Bacillus alkalitelluris sp nov., an alkaliphilic bacterium isolated from sandy soil

A Gram-positive, alkaliphilic bacterium, designated strain BA288(T), was isolated from sandy soil. Cells were facultatively anaerobic, endospore-forming rods that were motile by means of peritrichous flagella. The strain grew at 15-40 degrees C and pH 7.0-11.0 (optimally at 30 degrees C and pH 9.0-9.5) and at salinities of 0-4 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain BA288(T) belonged to the genus Bacillus and that Bacillus herbersteinensis D-1,5a(T), Bacillus humi LMG 22167(T), Bacillus cohnii DSM 6307(T) and Bacillus litoralis SW-211(T) were the closest neighbours (96.2, 96.0, 96.0 and 95.9 % sequence similarity, respectively). The genomic DNA G + C content was 37.9 mol% and the predominant menaquinone was MK-7. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C-15:0, iso-C-15:0, C-16:0 and iso-C14:0. The peptidoglycan type was A1 gamma (meso-diaminopimelic acid). Therefore, on the basis of phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic properties, strain BA288T represents a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus alkalitelluris sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BA288(T) (=KCTC 3947(T) = DSM 16976(T)).