Paenibacillus alba nov., isolated from peat soil

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Bacteriology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Peat soils are rich reservoirs of microbial diversity.
• The genus Paenibacillus harbors bacteria with diverse metabolic capabilities and ecological roles.
• Isolation and characterization of novel bacterial species contribute to understanding microbial ecosystems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize a novel bacterial strain from Russian peat soil.
• To determine the taxonomic position of the isolate using polyphasic characterization.
• To propose a new species within the genus Paenibacillus.

Main Methods:

• Isolation of bacteria from peat soil.
• 16S rRNA gene sequencing for phylogenetic analysis.
• Phenotypic characterization including cell morphology, Gram staining, motility, and spore formation.
• Chemotaxonomic analyses: cell wall composition (menaquinone, diamino acid), major fatty acids, and polar lipids.
• DNA G+C content determination.

Main Results:

• A white-colored, Gram-positive, motile, facultative aerobic, endospore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium, strain J20-6(T), was isolated.
• Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed highest similarity to Paenibacillus frigoriresistens YIM 016(T) (98.2%).
• Chemotaxonomic data revealed MK-7 as the predominant menaquinone, meso-diaminopimelic acid in the cell wall, anteiso-C15:0 as the major fatty acid, and diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidyl-ethanolamine as major polar lipids. DNA G+C content was 49.9 mol%.

Conclusions:

• The combined phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and phylogenetic data strongly support the classification of strain J20-6(T) as a novel species within the genus Paenibacillus.
• The proposed name for the novel species is Paenibacillus alba sp. nov.
• The type strain is J20-6(T) (=KEMC 7302-005(T) = JCM 18165(T)).