Muriicola jejuensis gen. nov., sp nov., isolated from seawater

Abstract

An aerobic, yellow-orange-pigmented, Gram-staining-negative bacterium, designated strain EM44(T), was isolated from seawater on the eastern coast of Jeju Island, Korea. Growth was observed at 15-35 degrees C (optimum 25-30 degrees C), pH 6.5-9.0 (optimum pH 7.0-8.5) and between 1 and 5% NaCl (w/v) (optimum 2-4%). Cells of strain EM44(T) were non-motile, straight rods and showed catalase and oxidase activities. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 47.9 mol% and the major respiratory quinone was MK-6. The major fatty acids were iso-C-15:0 G, iso-C-15:0, iso-C-17:0 3-OH and iso-C-16:0 3-OH. Strain EM44(T) contained phosphatidylethanolamine as a major polar phospholipid. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain EM44(T) fell within the family Flavobacteriaceae in the phylum Bacteroidetes and was most closely related to members of the genera Eudoraea, Zeaxanthinibacter and Robiginitalea with 92-94.5% gene sequence similarities. On the basis of chemotaxonomic data and molecular properties, it is clear that strain EM44(T) represents a novel genus within the family Flavobacteriaceae, for which the name Municola jejuensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is EM44(T) (=KCTC 22299(T)=DSM 21206(T)).