Sphingomonas morindae sp. nov., isolated from Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) branch.

Two yellow bacterial strains, designated NBD5(T) and NBD8, isolated from Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) branch were investigated using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, non-motile and short rod-shaped. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences suggested that the strains were members of a novel species of the genus Sphingomonas, the seven closest neighbours being Sphingomonas oligoaromativorans SY-6(T) (96.9% similarity), Sphingomonas polyaromaticivorans B2-7(T) (95.8%), Sphingomonas yantingensis 1007(T) (94.9%), Sphingomonas sanguinis IFO 13937(T) (94.7%), Sphingomonas ginsenosidimutans Gsoil 1429(T) (94.6%), Sphingomonas wittichii RW1(T) (94.6%) and Sphingomonas formosensis CC-Nfb-2(T) (94.5%). Strains NBD5T and NBD8 had sphingoglycolipid, phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine as the major polar lipids, ubiquinone 10 as the predominant respiratory quinone, and sym-homospermidine as the major polyamine. Strains NBD5(T) and NBD8 were clearly distinguished from reference type strains based on phylogenetic analysis, DNA-DNA hybridization, fatty acid composition data analysis, and comparison of a range of physiological and biochemical characteristics. It is evident from the genotypic and phenotypic data that strains NBD5(T) and NBD8 represent a novel species of the genus Sphingomonas, for which the name Sphingomonas morindae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NBD5(T) ( = DSM 29151(T) = KCTC 42183(T) = CICC 10879(T)).