Branchiibius hedensis gen. nov., sp nov., an actinobacterium isolated from a Japanese codling (Physiculus japonicus)

A novel, Gram-stain-positive bacterial strain, Mer 29717(T), was isolated from the branchia (gills) of a Japanese coding, Physiculus japonicus, collected from bottom waters of Suruga Bay in Shizuoka, Japan. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that this strain represents a distinct lineage within the family Dermacoccaceae and was related most closely to members of the genera Demetria and Yimella. It shared highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (95.1%) with Yimella lutea YIM 45900(T). Strain Mer 29717(T) contained MK-8(H-2) and MK-8(H-4) as menaquinones, and iso-C-16:0, C-16:0, C-17:1 cis-9, C-17:0, C-18:1 cis-9 and C-19:1 cis-10 were the major cellular fatty acids. The cell-wall peptidoglycan of strain Mer 29717(T) was composed of L-Lys, D-Ser, L-Ser, Gly, D-Glu and D-Ala. Polar lipids were phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and one unidentified phospholipid. Mycolic acids were not detected. The G+C content of the DNA of strain Mer 29717(T) was 68 mol%. On the basis of differential chemotaxonomic, physiological and biochemical data, strain Mer 29717(T) is considered to represent a novel species of a new genus, for which the name Branchiibius hedensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Branchiibius hedensis is Mer 29717(T) (=NBRC 106121(T) =DSM 22951(T)).