Sufflavibacter maritimus gen. nov., sp. nov., novel Flavobacteriaceae bacteria isolated from marine environments.

Four Gram-negative, chemoheterotrophic, nonmotile, yellow-colored strains were isolated from the East Sea or from deep-sea sediments of Nankai Trough by standard dilution plating. Characterization by polyphasic approaches indicated that the four strains are members of the same species. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the strains formed a coherent and novel genus-level lineage within the family Flavobacteriaceae. The dominant cellular fatty acids were i-C15:0, 3-OH i-C17:0, and 2-OH i-C15:0 and/or C16:1 omega7c. Predominance of 2-OH i-C 15:0 and/or C16:1omega7c clearly differentiated the strains from closely related members. The DNA G+C contents ranged 35.1-36.2 mol%. It is proposed, from the polyphasic evidence, that the strains should be placed into a novel genus and species named Sufflavibacter maritimus gen. nov., sp. nov., with strain IMCC 1001T (=KCCM 42359T=NBRC 102039T) as the type strain.