gen. nov., sp. nov. and sp. nov., novel myxobacteria with promising biotechnological applications.

Bacterial strains SBSr002 and SBSr003 were isolated in 2007 from dried soil samples containing decaying plant material. The organisms were recognized as myxobacteria by growth-stage characteristics, forming swarming colonies and fruiting bodies on agar and on filter paper. These strains were unusual for their ring-like or halo colony appearance in an agar. Both isolates were characterized as bacteriolytic, non-cellulolytic, mesophilic, aerobic and chemoheterotrophic and showed resistance to various antibiotics. GC-MS analysis of their cellular fatty acids revealed rather large quantities of docosahexaenoic acid, and they also both contained eicosapentaenoic acid, arachidonic acid and docosapentaenoic acid. Strain SBSr003 was previously identified as the producer organism of a novel class of potent antiviral metabolites that were called aetheramides. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 68.0-68.9 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that both strains belong within the family , suborder , order . Their 16S rRNA gene sequences showed the highest similarity (97-99 %) to sequences derived from clones of uncultured bacteria, 95-96 % similarity to and and 94 % similarity to . The results of a polyphasic taxonomic characterization suggested that strains SBSr002 and SBSr003 represent two distinct species of a novel genus, gen. nov., for which the names sp. nov. (type strain SBSr002 = DSM 24601 = NCCB 100377) and sp. nov. (type strain SBSr003 = DSM 24628 = NCCB 100378) are proposed. The type species of is .