Nonlabens xiamenensis sp. nov., isolated from coastal seawater

A Gram-stain negative, rod-shaped and non-flagellated bacterium, designated strain 1Q3^T, was isolated from coastal seawater in Xiamen Island, China, and subjected to taxonomic characterisation using a polyphasic approach. Strain 1Q3^T was found to be aerobic, non-gliding and to lack flexirubin-type pigments. Catalase activity was found to be negative and oxidase positive. The strain has the ability to degrade protein. The nearly complete 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain 1Q3^T shows high sequence similarities with Nonlabens aestuariivivens OITF-31^T (96.1%), Nonlabens halophilus CAU 1131^T and Nonlabens spongiae UST030701-156^T (95.7% and 95.5%, respectively). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and phylogenomic analysis based on a 92 bacterial core gene set indicated that strain 1Q3^T should be affiliated to the genus Nonlabens, but forms a distinct monophyletic branch, which is separated from the other members within the genus Nonlabens. The predominant fatty acids (> 10%) were identified as iso-C_17:0 3-OH, iso-C_15:0 and anteiso-C_15:0. The predominant respiratory quinone was found to be MK-6. The polar lipids were identified as phosphatidylethanolamine, a phospholipid, an aminolipid and three unidentified polar lipids. The draft genome size of strain 1Q3^T is 3.7 Mb with genomic G + C content of 41.1 mol%. Based on these results, strain 1Q3^T is concluded to represent a novel species within the genus Nonlabens, for which the name Nonlabens xiamenensis sp. nov. is proposed with the type strain 1Q3^T (= MCCC 1A14023^T = KCTC 62889^T).