Bacillus salipaludis sp. nov., isolated from saline-alkaline soil

A Gram-staining-positive, endospore-forming, aerobic strain, designed WN066^T, was isolated from saline-alkali wetland soil of Tianjin, China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated WN066^T was a member of the genus of Bacillus, and most closely related to Bacillus drentensis DSM 15600^T (98.9%), Bacillus cucumis CCM 8651^T (98.8%), Bacillus bataviensis DSM 15601^T (98.7%) and Bacillus niacini DSM 2923^T (98.7%). However, the average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) values between strain WN066^T and the most closely related species were less than the previously proposed cutoff values for differentiating species within the genus, suggesting that this strain represented a novel Bacillus species. The strain grew at 19-42 °C (optimally 33-37 °C) in the presence of 3-20% (w/v) NaCl (optimally 8-12%(w/v)), and at pH 6.5-11.0 (optimally 7.5-8.5). The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C_15:0 (24.8%) and anteiso-C_15:0 (38.9%). The predominant polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). The size of the draft genome was 6,213,503 bp in size and had a G + C content of 38.6 mol %. The peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. On basis of phenotypic, phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and genomic features, strain WN066^T represented a novel species within the genus Bacillus, for which the name B. salipaludis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WN066^T (= KCTC 33953^T = ACCC 60085^T).