Mesorhizobium Norvegicum Sp. Nov., A Rhizobium Isolated From A Lotus Corniculatus Root Nodule In Norway

Strain 10.2.2(T) was isolated from a root nodule of a Lotus corniculatus plant growing near Skammestein (Norway). Phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characterization revealed that colonies grown on yeast-mannitol broth agar were circular, convex and slimy. Growth occurred at 28 degrees C in 0-1% NaCl and in a pH range from above 4 to 10. Cells were resistant to kanamycin and phosphomycin. They could assimilate carbon sources such as L-lysine, D-mannose, D-mannitol, and L-alanine. Major fatty acids found in the organism were 11-methyl C-18:1 omega 7c, C-16:0, C-18:1 omega 7c, C-18:0 and C-19:0 cyclo omega 8c. Genome sequencing and characterization of the genome revealed its size to be 8.27 Mbp with a G+C content of 62.4mol%. Phylogenetic analyses based on the 16S rRNA gene and housekeeping gene alignments placed this strain within the genus Mesorhizobium. Pairwise genome-wide average nucleotide identity values supported that strain 10.2.2(T) represents a new species, for which we propose the name Mesorhizobium norvegicum sp. nov. with the type strain 10.2.2(T) (=DSM 108834(T)=LMG 31153(T)).