Isoptericola halotolerans sp. nov., a novel actinobacterium isolated from saline soil from Qinghai Province, north-west China.

A Gram-positive, non-motile actinobacterium, designated strain YIM 70177(T), was isolated from a saline soil sample from Qinghai Province, north-west China. Phylogenetic analysis of this organism based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed 98.3% similarity to Isoptericola variabilis DSM 10177(T). Chemotaxonomic data determined for the isolate, such as the peptidoglycan type A4alpha, variation L-Lys-D-Asp, supported the placement of strain YIM 70177(T) within the genus Isoptericola. Galactose was detected as cell wall sugar. Phospholipids identified were phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol, and the predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H(4)) and MK-9(H(2)). The major fatty acids were ai-C(15:0), C(16:0), ai-C(17:0) and i-C(15:0). The DNA G+C content was 72.8 mol%. The low level of DNA-DNA relatedness (27.4%) to I. variabilis DSM 10177(T) in combination with differentiating chemotaxonomic and physiological data demonstrated that the isolate YIM 70177(T) should be classified as representing a novel species of the genus Isoptericola. The name Isoptericola halotolerans sp. nov. is proposed, with strain YIM 70177(T) (=DSM 16376(T)=KCTC 19046(T)) as the type strain.