Strain SulfLac1^T, a thermophilic, anaerobic and slightly halophilic, rod-shaped bacterium with a sheath-like outer structure (toga), was isolated from a whey digester in Tunisia. The strain’s non-motile cells measured 3–30×1 µm and appeared singly, in pairs or as long chains. The novel strain reduced thiosulfate and elemental sulfur, but not sulfate or sulfite, into sulfide. It grew at 37–65 °C (optimum 55 °C), at pH 6.5–7.9 (optimum pH 6.9) and with 0.2–3 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 0.5 %). The G+C content of the strain’s genomic DNA was 33.6 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain SulfLac1^T was most closely related to Petrotoga mobilis (91.4 % sequence similarity). Based on phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic evidence, strain SulfLac1^T represents a novel species of a new genus within the order Thermotogales , for which the name Defluviitoga tunisiensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is SulfLac1^T ( = DSM 23805^T = JCM 17210^T).

A new Gram-staining-positive, non-sporulating, mesophilic, amino acid-degrading anaerobic bacterium, designated strain OTA 102^T, was isolated from an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor treating wastewater from cooking tuna. The cells were curved rods (0.6–2.5×0.5 µm) and occurred singly or in pairs. The strain was motile by means of one lateral flagellum. Strain OTA 102^T grew at temperatures between 30 and 45 °C (optimum 40 °C), between pH 6.0 and 8.4 (optimum pH 7.2) and NaCl concentrations between 1 and 5 % (optimum 2 %, w/v). Strain OTA 102^T required yeast extract for growth. Serine, threonine, glycine, cysteine, citrate, fumarate, α-ketoglutarate and pyruvate were fermented. When co-cultured with Methanobacterium formicicum as the hydrogen scavenger, strain OTA 102^T oxidized alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, aspartate, tyrosine, methionine, histidine and asparagine. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain OTA 102^T was 41.7 mol%. The main fatty acid was iso-C_15 : 0. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain OTA 102^T was related to Aminobacterium colombiense and Aminobacterium mobile (95.5 and 95.2 % similarity, respectively), of the phylum Synergistetes . On the basis of phylogenetic, genetic and physiological characteristics, strain OTA 102^T is proposed to represent a novel species of the genus Aminobacterium , Aminobacterium thunnarium sp. nov. The type strain is OTA 102^T ( = DSM 27500^T = JCM 19320^T).

Illicium verum (badiane or star anise), Crataegus oxyacantha ssp monogyna (hawthorn) and Allium cepa (onion), have traditionnally been used as medicinal plants in Algeria. This study showed that th...

Two strains of anaerobic, coccoid, saccharolytic, Gram-stain-negative bacteria were isolated from samples of anoxic hypersaline sediments of evaporation ponds in Tavira (Portugal) and Mallorca (Spain). Both isolates were moderately halophilic, neutrophilic and had a temperature optimum at 37 °C. The highest 16S rRNA gene sequence identity values were found with members of the genus Sedimentisphaera (84.9–88.2 %) within the order Sedimentisphaerales, class Phycisphaerae . The strain SM-Chi-D1^T could be assigned to the family Sedimentisphaeraceae , while phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and genomic data indicate that strain ST-NAGAB-D1^T is both a member of a novel genus and a novel family. SM-Chi-D1^T could be distinguished from other cultured members of the Sedimentisphaeraceae mainly by the stimulatory effect of sulfur on growth, lack of ethanol production during fermentation and several differences in the cellular fatty acids and polar lipids patterns. Main differential characteristics of ST-NAGAB-D1^T were a polytrichous flagellation, the absence of branched chain fatty acids and presence of large proportions of the unsaturated cellular fatty acids C_16 : 1  c9 and C_18 : 1  c11. On the basis of genomic, chemotaxonomic, biochemical and physiological data, we propose the novel species and genera Anaerohalosphaera lusitana gen. nov., sp. nov., and Limihaloglobus sulfuriphilus gen. nov., sp. nov., represented by the type strains ST-NAGAB-D1^T (=DSM 103484^T=JCM 31926^T=KCTC 15600^T) and SM-Chi-D1^T (=DSM 100118^T=JCM 31927^T=KCTC 15601^T), respectively. In addition, we propose the novel family Anaerohalosphaeraceae fam. nov. to accommodate the genus Anaerohalosphaera.