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 being Sphingomonas 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).