Zobellella aerophila sp. nov., isolated from seashore sand, and emended description of the genus Zobellella

Abstract

A strictly aerobic, nitrate-reducing, motile, rod-shaped member of the class Gammaproteobacteria, designated strain JC2671(T), was isolated from a seashore sand sample from Dokdo, Korea. The isolate reduced nitrate to nitrite, but not to nitrogen, and required NaCl for growth. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that the isolate belonged to the genus Zobellella within the order Alteromonadales with sequence similarities of 96.0-97.6 % to strains of Zobellella species with validly published names. However, in DNA-DNA hybridization studies, a low genomic relatedness (43%) between strain JC2671(T) and the type strain of Zobellella denitrificans indicated that the isolate represented a novel genomic species. The polar lipid pattern (phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol), predominant cellular fatty acids [C(16:0), summed feature 3 (C(16:1)omega 6c and/or C(16:1)omega 7c) and summed feature 8 (C(18:1)omega 6c and/or C(18:1)omega 7c)] and the DNA G+C content (59 mol%) of the novel strain were consistent with its assignment to the genus Zobellella. In contrast, a number of phenotypic characteristics, namely a requirement of NaCl for growth, the inability to grow under facultatively anaerobic conditions, the absence of nitrite reduction and differences in carbohydrate utilization and enzymic activities, clearly distinguished the novel isolate from other species of the genus Zobellella. Data from this polyphasic study indicate that strain JC2671(T) represents a novel species in the genus Zobellella, for which the name Zobellella aerophila sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JC2671(T) (=KACC 15081(T) =JCM 17110(T)). The description of the genus Zobellella has been emended accordingly.