Sphingopyxis flavimaris sp. nov., isolated from sea water of the Yellow Sea in Korea

A Gram-negative, motile, yellow-pigmented, slightly halophilic bacterial strain, SW-151^T, was isolated from sea water of the Yellow Sea in Korea, and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. The isolate grew optimally at 30 °C and in the presence of 2-3 % NaCl. Strain SW-151^T was characterized chemotaxonomically as having Q-10 as the predominant respiratory lipoquinone and C_18:1ω7c, C_16:1ω7c and/or iso-C_15:0 2-OH and C_17:1ω6c as the major fatty acids. Sphingoglycolipid, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine were the major polar lipids. The DNA G+C content was 58 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain SW-151^T joins the evolutionary radiation enclosed by the genus Sphingopyxis. Similarities between the 16S rRNA gene sequences of strain SW-151^T and the type strains of Sphingopyxis species ranged from 92.3 to 94.3%, which is low enough to categorize strain SW-151^T as a species distinct from previously described Sphingopyxis species. On the basis of phenotypic properties and phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain SW-151^T (=KCTC 12232^T=DSM 16223^T) should be classified as a novel Sphingopyxis species, for which the name Sphingopyxis flavimaris sp. nov. is proposed.