Deinococcus rhizophilus sp.nov., isolated from rhizosphere soil.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Bacteriology
• Genomics

Background:

• The genus Deinococcus comprises extremophilic bacteria known for their radiation resistance.
• Rhizosphere bacteria play crucial roles in plant health and soil ecosystems.
• Understanding bacterial diversity in unique environments like Inner Mongolia is important for ecological studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize a novel bacterial strain isolated from rhizosphere soil.
• To determine the phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic properties of the isolate.
• To propose a new species within the genus Deinococcus.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and cultivation of bacteria from rhizosphere soil.
• Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences.
• Chemotaxonomic analysis including respiratory quinones, fatty acids, and polar lipids.
• Genomic DNA G+C content determination.
• Average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) calculations.

Main Results:

• A spherical, pink, aerobic, Gram-positive bacterium, strain MIMF12T, was isolated.
• Phylogenetic analysis showed highest similarity (96.0%) to Deinococcus terrestris SDU3-2T.
• Chemotaxonomic data (menaquinone 8, specific fatty acids, polar lipids) were determined.
• Genomic G+C content was 70.1 mol%, ANI was 88.1%, and dDDH was 52.1% with D. terrestris.
• Strain MIMF12T exhibited distinct characteristics from known Deinococcus species.

Conclusions:

• Strain MIMF12T represents a novel species of the genus Deinococcus.
• The proposed name for the novel species is Deinococcus rhizophilus sp. nov.
• This discovery contributes new insights into the diversity and evolution of the Deinococcus genus.