Colwellia aestuarii sp nov., isolated from a tidal flat sediment in Korea

A novel Colwellia-like bacterial strain, SMK-10(T), was isolated from a tidal flat sediment in Korea and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic analysis. Cells of strain SMK-10(T) were Gram-negative, motile, greyish yellow-pigmented, curved rods. Optimal growth occurred at 25-30 degrees C and in the presence of 2-3% (w/v) NaCl. Strain SMK-10(T) contained Q-8 as the predominant ubiquinone and C-16:(1)omega 7c and/or iso-C-15:0 2-OH, C-17:1, C-15:1 and iso-C-16:0 as major fatty acids. The DNA G + C content was 39.3 mol%. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain SMK-10(T) belonged to the genus Colwellia. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values (94.7-96.7%) to the type strains of all other Colwellia species and various differential phenotypic properties were sufficient to distinguish strain SMK-10(T) from recognized Colwellia species. On the basis of its phenotypic properties and phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain SMK-10(T) (=KCTC 12480(T) = DSM 17314(T)) is classified as the type strain of a novel Colwellia species, for which the name Colwellia aestuarii sp. nov. is proposed.