Asaia siamensis sp. nov., an acetic acid bacterium in the alpha-proteobacteria

Five bacterial strains were isolated from tropical flowers collected in Thailand and Indonesia by the enrichment culture approach for acetic acid bacteria. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the isolates were located within the cluster of the genus Asaia. The isolates constituted a group separate from Asaia bogorensis on the basis of DNA relatedness values. Their DNA G+C contents were 58.6-59.7 mol%, with a range of 1.1 mol%, which were slightly lower than that of A. bogorensis (59.3-61.0 mol%), the type species of the genus Asaia. The isolates had morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics similar to A. bogorensis strains, but the isolates did not produce acid from dulcitol. On the basis of the results obtained, the name Asaia siamensis sp. nov. is proposed for these isolates. Strain S60-1T, isolated from a flower of crown flower (dok rak, Calotropis gigantea) collected in Bangkok, Thailand, was designated the type strain ( = NRIC 0323T = JCM 10715T = IFO 16457T).