Abstract
The almost complete 16S rDNA sequences of the type strains of eight validly described species and two invalid species of the genus Thermoactinomyces were determined and phylogenetically analysed. The validly described Thermoactinomyces species formed phylogenetic lineages related to the family Bacillaceae, as shown previously. However, the available strains of 'Thermoactinomyces glaucus' and 'Thermoactinomyces monosporus' exhibited their closest phylogenetic affinities not to the genus Thermoactinomyces but to the genus Saccharomonospora. Some Thermoactinomyces species were shown to be closely related from 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Particularly, Thermoactinomyces vulgaris KCTC 9076(T) and Thermoactinomyces candidus KCTC 9557(T) had the same 16S rDNA sequences and Thermoactinomyces thalpophilus KCTC 9789(T) and Thermoactinomyces sacchari KCTC 9790(T) showed 16S rDNA similarity value of almost 100%. From phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequences, it is suggested that the genus Thermoactinomyces should be taxonomically re-evaluated using other useful taxonomic markers.