Thermohalobacter berrensis gen. nov., sp nov., a thermophilic, strictly halophilic bacterium from a solar saltern

A new thermophilic, strictly halophilic, anaerobic, non-sporulating rod-shaped bacterium, measuring 0.5 x 3.0-8.0 mu m and designated strain CTT3(T), was isolated from a solar saltern. Strain CTT3(T) stained Cram-negative, was motile by means of laterally inserted flagella, had a genome G+C content of 33 mol% and grew optimally at 65 degrees C and ph 7.0 with 5% NaCl, The strain also grew readily at 70 OC in the presence of 15% NaCl, Strain CTT3(T) fermented cellobiose. fructose, glucose, maltose, mannitol, mannose, sucrose, glycerol, Iv-acetylglucosamine. starch, pyruvate and bio-Trypticase. It produced acetate, ethanol, H-2 and presumably CO2 from glucose. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that it is a member of cluster XII of the Clostridiales and related genera of the subphylum of the Gram-positive bacteria containing genomes of low G+C content. Its phenotypic and phylogenetic characteristics clearly differentiated it from all other members of this cluster. Based on the findings it is proposed that strain CTT3(T) be designated as a new species of a new genus, Thermohalobacter berrensis gen, nov., sp. nov. The type strain is CTT3(T) (= CNCM 105955(T)).