Lentibacillus salarius sp. nov., isolated from saline sediment in China, and emended description of the genus Lentibacillus

Abstract

A Gram-positive, spore-forming and moderately halophilic bacterium, strain BH139T, was isolated from saline sediment of Xinjiang Province, China. Cells of strain BH139T were motile, flagellated rods. The organism grew optimally at 30-35°C in the presence 12-14% (w/v) NaCl. The major fatty acids were branched saturated fatty acids such as iso-C16:0, anteiso-C15:0, iso-C15:0, iso-C14:0 and anteiso-C17:0. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was about 43 mol% and the predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses showed that strain BH139T was most closely related to Lentibacillus salicampi KCCM 41560T (96.9% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and formed a distinct phyletic line from that species. On the basis of physiological and molecular properties, the isolate represents a novel species within the genus Lentibacillus, for which the name Lentibacillus salarius sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BH139T (=KCTC 3911T=DSM 16459T).