title: Aetherobacter fasciculatusgen. nov., sp. nov. andAetherobacter rufussp. nov., novel myxobacteria with promising biotechnological applications.
abstract: Bacterial strains SBSr002Tand SBSr003Twere isolated in 2007 from dried soil samples containing decaying plant material. The organisms were recognized as myxobacteria by growth-stage characteristics, forming swarming colonies and fruiting bodies on agar and on filter paper. These strains were unusual for their ring-like or halo colony appearance in an agar. Both isolates were characterized as bacteriolytic, non-cellulolytic, mesophilic, aerobic and chemoheterotrophic and showed resistance to various antibiotics. GC-MS analysis of their cellular fatty acids revealed rather large quantities of docosahexaenoic acid, and they also both contained eicosapentaenoic acid, arachidonic acid and docosapentaenoic acid. Strain SBSr003Twas previously identified as the producer organism of a novel class of potent antiviral metabolites that were called aetheramides. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 68.0-68.9 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that both strains belong within the familyPolyangiaceae, suborderSorangiineae, orderMyxococcales. Their 16S rRNA gene sequences showed the highest similarity (97-99 %) to sequences derived from clones of uncultured bacteria, 95-96 % similarity toByssovorax cruentaandSorangium cellulosumand 94 % similarity toChondromyces apiculatus. The results of a polyphasic taxonomic characterization suggested that strains SBSr002Tand SBSr003Trepresent two distinct species of a novel genus,Aetherobactergen. nov., for which the namesAetherobacter fasciculatussp. nov. (type strain SBSr002T= DSM 24601T= NCCB 100377T) andAetherobacter rufussp. nov. (type strain SBSr003T= DSM 24628T= NCCB 100378T) are proposed. The type species ofAetherobacterisAetherobacter fasciculatus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbial Natural Products (MINS),Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) - Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology of Saarland University, Saarland University Campus Building E8 1, D-66123, Saarbrücken,Germany.|German Center for Infection Research (DZIF),Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, D-38124, Braunschweig,Germany.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: German Center for Infection Research (DZIF),Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, D-38124, Braunschweig,Germany.|Department of Microbial Drugs,Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Inhoffenstraße 7, D-38124, Braunschweig,Germany.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stadler
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbial Natural Products (MINS),Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) - Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology of Saarland University, Saarland University Campus Building E8 1, D-66123, Saarbrücken,Germany.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gemperlein
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbial Natural Products (MINS),Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) - Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology of Saarland University, Saarland University Campus Building E8 1, D-66123, Saarbrücken,Germany.|German Center for Infection Research (DZIF),Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, D-38124, Braunschweig,Germany.
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Müller