Summary auto-generated
This study describes a novel bacterial species, Halomonas alimentaria, isolated from jeotgal, a traditional Korean fermented seafood. The strain YKJ-16T is a gram-negative, moderately halophilic bacterium characterized as non-motile cocci or short rods, which is morphologically atypical for the genus Halomonas. Through comprehensive taxonomic analysis, including 16S rDNA sequencing, chemotaxonomic characterization, and DNA-DNA hybridization, the authors confirmed that YKJ-16T belongs to the genus Halomonas and forms a distinct species from related organisms. The strain shares 97.0-97.3% 16S rDNA similarity with H. halodenitrificans, H. cupida, and H. pacifica, but exhibits low DNA-DNA relatedness values (5.7-13.5%), confirming its status as a separate species. The organism displays characteristics including ubiquinone-9 as the predominant quinone, growth at temperatures from 4-45°C, tolerance to high salt concentrations, and catalase and oxidase activities. Based on phenotypic, phylogenetic, and genetic evidence, the authors formally propose H. alimentaria as a new species with YKJ-16T as the type strain.
Key findings
- H. alimentaria is a novel moderately halophilic Halomonas species isolated from Korean fermented seafood jeotgal with atypical non-motile coccoid morphology
- 16S rDNA analysis shows closest phylogenetic relationships to H. halodenitrificans, H. cupida, and H. pacifica, but DNA-DNA hybridization confirms species-level distinction from these organisms
- The strain has ubiquinone-9 as the predominant isoprenoid quinone and distinctive fatty acid profiles consistent with the genus Halomonas
- H. alimentaria displays moderate halophily with optimal growth at 1-13% NaCl and temperature range of 4-45°C
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Abstract
A Gram-negative, moderately halophilic bacterial strain, YKJ-16(T), which was isolated from jeotgal, a traditional Korean food, was considered to be a member of the genus Halomonas. Cells of strain YKJ-16(T) are non-motile and cocci or short rods, unlike most Halomonas species. However, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that strain YKJ-16(T) belongs to the genus Halomonas. The predominant isoprenoid quinone is ubiquinone-9. The major fatty acids are C(18:1)omega7c, C(16:0), C(19:0) cyclo omega8c and C(16:1)omega7c and/or iso C(15:0) 2OH. The phylogenetic tree showed that strain YKJ-16(T) forms a distinct evolutionary lineage within the radiation comprising Halomonas species and forms a coherent cluster with Halomonas halodenitrificans, Halomonas cupida and Halomonas pacifica. Levels of 16S rDNA similarity between strain YKJ-16(T) and the type strains of other Halomonas species are 93.0--96.3%. Levels of DNA--DNA relatedness indicate a taxonomic status of strain YKJ-16(T) as a species different from the three species that form the coherent cluster mentioned above. Morphologically, strain YKJ-16(T) is also clearly differentiated from the type strains of H. cupida and H. pacifica. Accordingly, on the basis of the phenotypic characteristics, 16S rDNA sequence analysis and DNA relatedness data, strain YKJ-16(T) should be placed in the genus Halomonas as a novel species. The name Halomonas alimentaria sp. nov. is proposed with strain YKJ-16(T) (=KCCM 41042(T)=JCM 10888(T)) as the type strain.