sp. nov. and sp. nov., two new slightly halophilic bacteria isolated from marine sediment.

In this study, two bacterial strains designated F2608 and F1192, isolated from marine sediment sampled in Weihai, PR China, were characterized using a polyphasic approach. Strains were aerobic, Gram-stain-negative and motile. According to the results of phylogenetic analyses based on their 16S rRNA genes, these two strains should be classified under the genus and they both show <98.5% sequence similarity to their closest relative, JCM 12601. Moreover, strain F2608 showed 97.5% sequence similarity to strain F1192. Strain F2608 grew at 4-37 °C (optimum, 30-33 °C) and at pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum, pH 6.5-7.0) in the presence of 0-12% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 4.0-5.0%). Strain F1192 grew at 4-37 °C (optimum, 30 °C) and at pH 5.5-9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0-7.5) in the presence of 0.5-12% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 3.0-4.0%). The genomic DNA G+C contents of strain F2608 and strain F1192 were 47.4 and 44.9 %, respectively. Genomic characteristics including average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values clearly separated strain F2608 from strain F1192. The sole isoprenoid quinone in these two strains was ubiquinone 8 and the major cellular fatty acids (>10.0%) were C 9 and C 8c. The major polar lipids of these two strains were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and diphosphatidylglycerol. Based on the results of polyphasic analysis, the two strains represent two novel species of the genus , for which the names sp. nov. and sp. nov. are proposed. The type strains are F2608 (=MCCC 1K05774=KCTC 82766) and F1192 (=MCCC 1K05775=KCTC 82765), respectively.