title: Azospirillum melinis sp. nov., a group of diazotrophs isolated from tropical molasses grass.
abstract: Fifteen bacterial strains isolated from molasses grass (Melinis minutiflora Beauv.) were identified as nitrogen-fixers by using the acetylene-reduction assay and PCR amplification of nifH gene fragments. These strains were classified as a unique group by insertion sequence-PCR fingerprinting, SDS-PAGE protein patterns, DNA-DNA hybridization, 16S rRNA gene sequencing and morphological characterization. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene indicated that these diazotrophic strains belonged to the genus Azospirillum and were closely related to Azospirillum lipoferum (with 97.5 % similarity). In all the analyses, including in addition phenotypic characterization using Biolog MicroPlates and comparison of cellular fatty acids, this novel group was found to be different from the most closely related species, Azospirillum lipoferum. Based on these data, a novel species, Azospirillum melinis sp. nov., is proposed for these endophytic diazotrophs of M. minutiflora, with TMCY 0552(T) (=CCBAU 5106001(T) = LMG 23364(T) = CGMCC 1.5340(T)) as the type strain.
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors.forename: Guixiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Provincial Key Lab of Plant Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors.forename: Huarong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Provincial Key Lab of Plant Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors.forename: Guoxia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Provincial Key Lab of Plant Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México, D. F. 11340, Mexico.
authors.forename: En Tao
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Provincial Key Lab of Plant Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors.forename: Zhiyuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D000114:Acetylene / Q000378:metabolism; D016949:Azospirillum / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001483:Base Sequence; D002681:China; D003470:Culture Media; D017931:DNA Primers; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010802:Phylogeny; D006109:Poaceae / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D014329:Tropical Climate
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D017931:DNA Primers; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D000114:Acetylene