Marinobacter algicola sp. nov., isolated from laboratory cultures of paralytic shellfish toxin-producing dinoflagellates

Phylogenetic and phenotypic analysis of cultivable marine bacteria isolated from laboratory cultures of two paralytic shellfish toxin-producing dinoflagellates, Gymnodinium catenatum and Alexandrium tamarense, showed the presence of a novel group of Gram-negative, aerobic, moderately halophilic and hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, related to the genus Marinobacter. The strains, designated DG893 T, DG1136 and ATAM407-13, grew optimally in media with 3-6 % NaCl and at 25-30 °C, and all could utilize n-hexadecane and n-tetradecane as the sole carbon source. The strains had a 16S RNA gene sequence similarity of 94.2-94.3% to Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus ATCC 27132, and a similarity of 97.5-97.8% to the closest phylogenetically related type strain, Marinobacter flavimaris DSM 16070 T. DNA-DNA hybridization levels to M. flavimaris and other Marinobacter type strains were ≤42 %, while DNA-DNA reassociation values among DG893 T, DG1136 and ATAM407-13 were ≥83%. The DNA G+C content was 54-55 mol% and the major isoprenoid quinone was ubiquinone-9. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, DNA-DNA hybridization and phylogenetic analysis, it is proposed that these three strains represent a novel species, Marinobacter algicola sp. nov. The type strain is DG893 T (=DSM 16394 T=NCIMB 14009 T). © 2006 IUMS.