Deinococcus enclensis sp. nov., isolated from a marine sediment sample

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Bacteriology
• Taxonomy

Background:

• Marine sediments are rich reservoirs of microbial diversity.
• The genus Deinococcus is known for its radiation resistance and unique cellular structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize a novel bacterium from a marine environment.
• To determine the taxonomic position of the novel isolate using a polyphasic approach.

Main Methods:

• Isolation of strain NIO-1023(T) from marine sediment.
• Polyphasic taxonomic characterization including 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
• DNA-DNA hybridization, chemotaxonomic analysis (respiratory quinones, fatty acids, polar lipids), and G+C content determination.

Main Results:

• Strain NIO-1023(T) is a Gram-positive, coccal, non-spore-forming bacterium.
• Phylogenetic analysis placed the strain within the genus Deinococcus, with 97.8% 16S rRNA gene similarity to Deinococcus ficus.
• DNA-DNA relatedness with D. ficus was 23.9%, supporting its status as a new species.
• Chemotaxonomic data revealed MK-8 as the sole respiratory quinone and a unique polar lipid profile.
• Predominant fatty acids included C17:1 w8c, C16:1 w6c/w7c, C15:1 w6c, and C17:1 w9c.
• The genomic DNA G+C content was 67.2 mol%.

Conclusions:

• Strain NIO-1023(T) represents a novel species of the genus Deinococcus.
• The proposed name for the novel species is Deinococcus enclensis sp. nov.
• The type strain is NIO-1023(T) (=DSM 25127(T) = NCIM 5456(T)).