Hymenobacter nivis sp. nov., isolated from red snow in Antarctica

A novel aerobic bacterial strain, P3T, was isolated from a red snow obtained from Antarctica. Cells of strain P3T were rod-shaped, non-motile, catalase-negative, oxidase-positive and Gram-stain-negative. Growth was observed at temperatures ranging from 0 to 25 °C, with optimum growth at 15 °C. The pH range for growth was pH 5.3-7.8. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 55.0 mol%. The major components in the fatty acid profile were iso-C15 : 0, summed feature 4 (iso-C17 : 1 I and/or anteiso-C17 : 1 B), anteiso-C15 : 0 and summed feature 3 (iso-C16 : 1ω7c and/or iso-C16 : 1ω6c). The predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the novel isolate was a member of the genus Hymenobacter, and the strain showed highest sequence similarity (94 %) with H.ymenpbacter glaciei VUG-A130T, Hymenobacter. soli PB17T and Hymenobacter. antarcticus VUG-A42aaT. On the basis of phylogenetic and phenotypic properties strain P3T represents a novel species of the genus Hymenobacter (for which the name Hymenobacter nivis sp. nov. is proposed. The types strain is P3T (=DSM 101755T=NBRC 111535T).