Priestia veravalensis sp. nov., isolated from coastal sample

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Bacterial Taxonomy
• Genomics

Background:

• The genus Priestia comprises several species within the Bacillaceae family.
• Accurate bacterial classification is crucial for understanding microbial ecology and evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To taxonomically characterize two bacterial isolates, SGD-V-76T and SGD-M-37, from Indian coastal sediment.
• To determine if these isolates represent a novel species within the Priestia genus.

Main Methods:

• Polyphasic taxonomic approach including morphological, chemotaxonomic, and phylogenetic analyses.
• 16S rRNA gene sequencing for phylogenetic placement.
• DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) and Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) for genomic comparison.
• Phenotypic, biochemical, and physiological tests.

Main Results:

• Isolates SGD-V-76T and SGD-M-37 exhibited characteristics typical of the genus Priestia and formed a distinct clade with known Priestia species based on 16S rRNA gene sequences (>98% similarity).
• Chemotaxonomic data revealed meso-diaminopimelic acid in the cell wall, MK-7 as the predominant quinone, and G+C content of 37.5-37.7 mol%.
• Low dDDH (17.7-18.0%) and ANI (79.2-79.3%) values confirmed that the isolates are distinct from previously identified Priestia species, despite phenotypic similarities.
• Strain SGD-V-76T was clearly differentiated from related species based on combined genomic and phenotypic data.

Conclusions:

• Strain SGD-V-76T represents a novel species of the genus Priestia, proposed as Priestia veravalensis sp. nov.
• This finding contributes to the taxonomic knowledge of the genus Priestia and highlights microbial diversity in marine sediments.