Sphingomonas morindae sp. nov., isolated from Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) branch

Abstract

Two yellow bacterial strains, designated NBD5T and NBD8, isolated from Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) branch were investigated using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, non-motile and short rod-shaped. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences suggested that the strains were members of a novel species of the genus Sphingomonas, the seven closest neighbours beingSphingomonas oligoaromativorans SY-6T (96.9% similarity), Sphingomonas polyaromaticivorans B2-7T (95.8%), Sphingomonas yantingensis 1007T (94.9%),Sphingomonas sanguinis IFO 13937T (94.7%), Sphingomonas ginsenosidimutans Gsoil 1429T(94.6%), Sphingomonas wittichii RW1T (94.6%) and Sphingomonas formosensis CC-Nfb-2T(94.5%). Strains NBD5T and NBD8 had sphingoglycolipid, phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine as the major polar lipids, ubiquinone 10 as the predominant respiratory quinone, and sym-homospermidine as the major polyamine. Strains NBD5T and NBD8 were clearly distinguished from reference type strains based on phylogenetic analysis, DNA？DNA hybridization, fatty acid composition data analysis, and comparison of a range of physiological and biochemical characteristics. It is evident from the genotypic and phenotypic data that strains NBD5T and NBD8 represent a novel species of the genus Sphingomonas, for which the name Sphingomonas morindae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NBD5T (=DSM 29151T=KCTC 42183T=CICC 10879T).