Rhodovarius lipocyclicus gen. nov. sp. nov., a New Genus of the α-1 Subclass of the Proteobacteria

Abstract

A bacterial strain (CCUG 44693T) was recovered during an industrial hygiene control. Phylogenetic analyses using the 16S rRNA gene sequence of the isolate indicated that it represents a new lineage in the alpha-1 subclass of the Proteobacteria, with the highest sequence similarity of 93.3% to the type strain of Muricoccus roseus. In the polyamine pattern spermidine was the predominant compound. The polar lipid profile consisted of the major lipids phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl dimethylethanolamine, phosphatidyl glycerol, phosphatidyl cholin and an unknown amino lipid. The major respiratory quinone was a ubiquinone Q-10 and the major whole cell fatty acids were 19:0 cyclo omega8c and 18:1 omega7c. The isolate also contained 18:1 2-OH and other fatty acids typical for members of the alpha-1 subclass of the Proteobacteria in addition to 10:0 2-OH in low amounts, not detected in members of closely related genera. The strain grew heterotrophically and strictly aerobically and formed red-colored colonies on tryptone soy agar. Bacteriochlorophyll a could not be detected by direct spectrophotometric analyses of aerobically grown cells. On the basis of the phylogenetic analyses, chemotaxonomic and biochemical characteristics, we propose that strain CCUG 44693T (CIP 108310T) represents a new genus of the alpha-1 subclass of the Proteobacteria for which we propose the name Rhodovarius lipocyclicus gen. nov. sp. nov.