Actinocatenispora comari sp. nov., an endophytic actinomycete isolated from aerial parts of Comarum salesowianum.

A novel actinomycete, designated NUM-2625T, was isolated as an endophytic bacterium in aerial parts of Comarum salesowianum, an endemic species in the Altai, Himalaya mountain chain area, collected from Khasagt Khairkhan Mountain in Mongolia. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain NUM-2625T showed the highest similarity to Actinocatenispora thailandica TT2-10T (99.4 %), Actinocatenispora sera KV-744T (99.3 %), and Actinocatenispora rupis CS5-AC17T (97.7 %). Chemotaxonomic properties of strain NUM-2625T were essentially consistent with those of the genus Actinocatenispora, such as the presence of meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid of the peptidoglycan, MK-9(H4) and MK-9(H6) as the major menaquinones, and iso-C16 : 0, iso-C15 : 0, iso-C14 : 0 3-OH, and anteiso-C17 : 0 as the major fatty acids. Meanwhile, digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values revealed a low relatedness between strain NUM-2625T and the other type strains of the genus Actinocatenispora. In addition, strain NUM-2625T exhibited several phenotypic properties that could be used to distinguish it from its closest relatives. Based on the results of polyphasic analyses, strain NUM-2625T represents a novel species in the genus Actinocatenispora, for which the name Actinocatenispora comari sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NUM-2625T (=NBRC 114660T=TBRC 13496T).

Cryptosporangium mongoliense sp. nov., isolated from soil.

A Gram-positive, aerobic, non-motile actinomycete, strain MN08-A0264(T), was isolated from soil sampled in Mongolia. The isolate formed pale to moderate yellowish brown colonies and branched substrate mycelium. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain MN08-A0264(T) belonged to the genus Cryptosporangium and exhibited 97.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Cryptosporangium aurantiacum IMSNU 22120(T), 97.7 % with C. minutisporangium IFO 15962(T), 97.2 % with C. arvum IFO 15965(T) and 96.8 % with C. japonicum IFO 15966(T). The allocation of the isolate to the genus Cryptosporangium was supported by chemotaxonomic data: menaquinone MK-9(H(6)) with minor amounts of MK-9(H(8)) and MK-9(H(4)), major amounts of iso-C(16 : 0), C(18 : 1)9c and C(17 : 0) 10-methyl, a polar lipid profile comprising phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and glycolipids, and whole-cell sugars glucose, galactose, acofriose (3-0 methylrhamnose), mannose, ribose, arabinose, xylose and rhamnose (trace). DNA-DNA relatedness (5-20 %) differentiated the isolate from its closest neighbours. The physiological and biochemical tests allowed the differentiation of strain MN08-A0264(T) from members of the genus Cryptosporangium. Thus, strain MN08-A0264(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Cryptosporangium mongoliense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MN08-A0264(T) ( = NBRC 105887(T)  = VTCC D9-27(T)).

Herbidospora mongoliensis sp. nov., isolated from soil, and reclassification of Herbidospora osyris and Streptosporangium claviforme as synonyms of Herbidospora cretacea.

A Gram-reaction-positive aerobic actinomycete, designated strain MN08-A0118(T), which produced short chains of non-motile spores on the tips of long sporophores and formed yellow-brown colonies with branched substrate mycelium, was studied in detail to determine its taxonomic position. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses, strain MN08-A0118(T) was grouped into the genus Herbidospora, being most closely related to Streptosporangium claviforme (98.2%), Herbidospora osyris (98.2%), Herbidospora daliensis (98.2%), Herbidospora cretacea (97.9%) and Herbidospora yilanensis (97.4%). Chemotaxonomic data supported allocation of the strain to the genus Herbidospora. MK-10(H(4)) was the predominant menaquinone with minor amounts of MK-10(H(6)), MK-10(H(2)) and MK-9(H(4)); the fatty acid profile contained major amounts of iso-C(16:0), C(17:0) 10-methyl, iso-C(14:0) and iso-C(16:0) 2-OH; the phospholipid profile contained phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine and glucosamine-containing phospholipids; and the whole-cell sugars included ribose, glucose, galactose, madurose and rhamnose (trace). The phylogenetic data, phenotypic and genotypic properties and DNA-DNA hybridization differentiated this strain from its closely related strains, S. claviforme (35-54% DNA-DNA relatedness), H. osyris (39-51%), H. daliensis (3-16%), H. cretacea (34-39%) and H. yilanensis (34-42%). Thus, MN08-A0118(T) represents a novel species of the genus Herbidospora, for which the name Herbidospora mongoliensis sp. nov. is proposed, with MN08-A0118(T) ( = NBRC 105882(T)  = VTCC D9-22(T)) as the type strain. In addition, DNA-DNA hybridization results showed that S. claviforme and H. osyris are synonyms of H. cretacea.

Pseudonocardia mongoliensis sp. nov. and Pseudonocardia khuvsgulensis sp. nov., isolated from soil.

Two actinomycetes, designated MN08-A0270(T) and MN08-A0297(T), were isolated from soil from the area around Khuvsgul Lake, Khuvsgul province, Mongolia, and subjected to phenotypic and genotypic characterization. They produced well-developed, branched substrate hyphae and, similar to closely related species of the genus Pseudonocardia, produced zigzag-shaped aerial hyphae by acropetal budding and blastospores. A comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strains MN08-A0270(T) and MN08-A0297(T) formed two distinct clades within the genus Pseudonocardia and were respectively most closely related to Pseudonocardia yunnanensis NBRC 15681(T) (97.3 % similarity) and Pseudonocardia thermophila IMSNU 20112(T) (97.1 %). Chemotaxonomic characteristics, including cell-wall diaminopimelic acid, whole-cell sugars, fatty acid components and major menaquinones, suggested that the two organisms belonged to the genus Pseudonocardia. Strains MN08-A0270(T) and MN08-A0297(T) could be differentiated from each other and from closely related species of the genus Pseudonocardia by physiological and biochemical characteristics, predominant fatty acids, menaquinones and whole-cell sugar components. Combined with the results of a broad range of phenotypic tests and DNA-DNA hybridization data and phylogenetic analysis, these results support the conclusion that these strains represent two novel species of the genus Pseudonocardia, for which we propose the names Pseudonocardia mongoliensis sp. nov. (type strain MN08-A0270(T)  = NBRC 105885(T)  = VTCC D9-25(T)) and Pseudonocardia khuvsgulensis sp. nov. (type strain MN08-A0297(T)  = NBRC 105886(T)  = VTCC D9-26(T)).

Actinophytocola burenkhanensis sp. nov., isolated from Mongolian soil.

A Gram-positive, aerobic, non-motile actinomycete, strain MN08-A0203(T), that formed pale yellow to orange-brown colonies and non-fragmented branched substrate mycelium is described. The strain, which produced very scanty aerial mycelium-like structures and scanty formation of spherical bodies on the aerial mycelium on Bennett's agar medium, was studied in detail to determine its taxonomic position. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity studies, strain MN08-A0203(T) grouped with the genus Actinophytocola, being most closely related to the type strain of Actinophytocola oryzae (97.8 %). Chemotaxonomic data [menaquinone MK-9(H(4)); iso-C(16 : 0) (27 %), iso-C(15 : 0) (18 %), C(16 : 1) H (8 %), C(16 : 0) 9-methyl (8 %) as major fatty acids; glucose, galactose, ribose, arabinose, mannose, rhamnose and xylose (trace) as whole cell sugars; diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, hydroxyphosphatidylethanolamine and ninhydrin-positive phosphoglycolipids as polar phospholipids] supported allocation of the strain to the genus Actinophytocola. Furthermore, the results of DNA-DNA hybridization of strain MN08-A0203(T) with the type strain of Actinophytocola oryzae revealed that the two strains were genetically distinct from each other. Moreover, physiological and biochemical tests allowed genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of strain MN08-A0203(T) from closely related species. Thus, MN08-A0203(T) represents a novel species of the genus Actinophytocola, for which the name Actinophytocola burenkhanensis sp. nov. is proposed, with MN08-A0203(T) ( = NBRC 105883(T)  = VTCC D9-23(T)) as the type strain.

Actinoplanes toevensis sp. nov. and Actinoplanes tereljensis sp. nov., isolated from Mongolian soil.

Two novel actinomycetes, designated MN07-A0368(T) and MN07-A0371(T), were isolated from soil of Terelj, Töv Province, Mongolia, and subjected to phenotypic and genotypic characterization. They produced well-developed, non-fragmenting, extensively branched substrate hyphae from which oval to irregular sporangia were produced. Chemotaxonomic characteristics, i.e. cell wall diaminopimelic acid, whole-cell sugars, fatty acid components and major menaquinones, suggested that the two organisms belonged to the genus Actinoplanes. A comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strains MN07-A0368(T) and MN07-A0371(T) formed a distinct clade within the genus and were closely related to the type strains of: Actinoplanes ferrugineus (97.7 % sequence similarity); Actinoplanes brasiliensis (97.7-97.8 %); Actinoplanes deccanensis (97.6-97.9 %); Actinoplanes durhamensis (96.9-97.0 %); and Actinoplanes globisporus (96.5-96.8 %). Strains MN07-A0368(T) and MN07-A0371(T) could be differentiated from each other and from strains of closely related species of the genus Actinoplanes by DNA-DNA hybridization, physiological and biochemical characteristics, fatty acid composition, and whole-cell sugar components. The broad range of phenotypic and genetic characters supported the suggestion that these strains represent two novel species of the genus Actinoplanes, for which the names Actinoplanes toevensis sp. nov. (type strain MN07-A0368(T)=NBRC 105298(T)=VTCC D9-11(T)) and Actinoplanes tereljensis sp. nov. (type strain MN07-A0371(T)=NBRC 105297(T)=VTCC D9-10(T)) are proposed.

Luteipulveratus mongoliensis gen. nov., sp. nov., an actinobacterial taxon in the family Dermacoccaceae.

A novel actinobacterial strain, MN07-A0370(T), was isolated from Mongolian soil and its taxonomic status was determined using a polyphasic approach. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence studies revealed that strain MN07-A0370(T) represented a novel lineage within the actinobacteria. Strain MN07-A0370(T) formed a distinct clade in the family Dermacoccaceae and was most closely related to the members of the genera Dermacoccus (16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, 96.2 %-96.4 %), Demetria (94.1 %) and Kytococcus (93.7 %). The cell-wall peptidoglycan of the novel strain contained l-lysine, alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid and serine and represented peptidoglycan type A4alpha. The menaquinones were MK-8(H(4)) and MK-8(H(6)). The polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol and the whole-cell sugars were galactose, mannose, rhamnose, ribose and glucose. Mycolic acids were absent. The fatty acid profile was characterized by the presence of large amounts of saturated iso- and anteiso-branched-chain fatty acids as well as smaller amounts of saturated straight-chain and unsaturated acids. The major fatty acids were iso-C(16 : 0), anteiso-C(17 : 0), iso-C(16 : 1) H, C(17 : 1)omega9c and C(17 : 0) 10-methyl. The G+C content of the DNA was 68.2 mol%. On the basis of chemotaxonomic, physiological and biochemical differences from other genera of the family Dermacoccaceae, strain MN07-A0370(T) should be classified as representing a novel species in a new genus, for which we propose the name Luteipulveratus mongoliensis gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain is MN07-A0370(T) (=NBRC 105296(T)=VTCC D9-09(T)).