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Proposal of six new species in the genus Microbacterium and transfer of Flavobacterium marinotypicum ZoBell and Upham to the genus Microbacterium as Microbacterium maritypicum comb. nov.

Takeuchi, Mariko, Hatano, Kazunori

International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 1998; 48(3):973 · https://doi.org/10.1099/00207713-48-3-973

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Summary auto-generated

Researchers at the Institute for Fermentation, Osaka, conducted a taxonomic study of 11 bacterial strains previously misidentified or unclearly classified within the genera Aureobacterium, Microbacterium, Chromobacterium, and Flavobacterium. Using morphological, physiological, and chemotaxonomic analyses combined with DNA–DNA hybridization and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, they established that these strains belonged to the genus Microbacterium. The study proposed six new Microbacterium species: M. ketosireducens, M. chocolatum, M. aurantiacum, M. hominis, M. thalassium, and M. halophilum. Additionally, Flavobacterium marinotypicum was reclassified as Microbacterium maritypicum. The strains were isolated from diverse sources including soil, marine environments, sewage, and clinical specimens. All isolates shared characteristic Microbacterium features including specific diamino acids (ornithine or lysine), cell wall sugars, and menaquinone compositions. This work expanded the genus Microbacterium from 19 to 26 validated species, demonstrating the broad environmental distribution of these actinobacteria.

Key findings

  • Six new Microbacterium species were formally proposed based on polyphasic taxonomy including DNA–DNA hybridization and 16S rRNA sequencing
  • Flavobacterium marinotypicum was reclassified as Microbacterium maritypicum through reclassification as a new combination
  • The strains were isolated from diverse ecological niches including soil, mangrove rhizospheres, marine environments, sewage, and clinical specimens, demonstrating wide environmental distribution
  • Differential characteristics of cell wall composition, menaquinone types, and fatty acid profiles enabled species differentiation within the expanded genus

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Abstract

Reference strains, including two mis-named organisms, Chromobacterium chocolatum and Flavobacterium marinotypicum. isolates from soil and clinical specimens, all previously recognized as Aureobacterium or Microbacterium, were characterized taxonomically. On the basis of morphological, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, as well as DNA-DNA hybridization data, six new species and one new combination are proposed in the genus Microbacterium: Microbacterium ketosireducens sp. nov. (type strain IFO 14548T), Microbacterium chocolatum sp. nov. (type strain IFO 3758T), Microbacterium aurantiacum sp. nov. (type strain IFO 15234T), Microbacterium hominis sp. nov. (type strain IFO 15708T), Microbacterium thalassium sp. nov. (type strain IFO 16060T), Microbacterium halophilum sp. nov. (type strain IFO 16062T) and Microbacterium maritypicum comb. nov. (type strain IFO 15779T).