Sphingomonas montanisoli sp. nov., isolated from mountain soil

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Bacterial Taxonomy
• Genomics

Background:

• The genus Sphingomonas comprises diverse bacteria found in various environments.
• Accurate taxonomic classification is crucial for understanding microbial roles and evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize a novel soil bacterium isolated from Taihang Mountain, China.
• To determine the taxonomic position of strain ZX9611^T within the Sphingomonas genus.

Main Methods:

• Phenotypic characterization including Gram staining, aerobic growth, and colony morphology.
• Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
• Genomic analysis including Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH).
• Chemotaxonomic analysis of fatty acids, polyamines, respiratory quinones, and polar lipids.

Main Results:

• Strain ZX9611^T is a Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, motile, rod-shaped bacterium forming light pink colonies.
• Phylogenetic analysis showed highest 16S rRNA gene similarity to Sphingomonas crocodyli CCP-7^T (97.0%).
• ANI and dDDH values indicated that ZX9611^T is distinct from related Sphingomonas species.
• Chemotaxonomic data, including major fatty acids and polar lipids, were consistent with the Sphingomonas genus.

Conclusions:

• Strain ZX9611^T represents a novel species within the genus Sphingomonas.
• The proposed name for this new species is Sphingomonas montanisoli sp. nov.
• The type strain is ZX9611^T (=KCTC 72622^T=CCTCC AB 2019350^T).