Abstract
The taxonomic position of eight fluorescent Pseudomonas strains isolated from bulk and rhizospheric soils, and from water was examined. These eight strains clustered in one phenon together with Pseudomomas mandelii (CFBP 4844(T)), but could still be differentiated from this type strain by four phenotypic features. The eight stains exhibited internal DNA--DNA hybridization values ranging from 60 to 100%, with DeltaT(m) below 5 degrees C (3.9 and 4.3 degrees C) for the lowest values (60 and 66%). The percentages of hybridization with type or reference strains of other Pseudomonas species tested ranged from 12 to 60% (DeltaT(m)=5.5 degrees C), indicating that the eight isolates studied constituted a discrete DNA homology group. Comparison of the 16S rDNA sequence of the strain representing this group (CFBP 5737(T)) with the sequences of other strains belonging to the genus Pseudomonas revealed that strain CFBP 5737(T) was a member of this genus and that these bacteria did not cluster with any previously described species of the genus Pseudomonas. The eight isolates belonged to two siderovars different from those described so far. On the basis of the results of phenotypic, DNA--DNA and phylogenetic analyses, and of siderotyping, a new species, Pseudomonas lini sp. nov. (type strain CFBP 5737(T)) is proposed.