Planobacterium taklimakanense gen. nov., sp nov., a member of the family Flavobacteriaceae that exhibits swimming motility, isolated from desert soil

A Gram-negative and rod-shaped bacterial strain, X-65(T), isolated from desert soil of Xinjiang, China, was subjected to phenotypic and phylogenetic studies. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses, the isolate showed closest relationship to members of the genera Chryseobacterium (92.4-95.4% similarity), Cloacibacterium (94.0%), Sejongia (93.9%) and Elizabethkingia (93.8%) and to Riemerella columbina LMG 11607(T) (93.3%). The strain differed from its phylogenetic neighbours by its swimming motility in liquid cultures and the presence of long appendages and large amounts of the straight-chain fatty acids 16:0 and 18:0. Growth was observed at 18-37 degrees C (optimum 30 degrees C), at pH 6-12 (optimum pH 7-8) and in the presence of 0-3% NaCl (optimum 0%). Flexirubin pigments were absent. The major isoprenoid quinone was MK-6. The DNA G+C content of X-65(T) was 41.5 mol%. The data presented in this study indicate that the isolate should be classified in a novel genus and species within the family Flavobacteriaceae, for which the name Planobacterium taklimakanense gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Planobacterium taklimakanense is X-65(T) (=CCTCC AB 208154(T) =NRRL B-51322(T)).