Methylobacterium persicinum sp nov., Methylobacterium komagatae sp nov., Methylobacterium brachiatum sp nov., Methylobacterium tardum sp nov and Methylobacterium gregans sp nov., isolated from freshwater

Eight strains, 002-165(T), 002-079(T), B0021(T), Hojyo2, RB603B, RB677(T), 002-074(T) and RB678, isolated from the environment of food-processing factories in Japan, were characterized using a polyphasic approach. The isolates were Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, pink-pigmented, facultatively methylotrophic, non-spore-forming rods. The chemotaxonomic characteristics of these isolates included the presence of C-18:1 omega 7c as the major cellular fatty acid and ubiquinone Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone. The DNA G + C content was 67.1-71.1 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA and DNA gyrase B subunit (gyrB) nucleotide sequence confirmed that the eight strains belonged to the Methylobacterium clade. Moreover, a DNA-DNA hybridization analysis showed that the eight isolates represented five novel species. On the basis of their phenotypic and phylogenetic distinctiveness, the isolates represent five novel species within the genus Methylobacterium, for which the names Methylobacterium persicinum sp. nov. (type strain 002-165(T) = DSM 19562(T) = NBRC 103628(T) = NCIMB 14378(T)), Methylobacterium komagatae sp. nov. (type strain 002-079(T) = DSM 19563(T) = NBRC 103627(T) = NCIMB 14377(T)), Methylobacterium brachiatum sp. nov. (type strain B0021(T) = DSM 19569(T) =NBRC 103629(T) = NCIMB 14379(T)), Methylobacterium tardum sp. nov. (type strain RB677(T) =DSM 19566(T) = NBRC 103632(T) = NCIMB 14380(T)) and Methylobacterium gregans sp. nov. (type strain 002-074(T) = DSM 19564(T) = NBRC 103626(T) = NCIMB 14376(T)) are proposed.