Abstract
Five actinomycete strains, SK-3255(T), SK-3406(T), SK-3412, SK-3421 and OM-5023, were isolated using a novobiocin-containing agar medium from soil samples. These strains produced long spore chains on aerial mycelium and contained LL- and meso-diaminopimelic acids (DAPs) in the cell wall. On the basis of morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics and phylogenetic analysis, these five strains were classified into the genus Kitasatospora. DNA--DNA hybridization and comparison of physiological characteristics revealed that strains SK-3255(T) and SK-3406(T) differed from known species. Strains SK-3406(T), SK-3412 and SK-3421 were regarded as the same species. Strain OM-5023 was identified as Kitasatospora griseola. Therefore, two novel species are proposed, Kitasatospora cineracea sp. nov. and Kitasatospora niigatensis sp. nov., with the type strains K. cineracea SK-3255(T) (=IFO 16452(T)=JCM 10915(T)=NRRL B-23134(T)) and K. niigatensis SK-3406(T) (=IFO 16453(T)=JCM 10916(T)=NRRL B-24135(T)).