Providencia vermicola sp. nov., isolated from infective juveniles of the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema thermophilum

Abstract

In the course of isolating bacteria from infective juveniles of the entomopathogenic nematodeSteinernema thermophilumGanguly & Singh, 2000, three isolates were obtained (OP1T, OP29 and VS3). On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and riboprint patterns, these three strains were identical to each other but distinct from the type strains of the five recognized species of the genusProvidencia. Based on biochemical and genomic analysis and supported by the low (<35 %) DNA–DNA relatedness between strain OP1Tand the type strain of its phylogenetically closest relative,Providencia rettgeri(99·5 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), strain OP1Twas considered to be sufficiently distinct from recognizedProvidenciaspecies to warrant the description of a novel species. The nameProvidencia vermicolasp. nov. is proposed, with OP1T(=DSM 17385T=CIP 108829T) as the type strain.