Jeotgalibacillus haloalkaliphilus sp. nov., a novel alkaliphilic and halotolerant bacterium, isolated from the estuary of the Fenhe River into the Yellow River

Abstract

A Gram-stain positive, aerobic, alkaliphilic and halotolerant bacterium, designated HH7-29^T, was isolated from the estuary of the Fenhe River into the Yellow River in Shanxi Province, PR China. Growth occurred at pH 6.0–12.0 (optimum, pH 8.0–8.5) and 15–40℃ (optimum, 32℃) with 0.5–24% NaCl (optimum, 2–9%). The predominant fatty acids (> 10.0%) were iso-C_15:0 and anteiso-C_15:0. The major menaquinones were MK-7 and MK-8. The polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and two unidentified phospholipids. Phylogenetic analyses based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain HH7-29^T was a member of the genus Jeotgalibacillus, exhibiting high sequence similarity to the 16S rRNA gene sequences of Jeotgalibacillus alkaliphilus JC303^T (98.4%), Jeotgalibacillus salarius ASL-1^T (98.1%) and Jeotgalibacillus alimentarius YKJ-13^T (98.1%). The genomic DNA G + C content was 43.0%. Gene annotation showed that strain HH7-29^T had lower protein isoelectric points (pIs) and possessed genes related to ion transport and organic osmoprotectant uptake, implying its potential tolerance to salt and alkali. The average nucleotide identity, digital DNA–DNA hybridization values, amino acid identity values, and percentage of conserved proteins values between strain HH7-29^T and its related species were 71.1–83.8%, 19.5–27.4%, 66.5–88.4% and 59.8–76.6%, respectively. Based on the analyses of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, phylogenetic and genomic features, strain HH7-29^T represents a novel species of the genus Jeotgalibacillus, for which the name Jeotgalibacillus haloalkaliphilus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is HH7-29^T (= KCTC 43417^T = MCCC 1K07541^T).