Ciceribacter lividus gen. nov., sp nov., isolated from rhizosphere soil of chick pea (Cicer arietinum L.)

The taxonomic position of strain MSSRFBL1(T), isolated from chickpea rhizosphere soil from Kannivadi, India, was determined. Strain MSSRFBL1(T) formed bluish black colonies, stained Gram-negative and was motile, aerobic, capable of fixing dinitrogen, oxidase-negative and catalase-positive. Q-10 was the major respiratory quinone. Major fatty acids of strain MSSRFBL1(T) were Cigrico7c and Cigtocyclow8c. Minor amounts of C-18:0, C-12:0, C-14:0 3-OH, C-18:0 3-OH, C-16:0,C-16:1 omega 6c/C-16:1 omega 7c, C-17:0 3-OH and C-20:1 omega 7c were also present. Polar lipids included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine and two unidentified glycolipids. Bacteriohopane derivatives (BHD1 and 2), diplopterol, diploptene, bishomohopanediol, adenosylhopane and 2 beta-methyl bacteriohopanetetrol were the major hopanoids of strain MSSRFBL1(T). The genomic DNA G+C content was 71 mol%. EzTaxon-e-based BLAST analysis of the 16S rRNA gene indicated the highest similarity of strain MSSRFBL1(T) to Ensifer adhaerens LMG 20216(T) (97.3%) and other members of the genus Ensifer (<96.9%) in the family Rhizobiaceae of the class Alphaproteobacteria. However, phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA, recA, thrC and dnaK gene sequences showed distinct out-grouping from the recognized genera of the family Rhizobiaceae. Based on phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic characters, strain MSSRFBL1(T) represents a novel species in a new genus in the family Rhizobiaceae for which the name Ciceribacter lividus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Ciceribacter lividus is MSSRFBL1(T) (=DSM 25528(T)=KCTC 32403(T)).