Litorimonas cladophorae sp. nov., a new alphaproteobacterium isolated from the Pacific green alga Cladophora stimpsoni, and emended descriptions of the genus Litorimonas and Litorimonas taeaensis.

A strictly aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped and red-orange pigmented bacterium, designated strain KMM 6395(T), was isolated from the green alga Cladophora stimpsoni and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that the novel strain affiliated to the family Hyphomonadaceae of the class Alphaproteobacteria being most closely related to the type strain of the single species of the genus Litorimonas, Litorimonas taeanensis G5(T), with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 96.8 %. Strain KMM 6395(T) grew with 1-5 % NaCl and at 4-35 °C, hydrolysed starch and Tween 80. The DNA G+C content was 48.7 mol%. The prevalent fatty acids were C18:1 ω7c, C19:1 ω8c and C18:1 ω7c 10-methyl. The polar lipid profile was characterized by the presence of phosphatidylglycerol, monoglycosyldiglyceride, glucuronopyranosyldiglyceride and an unidentified glycolipid. The major respiratory quinone was Q-10. The significant molecular distinctiveness between the novel isolate and its nearest neighbour, L. taeanensis G5(T), were strongly supported by the differences in physiological and biochemical tests. Therefore, strain KMM 6395(T) represents a novel species of the genus Litorimonas, for which the name Litorimonas cladophorae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KMM 6395(T) (=KCTC 23968(T) = LMG 26985(T)). The emended descriptions of the genus Litorimonas and L. taeaensis are also provided.