Bombilactobacillus apium sp. nov., isolated from the gut of honeybee (Apis cerana).

A novel Gram-reaction positive-, catalase and oxidase negative-, rod-shaped, facultatively anaerobic bacterial strain, DCY120 was isolated from the gut of honeybee (Apis cerana) in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Strain DCY120 belongs to the genus Bombilactobacillus and is moderately related to Bombilactobacillus mellis Hon2 (94.1% similarity), Bombilactobacillus bombi BTLCH M1/2 (93.8%), and Bombilactobacillus mellifer Bin4N (93.5%) based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The genome of strain DCY120 was sequenced and the average nucleotide identity (ANI) between strain DCY120 and the related Bombilactobacillus type strains were below the threshold value (95-96%) for species delineation. The major fatty acids were C, C ω9c, Summed C ω6c/C cyclo ω10c/C ω6 and Summed C ω7c/C ω6c. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), one glycolipid (GL), and one unidentified aminophospholipid (APL). The amino acids in peptidoglycan of strain DCY120 were lysine, alanine, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid. In conclusion, the description of phenotypic and genotypic properties support strain DCY120 as a novel species within the genus Bombilactobacillus, for which the name Bombilactobacillus apium sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DCY120 (= KCTC 43194 = JCM 34006).