Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

We here present annotated lists of names ofCandidatustaxa of prokaryotes with ranks between subspecies and class, proposed between the mid-1990s, when the provisional status ofCandidatustaxa was first established, and the end of 2018. Where necessary, corrected names are proposed that comply with the current provisions of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes and its Orthography appendix. These lists, as well as updated lists of newly published names ofCandidatustaxa with additions and corrections to the current lists to be published periodically in theInternational Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, may serve as the basis for the valid publication of theCandidatusnames if and when the current proposals to expand the type material for naming of prokaryotes to also include gene sequences of yet-uncultivated taxa is accepted by the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes.

Summary Oxidation of nitrite to nitrate is an important process in the global nitrogen cycle. Recent molecular biology‐based studies have revealed that the widespread nitrite‐oxidizing bacteria (NOB) belonging to the genus ‘ Candidatus Nitrotoga’ may be highly important for the environment. However, the insufficient availability of pure Nitrotoga cultures has limited our understanding of their physiological and genomic characteristics. Here, we isolated the ‘ Ca . Nitrotoga’ sp. strain AM1P, from a previously enriched Nitrotoga culture, using an improved isolation strategy. Although ‘ Ca . Nitrotoga’ have been recognized as cold‐adapted NOB, the strain AM1P had a slightly higher optimum growth temperature at 23°C. Strain AM1P showed a pH optimum of 8.3 and was not inhibited even at high nitrite concentrations (20 mM). We obtained the complete genome of the strain and compared the genome profile to five previously sequenced ‘ Ca . Nitrotoga’ strains. Comparative genomics suggested that lactate dehydrogenase may be only encoded in the strain AM1P and closely related genomes. While the growth yield of AM1P did not change, we observed faster growth in the presence of lactate in comparison to purely chemolithoautotrophic growth. The characterization of the new strain AM1P sheds light on the physiological adaptation of this environmentally important, but understudied genus ‘ Ca . Nitrotoga’.

A novel obligately anaerobic, thermophilic and formate-utilizing bacterium K32T was isolated from Shengli oilfield of China. Cells were straight rods (0.4–0.8 µm × 2.5–8.0 µm), Gram-stain-positive, non-spore-forming and slightly motile. Optimum growth occurred with pH of 7 and 0.5 g l–1 NaCl under temperature of 55–60 °C. Nitrate could be reduced into nitrite, syntrophic formate oxidation to methane and carbon dioxide occurred when co-culturing strain K32T and Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus ΔH. The main cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 (24.0 %), anteiso-C15 : 0 (21.7 %), C16 : 0 (12.7 %) and C14 : 0 (10.8 %), and the main polar lipid was phosphatidylglycerol. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 46.3 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of K32T shared ≤90.4 % of sequence similarity to closest type strains of Desulfitibacter alkalitolerans , Calderihabitans maritimus and members of the genus Moorella . Based on the phenotypic, biochemical and genotypic characterization, Zhaonella formicivorans gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed with K32T (=CCAM 584T =DSM 107278T=CGMCC1.5297T) as the type strain, which is the first representative of Zhaonellaceae fam. nov. In addition, the order Thermoanaerobacterales and family Peptococcaceae were reclassified, and three novel families in the novel order of Moorellales ord. nov. were also proposed.

AbstractAimTo quantify current and predict future distribution of the citrus greening pathogens “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” (Las) in Africa and “Candidatus Liberibacter africanus” (Laf) globally.LocationAfrica.MethodsThree species distribution models (MaxEnt, BIOCLIM and Boosted Regression Trees) were used to predict the current and future potential distribution of Las in Africa, and the potential global distribution of Laf, using long‐term bioclimatic variables. Two climate change scenarios (moderate and extreme) were employed to determine how future climate alterations may affect the potential distribution of Las in Africa. Presence data from global reports of Las, as well as the new positional points obtained in this survey, were used to predict the habitat suitability of the pathogen in Africa, while the presence data points of Laf were used to predict the global habitat suitability. Testing data comprised 25% of the presence only points.ResultsConsensus of the three models predicted a potential distribution of Las in large areas of Western, Eastern and sub‐Saharan Africa. North Africa was mostly unsuitable for Las, except for the northern fringes. The potential distribution of Laf included South and Central America, Asia and Australia. In Europe, the United Kingdom and the Iberian Peninsula showed marginal suitability for Laf. The projections under the future climate change scenarios showed an increase in the Laf habitat suitability hotspots under the extreme scenario.Main conclusionsThis study highlights the potential establishment and distribution in Africa of Las‐associated Huanglongbing and globally for Laf‐associated with African citrus greening disease. The ensemble modelling approach for the distribution of plant pathogens is a valuable tool for the development of strategies for crop protection. These results constitute an early alert for citrus‐producing regions that should inform strategies for surveillance and preventive management against the invasion and spread of this destructive disease.

A novel endophytic actinobacterium, designated strain EGI 650086T, was isolated from the roots of Anabasis elatior (C.A.Mey.) Schischk. collected in Xinjiang, north-west China. The taxonomic position of the strain was investigated using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Growth occurred at 15–40 °C, pH 6.0–8.0 and in the presence of 0–6 % NaCl (w/v). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence and concatenation of 22 protein marker genes revealed that strain EGI 650086T formed a monophyletic clade within the genus Amycolatopsis and shared the highest sequence similarities with Amycolatopsis nigrescens JCM 14717T (97.1 %) and Amycolatopsis sacchari DSM 44468T (97.0 %). Sequence similarities with type strains of other species of the genus Amycolatopsis were less than 97.0 %. The average nucleotide identity and DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain EGI 650086T and the reference strains were 78.1–79.8 % and 22.1–23.0 %, respectively. The genome of strain EGI 650086T was 10.9 Mb, with a DNA G+C content of 70.1 mol%. The diagnostic diamino acid in the peptidoglycan was meso-diaminopimelic acid. The major whole-cell sugars contained arabinose, galactose, glucose and ribose. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9 (H4) and MK-9 (H2). Major fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0 and summed feature 4 (iso-C17 : 1 I and/or anteiso-C17 : 1 B). The polar lipid profile of strain EGI 650086T included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, hydroxy-phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannosides, two unknown phospholipids, an unknown glycolipid and an unknown lipid. Polyphasic taxonomic characteristics indicated that strain EGI 650086T represents a novel species of the genus Amycolatopsis , for which the name Amycolatopsis anabasis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is EGI 650086T (=KCTC 49044T=CGMCC 4.7188T).

In prokaryotic taxonomy, a set of criteria is commonly used to delineate species. These criteria are generally based on cohesion at the phylogenetic, phenotypic and genomic levels. One such criterion shown to have promise in the genomic era is average nucleotide identity (ANI), which provides an average measure of similarity across homologous regions shared by a pair of genomes. However, despite the popularity and relative ease of using this metric, ANI has undergone numerous refinements, with variations in genome fragmentation, homologue detection parameters and search algorithms. To test the robustness of a 95–96 % species cut-off range across all the commonly used ANI approaches, seven different methods were used to calculate ANI values for intra- and interspecies datasets representing three classes in the Proteobacteria . As a reference point, these methods were all compared to the widely used blast-based ANI (i.e. ANIb as implemented in JSpecies), and regression analyses were performed to investigate the correlation of these methods to ANIb with more than 130000 individual data points. From these analyses, it was clear that ANI methods did not provide consistent results regarding the conspecificity of isolates. Most of the methods investigated did not correlate perfectly with ANIb, particularly between 90 and 100% identity, which includes the proposed species boundary. There was also a difference in the correlation of methods for the different taxon sets. Our study thus suggests that the specific approach employed needs to be considered when ANI is used to delineate prokaryotic species. We furthermore suggest that one would first need to determine an appropriate cut-off value for a specific taxon set, based on the intraspecific diversity of that group, before conclusions on conspecificity of isolates can be made, and that the resulting species hypotheses be confirmed with analyses based on evolutionary history as part of the polyphasic approach to taxonomy.

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated K81G1T, was isolated from a soil sample collected in Kantulee peat swamp forest, Surat Thani Province, Thailand, and its taxonomic position was determined using a polyphasic approach. Optimal growth of strain K81G1Toccurred at 28–30 °C, at pH 5.0–6.0 and without NaCl. Strain K81G1Thad cell-wall chemotype IV (meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid, and arabinose and galactose as diagnostic sugars) and phospholipid pattern type II, characteristic of the genusAmycolatopsis. It contained MK-9(H4) as the predominant menaquinone, iso-C16 : 0, C17 : 0cyclo and C16 : 0as the major cellular fatty acids, and phospholipids consisting of phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, hydroxyphosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and two unidentified phospholipids. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and phylogenetic analyses, strain K81G1Twas most closely related toAmycolatopsis rhizosphaeraeTBRC 6029T(97.8 % similarity),Amycolatopsis acidiphilaJCM 30562T(97.8 %) andAmycolatopsis bartoniaeDSM 45807T(97.6 %). Strain K81G1Texhibited low average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values withA. rhizosphaeraeTBRC 6029T(76.4 %, 23.0 %),A. acidiphilaJCM 30562T(77.9 %, 24.6 %) andA. bartoniaeDSM 45807T(77.8 %, 24.3 %). The DNA G+C content of strain K81G1Twas 69.7 mol%. Based on data from this polyphasic study, strain K81G1Trepresents a novel species of the genusAmycolatopsis, for which the nameAmycolatopsis acidicolasp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is K81G1T(=TBRC 10047T=NBRC 113896T).