221(T) = LMG 26737(T))