TY - JOUR
T1 - Characterization of Methylobacterium strains isolated from the phyllosphere and description of Methylobacterium longum sp nov
AU - Knief, C.
AU - Dengler, V.
AU - Bodelier, P.L.E.
AU - Vorholt, J.A.
N1 - Reporting year: 2012
Metis note: 5192; WAG; ME
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Methylobacterium strains are abundantly found in the phyllosphere of plants. Morphological, physiological and chemotaxonomical properties of 12 previously isolated strains were analyzed in order to obtain a more detailed overview of the characteristics of phyllosphere colonizing Methylobacterium strains. All strains showed the typical properties of the genus Methylobacterium, including pink pigmentation, facultative methylotrophy, a fatty acid profile dominated by C18:1 ω7c, and a high G+C content of 65 mol % or more. However, some strains showed only weak growth on methanol and pigmentation varied from pale pink to red. Strains grew best under mesophilic, neutrophilic conditions and low salt (≤1%) concentrations, but variation was seen with respect to the temperature and pH range under which growth occurred. Likewise, differences were seen with respect to carbon source utilization. Some strains were versatile and utilized diverse organic acids, amino acids and sugars, while others could only metabolize a restricted number of organic acids. The strains that were most distinct from existing type strains based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis were selected for DNA–DNA hybridization experiments to analyze whether they are sufficiently different at the genomic level from existing type strains to justify their classification as new species. This resulted in the delineation of strain 440 and its description as Methylobacterium longum sp. nov. strain 440 (=DSM 23933T = CECT 7806T). A main characteristic of this species is the formation of relatively long rods compared to other Methylobacterium species.
AB - Methylobacterium strains are abundantly found in the phyllosphere of plants. Morphological, physiological and chemotaxonomical properties of 12 previously isolated strains were analyzed in order to obtain a more detailed overview of the characteristics of phyllosphere colonizing Methylobacterium strains. All strains showed the typical properties of the genus Methylobacterium, including pink pigmentation, facultative methylotrophy, a fatty acid profile dominated by C18:1 ω7c, and a high G+C content of 65 mol % or more. However, some strains showed only weak growth on methanol and pigmentation varied from pale pink to red. Strains grew best under mesophilic, neutrophilic conditions and low salt (≤1%) concentrations, but variation was seen with respect to the temperature and pH range under which growth occurred. Likewise, differences were seen with respect to carbon source utilization. Some strains were versatile and utilized diverse organic acids, amino acids and sugars, while others could only metabolize a restricted number of organic acids. The strains that were most distinct from existing type strains based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis were selected for DNA–DNA hybridization experiments to analyze whether they are sufficiently different at the genomic level from existing type strains to justify their classification as new species. This resulted in the delineation of strain 440 and its description as Methylobacterium longum sp. nov. strain 440 (=DSM 23933T = CECT 7806T). A main characteristic of this species is the formation of relatively long rods compared to other Methylobacterium species.
KW - international
U2 - 10.1007/s10482-011-9650-6
DO - 10.1007/s10482-011-9650-6
M3 - Article
SN - 0003-6072
VL - 101
SP - 169
EP - 183
JO - Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology
JF - Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology
IS - 1
ER -