Psychromonas boydii sp. nov., a gas-vacuolate, psychrophilic bacterium isolated from an Arctic sea-ice core.

A gas-vacuolate bacterium, strain 174(T), was isolated from a sea-ice core collected from Point Barrow, Alaska, USA. Comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that this bacterium was most closely related to Psychromonas ingrahamii 37(T), with a similarity of >99 %. However, strain 174(T) could be clearly distinguished from closely related species by DNA-DNA hybridization; relatedness values determined by two different methods between strain 174(T) and P. ingrahamii 37(T) were 58.4 and 55.7 % and those between strain 174(T) and Psychromonas antarctica DSM 10704(T) were 46.1 and 33.1 %, which are well below the 70 % level used to define a distinct species. Phenotypic analysis, including cell size (strain 174(T) is the largest member of the genus Psychromonas, with rod-shaped cells, 8-18 microm long), further differentiated strain 174(T) from other members of the genus Psychromonas. Strain 174(T) could be distinguished from its closest relative, P. ingrahamii, by its utilization of D-mannose and D-xylose as sole carbon sources, its ability to ferment myo-inositol and its inability to use fumarate and glycerol as sole carbon sources. In addition, strain 174(T) contained gas vacuoles of two distinct morphologies and grew at temperatures ranging from below 0 to 10 degrees C and its optimal NaCl concentration for growth was 3.5 %. The DNA G+C content was 40 mol%. Whole-cell fatty acid analysis showed that 16 : 1omega7c and 16 : 0 comprised 44.9 and 26.4 % of the total fatty acid content, respectively. The name Psychromonas boydii sp. nov. is proposed for this novel species, with strain 174(T) (=DSM 17665(T) =CCM 7498(T)) as the type strain.

Psychromonas ingrahamii sp. nov., a novel gas vacuolate, psychrophilic bacterium isolated from Arctic polar sea ice.

A gas vacuolate bacterium, designated strain 37T, was isolated from a sea ice core collected from Point Barrow, Alaska, USA. Cells of strain 37T were large (6-14 microm in length), rod-shaped, contained gas vacuoles of two distinct morphologies, and grew well at NaCl concentrations of 1-10 % and at temperatures of -12 to 10 degrees C. The DNA G+C content was 40 mol%. Whole-cell fatty acid analysis showed that 16 : 1omega7c comprised 67 % of the total fatty acid content. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that this bacterium was closely related to members of the genus Psychromonas, with highest sequence similarity (96.8 %) to Psychromonas antarctica. Phenotypic analysis differentiated strain 37T from P. antarctica on the basis of several characteristics, including cell morphology, growth temperature range and the ability to hydrolyse polymers. DNA-DNA hybridization experiments revealed a level of relatedness of 37 % between strain 37T and P. antarctica, providing further support that it represents a distinct species. The name Psychromonas ingrahamii sp. nov. is proposed for this novel species. The type strain is 37T (=CCUG 51855T=CIP 108865T).