Chitinibacter alvei sp. nov., isolated from stream water

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Bacteriology
• Taxonomy

Background:

• A novel Gram-negative, aerobic bacterium, designated strain TNR-14T, was isolated from a stream in southern Taiwan.
• The isolate exhibits characteristics of the genus Chitinibacter, showing closest phylogenetic relation to Chitinibacter tainanensis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize and classify a newly isolated bacterium from a Taiwanese stream.
• To determine if the isolate represents a new species within the Chitinibacter genus.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and cultivation of bacteria from stream water.
• Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences.
• Determination of cellular fatty acid composition and DNA G+C content.
• Physiological and biochemical tests for phenotypic characterization.

Main Results:

• Strain TNR-14T is a motile, rod-shaped bacterium with optimal growth at 20°C, pH 7.0, and without NaCl.
• Phylogenetic analysis indicated 96.0% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Chitinibacter tainanensis.
• Predominant cellular fatty acids were summed feature 3 (54.03%) and C16:0 (27.22%).
• DNA G+C content was 57.5 mol%.
• Phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data differentiated strain TNR-14T from Chitinibacter tainanensis.

Conclusions:

• Strain TNR-14T represents a novel species of the genus Chitinibacter.
• The proposed name for this new species is Chitinibacter alvei sp. nov.
• The type strain is TNR-14T (=LMG 25206T =DSM 22217T =BCRC 17968T).