Actinomycetospora iriomotensis sp nov., a novel actinomycete isolated from a lichen sample

An actinomycete strain, IR73-Li102(T), was isolated from a lichen sample obtained from Iriomote Island, Japan, and subsequently characterized using a polyphasic approach. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain IR73-Li102(T) had the highest sequence similarities with Actinomycetospora chiangmaiensis YIM 0006(T) (98.3%), A. corticola 014-5(T) (98.1%) and A. rishiriensis RI109-Li102(T) (98.0%). However, DNA DNA hybridization assays, as well as physiological and biochemical analyzes, showed that strain IR73-Li102(T) could be clearly differentiated from its closest phylogenetic relatives. The strain contained meso-diaminopimelic acid, and arabinose and galactose were present in whole-cell hydrolysates. The predominant menaquinone was MK-8(H-4), and the diagnostic phospholipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol and diphosphatidylglycerol. The major cellular fatty acid was iso-C-16:0 (58%). The chemotaxonomic properties of strain IR73-Li102(T) were consistent with those shared by members of the genus Actinomycetospora. On the basis of the phenotypic features and DNA DNA hybridization data, strain IR73-Li102(T) (= NBRC 106365(T) = KCTC 197831) represents a novel species of the genus Actinomycetospora, for which the name Actinomycetospora iriomotensis sp. nov. is proposed. The Journal of Antibiotics (2011) 64, 289-292; doi: 10.1038/ja.2011.15; published online 9 March 2011