Bizionia echini sp. nov., isolated from a sea urchin

A bacterial strain, designated KMM 6177(T), was isolated from the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic investigation. The bacterium was found to be heterotrophic, aerobic, non-motile by gliding and orange-pigmented. Comparative phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing placed the marine isolate in the genus Bizionia, a member of the family Flavobacteriaceae, with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 94.9-98.6 % with recognized Bizionia species. Strain KMM 6177(T) grew at 4-39 degrees C and with 1-8 % NaCl. It produced alkaline phosphatase, catalase and oxidase and hydrolysed aesculin, gelatin, DNA and Tween 20. The predominant fatty acids were iso-C(15 : 1), iso-C(15 : 0), iso-C(15 : 0) 3-OH, iso-C(17 : 0) 3-OH and a summed feature (comprising iso-C(15 : 0) 2-OH and/or C(16 : 1)omega7c). The DNA G+C content was 34.4 mol%. A combination of phylogenetic, genotypic and phenotypic data clearly indicated that strain KMM 6177(T) represents a novel species in the genus Bizionia, for which the name Bizionia echini sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KMM 6177(T) (=KCTC 22015(T)=LMG 25220(T)).