This study assessed the taxonomic hierarchy of the phylum Firmicutes as well as elucidated the isolation and classification states of novel Firmicutes species isolated from Korean territory. The hierarchical classification system of the phylum Firmicutes has been developed since 1872 when the genus Bacillus was first reported and has been generally adopted since 2001. However, this taxonomic hierarchy is still being modified. Until Feb. 2017, the phylum Firmicutes consisted of seven classes (Bacilli, Clostridia, Erysipelotrichia, Limnochordia, Negativicutes, Thermolithobacteria, and Tissierellia), 13 orders, 45 families, and 421 genera. Firmicutes species isolated from various environments in Korea have been reported from 2000, and 187 species have been approved as of Feb. 2017. All Firmicutes species were affiliated with three classes (Bacilli, Clostridia, and Erysipelotrichia), four orders (Bacillales, Lactobacillales, Clostridiales, and Erysipelotrichales), 17 families, and 54 genera. A total of 173 species belong to the class Bacilli, of which 151 species were affiliated with the order Bacillales and the remaining 22 species with the order Lactobacillales. Twelve species belonging to the class Clostridia were affiliated within only one order, Clostridiales. The most abundant family was Bacillaceae (67 species), followed by the family Paenibacillaceae (56 species). Thirteen novel genera were created using isolates from the Korean environment. A number of Firmicutes species were isolated from natural environments in Korean territory. In addition, a considerable number of species were isolated from artificial resources such as fermented foods. Most Firmicutes species, belonging to the families Bacillaceae, Planococcaceae, and Staphylococcaceae, isolated from Korean fermented foods and solar salterns were halophilic or halotolerant. Firmicutes species were isolated from the whole territory of Korea, especially large numbers from Provinces Gyeonggi, Chungnam, and Daejeon.

The cation-dependent galactose-specific flocculation activity of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe null mutant of lkh1+, the gene encoding LAMMER kinase homolog, has previously been reported by our group. Here, we show that disruption of prk1+, another flocculation associated regulatory kinase encoding gene, also resulted in cation-dependent galactose-specific flocculation. Deletion of prk1 increased the flocculation phenotype of the lkh1+ null mutant and its overexpression reversed the flocculation of cells caused by lkh1 deletion. Transcript levels of prk1+ were also decreased by lkh1+ deletion. Cumulatively, these results indicate that Lkh1 is one of the negative regulators acting upstream of Prk1, regulating non-sexual flocculation in fission yeast.

A Gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated MAB-07T, was isolated from the gut of a red snow crab. The novel strain grew optimally at 20 °C, pH 7.0–8.0, and in the presence of 3% (w/v) NaCl. A phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the strain MAB-07T belongs to the type strains of species of the genus Lacinutrix. Strain MAB-07T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 95.5–97.8% with the type strains of species of the genus Lacinutrix. The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain MAB-07T were iso-C15:1 G (27.5%) and iso-C15:0 (21.7%). The major respiratory quinine was identified as MK-6. The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, four unidentified aminolipids, and two unidentified lipids. The genomic DNA G + C content was determined to be 33.3%, and its DNA–DNA relatedness values with the type strains of L. venerupis, L. mariniflava, L. jangbogonensis, L. algicola, and Olleya aquimaris were 28–32%. Based on the data from this polyphasic taxonomic study, strain MAB-07T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Lacinutrix, for which the name L. chionocetis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MAB-07T (=KCTC 42767T = JCM 30988T).

To understand the isolation and classification state of actinobacterial species with valid names for Korean indigenous isolates, isolation source, regional origin, and taxonomic affiliation of the isolates were studied. At the time of this writing, the phylum Actinobacteria consisted of only one class, Actinobacteria , including five subclasses, 10 orders, 56 families, and 330 genera. Moreover, new taxa of this phylum continue to be discovered. Korean actinobacterial species with a valid name has been reported from 1995 as Tsukamurella inchonensis isolated from a clinical specimen. In 1997, Streptomyces seoulensis was validated with the isolate from the natural Korean environment. Until Feb. 2016, 256 actinobacterial species with valid names originated from Korean territory were listed on LPSN. The species were affiliated with three subclasses ( Acidimicrobidae , Actinobacteridae , and Rubrobacteridae ), four orders ( Acidimicrobiales , Actinomycetales , Bifidobacteriales , and Solirubrobacterales ), 12 suborders, 36 families, and 93 genera. Most of the species belonged to the subclass Actinobacteridae , and almost of the members of this subclass were affiliated with the order Actinomycetales . A number of novel isolates belonged to the families Nocardioidaceae , Microbacteriaceae , Intrasporangiaceae , and Streptomycetaceae as well as the genera Nocardioides , Streptomyces , and Microbacterium . Twenty-six novel genera and one novel family, Motilibacteraceae , were created first with Korean indigenous isolates. Most of the Korean indigenous actionobacterial species were isolated from natural environments such as soil, seawater, tidal flat sediment, and fresh-water. A considerable number of species were isolated from artificial resources such as fermented foods, wastewater, compost, biofilm, and water-cooling systems or clinical specimens. Korean indigenous actinobacterial species were isolated from whole territory of Korea, and especially a large number of species were from Jeju, Gyeonggi, Jeonnam, Daejeon, and Chungnam. A large number of novel actinobacterial species continue to be discovered since the Korean government is encouraging the search for new bacterial species and researchers are endeavoring to find out novel strains from extreme or untapped environments.

A Gram-stain negative, non-motile, rod-shaped and aerobic bacterial strain, designated JG48T, was isolated from a gravel sample taken from a beach adjacent to Udo island, South Korea. Strain JG48T was found to grow optimally at 25 °C, at pH 7.0–8.0 and in the presence of 2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain JG48T exhibited sequence similarities of 96.67 % to Hyunsoonleella jejuensis CNU004T. The major fatty acids present in the strain JG48T were identified as iso-C15:0, iso-C15:1 G, iso-C17:0 3–OH and iso-C15:0 3–OH. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was identified as MK-6. The polar lipids profile of strain JG48T was found to consist of phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified amino lipids and four unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content of strain JG48T was determined to be 34 mol%. Based on the morphological and physiological properties, and the results of phylogenetic analyses, the strain is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Hyunsoonleella, for which the name Hyunsoonleella udoensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JG48T (=KCTC 42341T=JCM 30600T).

A bacterial strain, JH03T, was isolated from gravel adjacent to Geommeolle beach on Udo Island, South Korea. The cells were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile and rod shaped. The ranges of temperature, pH and NaCl concentration for growth of the bacterium were 10–45 °C, pH 6.0–9.5 and 0.5–5.0 % (w/v), respectively. The major fatty acids of the bacterium were iso-C15:0 (15.4 %), iso-C15:1 G (14.1 %), iso-C16:0 3-OH (14.1 %), iso-C17:0 3-OH (11.5 %) and anteiso-C15:0 (11.3 %). The major isoprenoid quinone was MK-6. The polar lipids included phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified amino lipids and three unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content was 34.2 mol%. The phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain JH03T was most closely related to Jejuia pallidilutea EM39T (96.5 % sequence similarity). Based on the polyphasic analysis, strain JH03T is a novel species of the genus Jejuia, for which the name Jejuia marina sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JH03T (= KCTC 42342T = JCM 30601T).

The XylH gene (1,167-bp) encoding a novel hemicellulase (41,584 Da) was identified from the genome of Microbacterium trichothecenolyticum HY-17, a gastrointestinal bacterium of Gryllotalpa orientalis. The enzyme consisted of a single catalytic domain, which is 74% identical to that of an endo-β-1,4-xylanase (GH10) from Isoptericola variabilis 225. Unlike other endo-β- 1,4-xylanases from invertebrate-symbiotic bacteria, rXylH was an alkali-tolerant multifunctional enzyme possessing endo-β-1,4-xylanase activity together with β-1,3/β-1,4- glucanase activity, which exhibited its highest xylanolytic activity at pH 9.0 and 60°C, and was relatively stable within a broad pH range of 5.0-10.0. The susceptibilities of different xylosebased polysaccharides to the XylH were assessed to be as follows: oat spelts xylan > beechwood xylan > birchwood xylan > wheat arabinoxylan. rXylH was also able to readily cleave p-nitrophenyl (pNP) cellobioside and pNP-xylopyranoside, but did not hydrolyze other pNP-sugar derivatives, xylobiose, or hexose-based materials. Enzymatic hydrolysis of birchwood xylan resulted in the product composition of xylobiose (71.2%) and xylotriose (28.8%) as end products.

A Gram-stain-negative, non-flagellated, non-gliding, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium, designated WD-2-2T, was isolated from a tidal flat of Wando, an island of South Korea, and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic analysis. Strain WD-2-2T grew optimally at 30 °C, at pH 7.0-8.0 and in the presence of 2.0% (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain WD-2-2T belonged to the genus Winogradskyella, clustering coherently with the type strain of Winogradskyella litorisediminis. Strain WD-2-2T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 97.4% to W. litorisediminis DPS-8T and 94.5-96.6% to the type strains of the other species of the genus Winogradskyella. Strain WD-2-2T contained MK-6 as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C15:1 G, iso-C17:0 3-OH and iso-C15:0 as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids detected in strain WD-2-2T were phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified lipid and one unidentified aminolipid. The DNA G+C content was 36.4 mol%, and DNA-DNA relatedness with W. litorisediminis DPS-8T was 13%. Differential phenotypic properties, together with its phylogenetic and genetic distinctiveness, revealed that strain WD-2-2T is separate from recognized species of the genus Winogradskyella. On the basis of the data presented, strain WD-2-2T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Winogradskyella, for which the name Winogradskyella wandonensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WD-2-2T (=KCTC 32579T=CECT 8445T).

A novel strain, designated W-15(T), was isolated from the gut of a long-horned beetle, Massicus raddei, collected in South Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the strains belonged to the suborder Micrococcineae. Strain W-15(T) was most closely related to Luteimicrobium album RI148-Li105(T) (97.9 % similarity). Strain W-15(T) was Gram-stain-positive, rod- and coccus-shaped and non-motile. Growth was observed at 15-37 °C, at pH 4.5-8.5 and in the presence of 0-5.0 % NaCl. The cell-wall peptidoglycan of the strain was A4α (l-Lys-d-Ser-d-Asp). The major menaquinone present in this strain was MK-8 (H2) and the major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, an unknown lipid, an unknown phospholipid and an unknown phosphoglycolipid. The G+C content of genomic DNA of the strain was 73.8 mol%. On the basis of evidence from our polyphasic taxonomic study, strain W-15(T) is classified as representing a novel species in the suborder Micrococcineae, for which the name Luteimicrobium xylanilyticum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of this species is strain W-15(T) ( = KCTC 19882(T) = JCM 18090(T)).

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, non-flagellated, motile by gliding and rod-shaped bacterial strain, RSSK-12(T), was isolated from the zone where the ocean and a freshwater spring meet at Jeju island, South Korea. Strain RSSK-12(T) grew optimally at 30 °C, at pH 7.0-8.0 and in the presence of 2.0-3.0% (w/v) NaCl. Neighbour-joining, maximum-likelihood and maximum-parsimony phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain RSSK-12(T) clustered with the type strains of two Vitellibacter species, with which it exhibited 94.8-96.9% sequence similarity. Sequence similarities to the type strains of species of the genus Aequorivita and of other recognized species were 94.7-95.5% and less than 91.9%, respectively. Strain RSSK-12(T) contained MK-6 as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C(15 : 0) and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids of strain RSSK-12(T) were phosphatidylethanolamine and one unidentified lipid. The DNA G+C content of strain RSSK-12(T) was 38.9 mol%. Differential phenotypic properties, together with phylogenetic distinctiveness, revealed that strain RSSK-12(T) is separate from other Vitellibacter species. On the basis of the data presented, strain RSSK-12(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Vitellibacter, for which the name Vitellibacter soesokkakensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is RSSK-12(T) ( = KCTC 32536(T) = CECT 8398(T)).

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, coccoid, ovoid or rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated RSS3-C1(T), was isolated from a golden sea squirt (Halocynthia aurantium) collected from the East Sea, South Korea. Strain RSS3-C1(T) was found to grow optimally at 20-25 °C, at pH 7.0-8.0 and in the presence of 2.0% (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain RSS3-C1(T) clustered with the type strains of Lutimonas vermicola and Aestuariicola saemankumensis. Strain RSS3-C1(T) exhibited 98.8% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to each type strain. Strain RSS3-C1(T) contained MK-6 as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C(15 : 0), iso-C(17 : 0) 3-OH and anteiso-C(15 : 0) as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids of strain RSS3-C1(T) were phosphatidylethanolamine and two unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content of strain RSS3-C1(T) was 39.2 mol%, and DNA-DNA relatedness to the type strains of and was 21±5.3 and 26±7.5 %, respectively. The differential phenotypic properties, together with its phylogenetic and genetic distinctiveness, revealed that strain RSS3-C1(T) is separated from and . On the basis of the data presented, strain RSS3-C1(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Lutimonas, for which the name Lutimonas halocynthiae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is RSS3-C1(T) ( = KCTC 32537(T) = CECT 8444(T)). In this study, it is also proposed that Aestuariicola saemankumensis should be reclassified as a member of the genus Lutimonas, as Lutimonas saemankumensis comb. nov. (type strain SMK-142(T) = KCTC 22171(T) = CCUG 55329(T)), and the description of the genus Lutimonas is emended.

The gene (1350-bp) encoding a modular β-1,4-xylanase (XylU), which consists of an N-terminal catalytic GH10 domain and a C-terminal carbohydrate-binding module 2 (CBM 2), from Streptomyces mexicanus HY-14 was cloned and functionally characterized. The purified His-tagged recombinant enzyme (rXylU, 44.0 kDa) was capable of efficiently hydrolyze diverse xylosidic compounds, p-nitrophenyl-cellobioside, and p-nitrophenyl-xylopyranoside when incubated at pH 5.5 and 65°C. Especially, the specific activities (649.8 U/mg and 587.0 U/mg, respectively) of rXylU toward oat spelts xylan and beechwood xylan were relatively higher than those (<500.0 U/mg) of many other GH10 homologs toward the same substrates. The results of enzymatic degradation of birchwood xylan and xylooligosaccharides (xylotriose to xylohexaose) revealed that rXylU preferentially hydrolyzed the substrates to xylobiose (>75%) as the primary degradation product. Moreover, a small amount (4%<) of xylose was detected as the degradation product of the evaluated xylosidic substrates, indicating that rXylU was a peculiar GH10 β-1,4-xylanase with substrate specificity, which was different from its retaining homologs. A significant reduction of the binding ability of rXylU caused by deletion of the C-terminal CBM 2 to various insoluble substrates strongly suggested that the additional domain might considerably contribute to the enzyme-substrate interaction.

A Gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile and rod-shaped bacterial strain, D-17T, was isolated from mud flats in the Yellow Sea in Korea. Phylogenetic trees based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain D-17T belongs to the genus Pseudoruegeria and it shared 97.5 % similarity with the type strain of Pseudoruegeria haliotis WM67T. The sequence similarities with Pseudoruegeria litimaris HD-43T and Pseudoruegeria aquimaris SW-255T were 96.9 and 96.1 %, respectively. Strain D-17T was found to grow with 0.5–6 % (w/v) NaCl, at 20–30 °C, and at pH 6.5–8.0. Strain D-17T was determined to contain Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone and summed feature 8 (C18:1 ω7c and/or C18:1 ω6c, as defined by the MIDI system) as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids were identified as phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified aminolipid, an unidentified glycolipid, an unidentified lipid and four unidentified phospholipids. The DNA G+C content was determined to be 63.6 mol%. The DNA–DNA relatedness with P. haliotis WM67T was 32.5 %. The differential phenotypic properties revealed that strain D-17T can be separated from other Pseudoruegeria species. Based on the data presented in this study, strain D-17T represents a novel species, for which the name Pseudoruegeria limi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is D-17T (=KCTC 32460T =JCM 19487T).

A novel bacterium, designated strain 13-2-B6, was isolated from seawater adjacent to Songak Mountain on Jeju Island, South Korea. The novel strain was observed to be Gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped and motile with a single polar flagellum. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strain 13-2-B6 was determined to be phylogenetically closely related to the type strain of , currently the sole species of the genus (family ). Sequence similarity between the 16S rRNA genes of strain 13-2-B6 and . EL-219 is 96.9 %. Strain 13-2-B6 was found to grow optimally at 25–30 °C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 3 % (w/v) NaCl. The predominant isoprenoid quinone in strain 13-2-B6 was identified as ubiquinone Q-10 and the major fatty acids were identified as C ω7c and/or C ω6c. Phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, two unknown aminolipids, two unknown phospholipids, an unknown glycolipid and an unknown lipid were found to be components of the polar lipid profile. The G + C content of strain 13-2-B6 was determined to be 62 mol %. On the basis of its phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain 13-2-B6 is considered to represent a novel species of the genus , for which the name sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 13-2-B6 (=KCTC 42009 =JCM 19898).

A novel bacterium, designated strain 13-2-B6T, was isolated from seawater adjacent to Songak Mountain on Jeju Island, South Korea. The novel strain was observed to be Gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped and motile with a single polar flagellum. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strain 13-2-B6T was determined to be phylogenetically closely related to the type strain of Antarctobacter heliothermus, currently the sole species of the genus Antarctobacter (family Rhodobacteraceae). Sequence similarity between the 16S rRNA genes of strain 13-2-B6T and A. heliothermus EL-219T is 96.9 %. Strain 13-2-B6T was found to grow optimally at 25–30 °C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 3 % (w/v) NaCl. The predominant isoprenoid quinone in strain 13-2-B6T was identified as ubiquinone Q-10 and the major fatty acids were identified as C18:1 ω7c and/or C18:1 ω6c. Phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, two unknown aminolipids, two unknown phospholipids, an unknown glycolipid and an unknown lipid were found to be components of the polar lipid profile. The G + C content of strain 13-2-B6T was determined to be 62 mol %. On the basis of its phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain 13-2-B6T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Antarctobacter, for which the name Antarctobacter jejuensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 13-2-B6T (=KCTC 42009T =JCM 19898T).

Two novel bacterial strains, GH2-4T and GH2-5, were isolated from mangrove soil near the seashore of Weno island in Chuuk state, Micronesia, and were characterized by a polyphasic approach. The two strains were strictly aerobic, Gram-staining-positive, motile, endospore-forming rods that were catalase- and oxidase-positive. Colonies were circular, convex, stringy and transparent yellowish (GH2-4T) or opaque whitish (GH2-5). The 16S rRNA gene sequences of the two isolates were identical. The most closely related strains in terms of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity were Bacillus kochii WCC 4582T, B. horneckiae DSM 23495T, B. azotoformans LMG 9581T, B. cohnii DSM 6307T and B. halmapalus DSM 8723T (95.6, 95.4, 95.4, 95.2 and 95.2% similarity, respectively). The partial groEL sequence of strain GH2-4T was identical to that of strain GH2-5 and showed <85% similarity to those of the most closely related strains. The isolates grew at pH 5-12 (optimal growth at pH 9), at 10-40 °C (optimum 30-35 °C) and at 0-9% (w/v) NaCl (optimum 1-3% NaCl). The cell-wall peptidoglycan of strains GH2-4T and GH2-5 contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and cell-wall hydrolysates contained ribose as a major sugar. The DNA G+C content was 36 mol%, and DNA-DNA relatedness between the isolates and five related reference strains was 20-24%. Strain GH2-4T exhibited 81% DNA-DNA relatedness with strain GH2-5. The major cellular fatty acids of both strains were iso-C15:0, iso-C16:0, iso-C14:0 and anteiso-C15:0 and the predominant menaquinone was MK-7. On the basis of the evidence from this polyphasic study, strains GH2-4T and GH2-5 (=KCTC 33143=JCM 18995=DSM 27084) represent a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus solimangrovi sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is GH2-4T (=KCTC 33142T=JCM 18994T=DSM 27083T).

A novel facultatively anaerobic strain DH1T was isolated from deep sub-seafloor sediment at a depth of 900 m below the seafloor off Seo-do (the west part of Dokdo Island) in the East Sea of the Republic of Korea. The new strain was characterized using polyphasic approaches. The isolate was Gram-stain-negative, motile by gliding, non-spore-forming rods, oxidase-negative, and catalase-positive; and formed colonies of orange-red color. The NaCl range for growth was 0.5–7.0% (w/v) and no growth was observed in the absence of NaCl. The isolate grew optimally at 30°C, with 2% (w/v) NaCl and at pH 7. The cell-wall hydrolysates contained ribose as a major sugar. The DNA G+C content was 40.8 mol%. The closest related strains are Sunxiuqinia faeciviva JAM-BA0302T and Sunxiuqinia elliptica DQHS-4T (97.9 and 96.3% sequence similarity, respectively). The level of DNA-DNA relatedness between strain DH1T and S. faeciviva JAM-BA0302T was around 41% (but only 6% between DH1T and S. elliptica DQHS-4T). The major cellular fatty acids of the isolate were contained iso-C15:0 (25.9%), anteiso-C15:0 (16.7%), and summed feature 9 (comprising C16:0 3-OH and/or unknown fatty acid of dimethylacetal ECL 17.157; 13.2%). The predominant menaquinone was MK-7. On the basis of polyphasic evidence from this study, the isolate was considered to represent a novel species of the genus Sunxiuqinia, for which the name Sunxiuqinia dokdonensis sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is DH1T (=KCTC 32503T =CGMCC 1.12676T =JCM 19380T).

An aerobic, halotolerant, Gram-negative bacterium was isolated from the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius and subjected to taxonomic characterization. The strain, designated KMM 6042(T), was rod-shaped, motile and yellow-pigmented. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the strain was most closely related to the type strain of Altererythrobacter dongtanensis, and the level of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between the two was 99.0 %. However, the DNA-DNA relatedness between the two strains was 34.4 ± 7.6 %. Physiological and chemotaxonomic properties clearly distinguished the novel strain from other species of the genus Altererythrobacter. It is thus evident from the phylogenetic and phenotypic analyses that strain KMM 6042(T) merits recognition as a novel species of the genus Altererythrobacter, for which the name Altererythrobacter troitsensis sp. nov. (type strain, KMM 6042(T) = KCTC 12303(T) = JCM 17037(T)) is proposed.

A Gram-staining-negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive, non-motile bacterium, designated strain KOPRI 21160(T), was isolated from Antarctic soil. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain KOPRI 21160(T) was found to belong to the genus Polaribacter. Sequence similarity between strain KOPRI 21160(T) and the type strains of species of the genus Polaribacter was 94.2-98.3 %. The nearest phylogenetic neighbours of strain KOPRI 21160(T) were Polaribacter butkevichii KCTC 12100(T) (98.3 % similarity) and Polaribacter irgensii KCTC 23136(T) (97.5 %). DNA-DNA relatedness was 50.6 %, between strain KOPRI 21160(T) and P. butkevichii KCTC 12100(T), and 45.2 % between strain KOPRI 21160(T) and P. irgensii KCTC 23136(T). Strain KOPRI 21160(T) grew at 4-37 °C and at pH 7.0-8.5. It could hydrolyse DNA, starch and Tweens 20, 40, 60 and 80. Menaquinone-6 (MK-6) was the only respiratory quinone, and iso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 3-OH and C15 : 1ω6c were the major cellular fatty acids. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminolipids and one unidentified lipid. The DNA G+C content was 30.0 mol%. Based on data from our polyphasic study, the organism is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Polaribacter, for which we propose the name Polaribacter sejongensis sp. nov. The type strain is KOPRI 21160(T) ( = KCTC 23670(T) = JCM 18092(T)). Emended descriptions of the genus Polaribacter, Polaribacter butkevichii Nedashkovskaya et al. 2005 and Polaribacter irgensii Gosink et al. 1998 are also proposed.

A Gram-staining-negative, non-motile, catalase- and oxidasepositive bacterium, designated strain I-15 T , was isolated from a crab of the Yellow Sea, Korea. On the basis of a 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain I-15 T was shown to belong to Bacteroidetes , related to the genus Aestuariibaculum . Sequence similarity between strain I-15 T and the only type strain of the genus Aestuariibaculum, Aestuariibaculum suncheonense SC17 T , was 96.7%. Strain I-15 T grew at 0.5–6.0% (w/v) NaCl, at 10–42°C and at pH 4.5–8.0. It could hydrolyze starch and Tweens 80. Menaquinone-6 was the only respiratory quinone, and summed features 3 (C 16:1 ω 7 c /C 16:1 ω 6 c ) (16.4%), iso-C 15:0 (15.6%), and iso-C 15:1 G (12.6%) were the major cellular fatty acids. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminolipids and two unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content was 39.0 mol%. Polyphasic data allowed genotypic and phenotypic distinction of strain I-15 T from the only validly published Aestuariibaculum species. Therefore, the organism is considered a novel species of the genus Aestuariibaculum , for which the name Aestuariibaculum scopimerae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is I-15 T (=KCTC 32459 T =JCM 19486 T ).