Schlegelella aquatica sp. nov., a novel thermophilic bacterium isolated from a hot spring

Abstract

A moderately thermophilic bacterial strain designated wcf1T, isolated from a hot spring located in the Tainan area, southern Taiwan, was characterized using a polyphasic approach. The cells were Gram-negative, non-pigmented, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming and motile. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain formed a monophyletic branch towards the periphery of the evolutionary radiation occupied by the genus Schlegelella; its only close neighbour was the type strain of Schlegelella thermodepolymerans, K14T (97.8 %). The isolate was clearly distinguishable from other strains using phylogenetic analysis, DNA–DNA hybridization, fatty acid composition data and a range of physiological and biochemical characteristics. It was evident from the genotypic and phenotypic data that strain wcf1T represents a novel species in the genus Schlegelella, for which the name Schlegelella aquatica sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain wcf1T (=BCRC 17557T=LMG 23380T).