Abstract

A Gram-stain-negative and orangish yellow-pigmented bacterial strain, designated PR1014KT, was isolated from an automobile evaporator core collected in Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain PR1014KT was related with the members of the genus Spirosoma (94.7–90.2%) and closely related with Spirosoma lacussanchae CPCC 100624T (94.7%), Spirosoma knui 15J8- 12T (94.3%), and Spirosoma soli MIMBbqt12T (93.3%). The strain grew at 15–40°C (optimum, 25°C), pH 6.5–7.0 (optimum, 6.5) and 0–1% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0%). The predominant fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C16:1 ω7c and/or C16:1 ω6c), C16:0, iso-C15:0, C16:1 ω5c, and iso-C17:0 3-OH. The major menaquinone was MK-7. The polar lipid profile of the strain indicated that the presence of one phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminolipid, two unidentified aminophospholipids, and three unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content of the strain was 47.4 mol%. On the basis of the phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, strain PR1014KT represents a novel species in the genus Spirosoma, for which the name Spirosoma metallicus sp. nov. (=KACC 17940T =NBRC 110792T) is proposed.

• Keywords: Spirosoma; automobile air conditioning system; polyphasic taxonomy