Pseudonocardia eucalypti sp. nov., an endophytic actinobacterium with a unique knobby spore surface, isolated from roots of a native Australian eucalyptus tree

A novel strain, designated EUM 374(T), was isolated from the root of a native Australian eucalyptus tree, Eucalyptus microcarpa, and subjected to a range of morphological, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic analyses. The strain was Gram-reaction-positive with well-developed aerial mycelia, which fragmented into rod-shaped spores that had unique knobby protrusions on the spore surface. Substrate mycelia were not present in the media used. Strain EUM 374(T) grew as a film on the surface of static liquid culture medium but did not grow under shaking conditions. Phylogenetic evaluation based on 16S rRNA gene sequences identified the new isolate as belonging to the family Pseudonocardiaceae with sequence similarities of 96.1 and 96.3% to Pseudonocardia acaciae GMKU095(T) and Pseudonocardia spinosispora LM 141(T), respectively, and 93-96 % sequence similarity to other members of the genus Pseudonocardia. The results of comprehensive phylogenetic analyses, including physiological and biochemical tests, differentiated strain EUM 374(T) from related members of the genus Pseudonocardia. Based on the phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic evidence, strain EUM 374T represents a novel species of the genus Pseudonocardia, for which the name Pseudonocardia eucalypti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is EUM 374(T) (=DSM 45351(T) =ACM 5285(T)).