Tenacibaculum aestuarii sp. nov., isolated from a tidal flat sediment in Korea

A novel Tenacibaculum-like bacterial strain, SIVIK-4^T, was isolated from a tidal flat sediment in Korea. Strain SMK-4^T was Gram-negative, pale yellow-pigmented and rod-shaped. It grew optimally at 30-37°C and in the presence of 2-3 % (w/v) NaCl. It contained MK-6 as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C_15:0, iso-C_16:0 3-OH and C_16:1ω7c and/or iso-C_15:0 2-OH as the major fatty acids (> 10 % of total fatty acids). The DNA G + C content was 33.6 mol%. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain SMK-4^T fell within the evolutionary radiation encompassed by the genus Tenacibaculum. Strain SMK-4^T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity levels of 95.2-98.6 % with respect to the type strains of recognized Tenacibaculum species. DNA-DNA relatedness levels and differential phenotypic properties made it possible to categorize strain SMK-4^T as a species that is separate from previously described Tenacibaculum species. On the basis of phenotypic properties and phylogenetic and genetic distinctiveness, strain SMK-4^T (=KCTC 12569^T=JCM 13491^T) should be classified as a novel Tenacibaculum species, for which the name Tenacibaculum aestuarii sp. nov. is proposed.