Arthrobacter siccitolerans sp nov., a highly desiccation-tolerant, xeroprotectant-producing strain isolated from dry soil

A novel desiccation-tolerant, xeroprotectant-producing bacterium, designated strain 4J27(T), was isolated from a Nerium oleander rhizosphere subjected to seasonal drought in Granada, Spain. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing placed the isolate within the genus Arthrobacter, its closest relative being Arthrobacter phenanthrenivorans Shep3 DSM 18606(T), with which it showed 99.23 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. DNA DNA hybridization measurements showed less than 25% relatedness between strain 4127(T) and Arthrobacter phenanthrenivorans DSM 18606T. The DNA base composition of strain 4127T was 65.3 mol%. The main fatty acids were anteiso C-15:0, anteiso C-17:0 and iso C-16:0 and the major menaquinone was MK-9 (H-2). The peptidoglycan type was A3 alpha with an L-Lys-L-Ser-L-Thr-L-Ala interpeptide bridge. The bacterium tested positive for catalase activity and negative for oxidase activity. Phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic analyses indicated that the desiccation-tolerant strain 4J27(T) represents a novel species within the genus Arthrobacter, for which the name Arthrobacter siccitolerans is proposed. The type strain is 4J27(T) (=CECT 8257(T)=LMG 27359(T)).