Abstract:
A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, slightly halophilic, non-motile and rod-shaped bacterial
strain, designated P2E16T, was isolated from mangrove (Avicennia marina) rhizosphere, collected
at Devipattinam mangroves, Tamil Nadu, India. Strain P2E16T grew optimally at pH 7.0–8.0, at
25–28 6C and in the presence of 2–3% (w/v) NaCl. 16S rRNA gene analysis showed that strain
P2E16T was phylogenetically closely related to the genus Zunongwangia, with Zunongwangia
profunda SM-A87T as the closest related type strain (98.2% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity)
and less than 93% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to all other members of the family
Flavobacteriaceae. Strain P2E16T contained MK-6 as the major respiratory quinone, phosphatidylethanolamine
as the predominant polar lipid and iso-C15 : 0 (17.8 %), iso-C17 : 0 3-OH
(15.1 %), C15 : 0 (12.8 %), iso-C17 : 1v9c (9.8 %), iso-C15 : 1 G (9.0 %), and summed feature 3
(comprising C16 : 1v7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH; 7.1 %) as the major fatty acids. The DNA G+C
content was 34.3 mol%. Differential phenotypic properties, together with the phylogenetic
distinctiveness and low DNA–DNA relatedness demonstrated that strain P2E16T was distinct
from the type strain of Zunongwangia profunda. On the basis of these presented data, strain
P2E16T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Zunongwangia, for which the
name Zunongwangia mangrovi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is P2E16T (5DSM
24499T5LMG 26237T5KCTC 23496T). An emended description of the genus Zunongwangia is
also provided.
