Geodermatophilus daqingensis sp nov., isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil

A novel Gram-positive actinobacterium, designated WT-2-1(T), was isolated from a sample of petroleum-contaminated soil collected in Daqing, Heilongjiang province, China and characterised using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The optimal growth for strain WT-2-1(T) was found to be at 25-35 A degrees C and at pH 6.0-9.0 and with 0-4% (w/v) NaCl, forming blackish green-coloured colonies. Chemotaxonomic and molecular characteristics of the isolate match those described for members of the genus Geodermatophilus. The peptidoglycan was found to contain meso-diaminopimelic acid; galactose, glucose and xylose were detected as diagnostic sugars. The main phospholipids were identified as diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol; MK-9(H-4) was the dominant menaquinone present. The major cellular fatty acids were identified as iso-C-16:0 and iso-C-15:0. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain WT-2-1(T) is a member of the genus Geodermatophilus, with high sequence similarities to Geodermatophilus aquaeductus BMG801(T) (98.4%), Geodermatophilus saharensis CF5/5(T) (98.4%), Geodermatophilus bullaregiensis BMG841(T) (98.3%) and Geodermatophilus normandii CF5/3(T) (98.3%). Based on the phenotypic characteristics, phylogenetic data and DNA-DNA hybridization results, the isolate is concluded to represent a novel species of the genus Geodermatophilus, for which the name Geodermatophilus daqingensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WT-2-1(T) (=CGMCC 4.7381(T) = DSM 104001(T)).