Abstract
A dark-purple marine bacterium that inhibits the germination of marine algal spores and the settlement of invertebrate larvae has been characterized and assessed for taxonomic assignment. Two strains, designated UL12(T) and UL13, were isolated from the surface of the common marine alga Ulva lactuca. Based on 16S rDNA sequencing, UL12(T) and UL13 were found to show the highest similarity (97%) to members of the genus Pseudoalteromonas. DNA--DNA hybridization studies demonstrated less than 28% genomic DNA relatedness between these isolates and closely related Pseudoalteromonas species and greater than 65% homology between UL12(T) and UL13. The two isolates were found to display identical characteristics and are strict aerobes, motile by means of single polar flagella, exhibit non-fermentative metabolism and require sodium ions for growth. The isolates hydrolyse gelatin and can utilize citrate, maltose, mannose and glucose but not trehalose, sucrose, fructose, lactose or glycerol as sole carbon sources. The molecular evidence together with the phenotypic characteristics show that this bacterium constitutes a new species within the genus Pseudoalteromonas. The name Pseudoalteromonas ulvae sp. nov. is proposed for this bacterium and the type strain is UL12(T) (=UNSW 095600(T)=NCIMB 13762(T)).