Massilia arenosa sp. nov., isolated from the soil of a cultivated maize field

Abstract

Strain MC02 T , a Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped bacterium, was isolated from field soil collected from California, USA. To examine if MC02 T represents a novel species, we compared its colony morphology, 16S rRNA gene and whole genome sequence, and its metabolic phenotype using Biolog GenIII and MALDI-TOF analyses compared to reference strains. Based on 16S rRNA gene and whole genome sequencing, MC02 T belongs to the genus Massilia and Massilia agri K-3–1 T is the most similar strain with 96.97 % 16S rRNA gene sequence identity. MALDI-TOF analysis revealed that Massilia aerilata DSM19289 T is the closest match, but the similarity score was much lower than the ≥1.7 threshold for a reliable identification at the genus level. The predominant fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C 16 : 1 ⍵7 c and/or C 16 : 1 ⍵6 c ; 49.07 %) and C 16 : 0 (30.01 %). The genome is 5.02 Mbp and the G+C content is 66.2 mol%. Whole genome comparisons to the closest related strains revealed an average amino acid identity value of 67.4 %, an OrthoANI similarity of 77.1 %, and a DNA–DNA-hybridization probability ≥70 %, confirming that MC02 T represents a novel species. Strain MC02 T can grow at pH 6 but not at pH 5, and a salt concentration of ≥1 % inhibits its growth. In contrast to other Massilia strains, MC02 T can utilize turanose, inosine and l -serine. The genome of MC02 T shows putative endophyte genes such as a nitrate reductase, several phosphatases, and biotin biosynthesis genes, 26 flagellar motility genes and 14 invasion and intracellular resistance genes. Based on its metabolic, physiological and genomic characteristics, we propose that strain MC02 T (NRRL B-65554 T =ATCC TSD-200 T =LMG 31737 T ) represents a novel species of the genus Massilia with the name Massilia arenosa sp. nov.

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