Terribacillus aidingensis sp. nov., a moderately halophilic bacterium.

Three Gram-positive, moderately halophilic bacteria, designated YI7-61(T), IA7 and DB2, were isolated from sediments of Aiding salt lake in the Xinjiang region of China. Cells of the strains were rod-shaped, motile by means of peritrichous flagella and produced ellipsoidal spores. Colonies were pale yellow in colour. The strains grew optimally at 30-37 °C, pH 6-7 and 3-7 % (w/v) NaCl. The diamino acid in the murein was meso-diaminopimelic acid and the major quinone system was MK-7. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C(15 : 0) and anteiso-C(17 : 0). The DNA G+C content was 44.6-45.0 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strains YI7-61(T), IA7 and DB2 were closely related to members of the genus Terribacillus and showed 96.8-97.6, 96.4-97.2 and 95.4-95.5 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Terribacillus halophilus 002-051(T), Terribacillus saccharophilus RB589 and Terribacillus goriensis CL-GR16(T), respectively. DNA-DNA relatedness among the isolates was 88-92 % and strain YI7-61(T) shared 24, 18 and 18 % DNA-DNA relatedness with T. halophilus JCM 21760(T), T. saccharophilus JCM 21759(T) and T. goriensis DSM 18252(T), respectively. On the basis of phenotypic and phylogenetic distinctiveness, the three isolates should be placed in the genus Terribacillus as representatives of a novel species, for which the name Terribacillus aidingensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YI7-61(T) (=CGMCC 1.8913(T) =NBRC 105790(T)).