Paenibacillus phoenicis sp. nov., isolated from the Phoenix Lander assembly facility and a subsurface molybdenum mine.
A novel Gram-positive, motile, endospore-forming, aerobic bacterium was isolated from the NASA Phoenix Lander assembly clean room that exhibits 100 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to two strains isolated from a deep subsurface environment. All strains are rod-shaped, endospore-forming bacteria, whose endospores are resistant to UV radiation up to 500 J m(-2). A polyphasic taxonomic study including traditional phenotypic tests, fatty acid analysis, 16S rRNA gene sequencing and DNA-DNA hybridization analysis was performed to characterize these novel strains. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing convincingly grouped these novel strains within the genus Paenibacillus as a separate cluster from previously described species. The similarity of 16S rRNA gene sequences among the novel strains was identical but only 98.1 to 98.5 % with their nearest neighbours Paenibacillus barengoltzii ATCC BAA-1209(T) and Paenibacillus timonensis CIP 108005(T). The menaquinone MK-7 was dominant in these novel strains as shown in other species of the genus Paenibacillus. The DNA-DNA hybridization dissociation value was <45 % with the closest related species. The novel strains had DNA G+C contents of 51.9 to 52.8 mol%. Phenotypically, the novel strains can be readily differentiated from closely related species by the absence of urease and gelatinase and the production of acids from a variety of sugars including l-arabinose. The major fatty acid was anteiso-C(15 : 0) as seen in P. barengoltzii and P. timonensis whereas the proportion of C(16 : 0) was significantly different from the closely related species. Based on phylogenetic and phenotypic results, it was concluded that these strains represent a novel species of the genus Paenibacillus, for which the name Paenibacillus phoenicis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 3PO2SA(T) ( = NRRL B-59348(T)  = NBRC 106274(T)).
Benardini
James N
JN
Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.
Vaishampayan
Parag A
PA
Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.
Schwendner
Petra
P
Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.
Swanner
Elizabeth
E
Colorado Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, UCB 399, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
Fukui
Youhei
Y
National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Fisheries Research Agency, Yokohama, 236-8648, Japan.
Osman
Sharif
S
Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.
Satomi
Masakata
M
National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Fisheries Research Agency, Yokohama, 236-8648, Japan.
Venkateswaran
Kasthuri
K
Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.
D001482:Base Composition; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D050296:Microbial Viability; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D056507:Paenibacillus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000528:radiation effects; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014481:United States; D018557:United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D005227:Fatty Acids; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S