Oceanobacillus locisalsi sp. nov., isolated from a marine solar saltern

A Gram-stain-variable, motile, moderately halophilic bacterial strain, CHL-21^T, was isolated from a marine solar saltern and its taxonomic position was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Optimal growth of strain CHL-21^T occurred at 30-37 °C, at pH 7.0-7.5 and in the presence of 5-10% (w/v) NaCl. In phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain CHL-21^T fell within the cluster comprising members of the genera Oceanobacillus, Ornithinibacillus and Paucisalibacillus. Strain CHL-21^T exhibited 97.1-97.2% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to the type strains of the two subspecies of Oceanobacillus oncorhynchi and 92.0-94.7% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to the type strains of other members of the genus Oceanobacillus and members of the genera Ornithinibacillus and Paucisalibacillus. Mean DNA-DNA reassociation values between strain CHL-21 ^T and the type strains of the two subspecies of Oceanobacillus oncorhynchi were 19-21 %. The cell-wall peptidoglycan of strain CHL-21 ^T was based on meso-diaminopimelic acid, MK-7 was the predominant menaquinone, and anteiso-C_{15 : 0} and anteiso-C_{17 : 0} were the major fatty acids. The DNA G+C content was 39.8 mol%. Differential phenotypic properties, including facultatively anaerobic growth and acid production from substrates, together with its phylogenetic and genetic distinctiveness, demonstrated that strain CHL-21^T is distinguishable from recognized Oceanobacillus species. On the basis of data presented, strain CHL-21^T represents a novel species within the genus Oceanobacillus, for which the name Oceanobacillus locisalsi sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is CHL-21^T (=KCTC 13253^T =CCUG 56608^T).