Devosia confluentis sp nov., isolated from the junction between the ocean and a freshwater lake, and reclassification of two Vasilyevaea species as Devosia enhydra comb. nov and Devosia mishustinii comb. nov.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-flagellated and pleomorphic bacterium, designated HJR-2(T), was isolated from a junction between the ocean and a freshwater lake on the East Sea, South Korea. It grew optimally at 30 degrees C, at pH 7.0-8.0 and in the presence of 0-1.5% (w/v) NaCl. In the neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain HJR-2(T) clustered with the type strains of Vasilyevaea enhydra and Vasilyevaea mishustinii and this cluster fell within the clade comprising the type strains of Devosia species. Strain HJR-2(T) exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 97.2 and 97.0 % to the type strains of V. enhydra and V. mishustinii, respectively, and 93.9-96.2% to the type strains of Devosia species. Strain HJR-2(T) contained Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone and C-18:1 omega 7c, 11-methyl C-18:1 omega 7c and C-16:0 as major fatty acids. Major polar lipids of strain HJR-2(T) were phosphatidylglycerol and two unidentified glycolipids. The DNA G+C content was 66.0 mol% and its mean DNA-DNA relatedness values with the type strains of V. enhydra and V. mishustinii were 11-17 %. Differential phenotypic properties, together with its phylo genetic and genetic distinctiveness, revealed that strain HJR-2(T) is separated from V. enhydra, V. mishustinii and Devosia species. On the basis of the data presented, strain HJR-2(T) (= KCTC 52211(T) = NBRC 112271(T)) is considered to be the type strain of a novel species of the genus Devosia, for which the name Devosia confluentis sp. nov. is proposed. In this study, it is also proposed that V. enhydra and V. mishustinii be reclassified as members of the genus Devosia.