Azospirillum fermentarium sp. nov., a nitrogen-fixing species isolated from a fermenter

An aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, spiral or rod-shaped, non-spore-forming, diazotrophic bacterium (strain CC-LY743(T)) was isolated from a fermentative tank in Taiwan. Strain CC-LY743(T) was able to grow at 20-37 °C and pH 6.0-8.0 and tolerated up to 3.0 % (w/v) NaCl. It was positive for nitrogen fixation, with activity of 10.6 nmol ethylene h(-1). 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of strain CC-LY743(T) showed highest similarity to Azospirillum picis DSM 19922(T) (96.1 %), Azospirillum oryzae JCM 21588(T) (96.0 %) and Azospirillum rugosum DSM 19657(T) (96.0 %) and lower similarity (<96.0 %) to all other Azospirillum species. Highest nifH gene sequence similarities were obtained with Azospirillum brasilense BCRC 12270(T) (92.0 %), Azospirillum formosense BCRC 80273(T) (92.3 %) and A. rugosum DSM 19657(T) (91.8 %). It was positive in the rapid identification by a genus-specific primer set. The predominant quinone system was ubiquinone 10 (Q-10) and the DNA G+C content was 69.6±0.1 mol%. The major fatty acids found in strain CC-LY743(T) were n-C16 : 0, C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c, C14 : 0 3-OH/C16 : 1 iso I, C16 : 1ω7c/C16 : 1ω6c and C18 : 1ω7c/C18 : 1ω6c. Based on its phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic features, strain CC-LY743(T) is considered to represent a novel species within the genus Azospirillum for which the name Azospirillum fermentarium sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CC-LY743(T) ( = BCRC 80505(T) = JCM 18688(T) = LMG 27264(T)).