Comparative genome sequence analysis of several species in the genus and the description of a novel species sp. nov.

We performed high-quality genome sequencing of eight strains of the species of the genus and examined the genomes of closely related strains from the databases to understand why is the only strain of this genus that utilizes glucose and fructose for growth. We found that the assimilation of these hexoses by was due to the presence of two transporters that are absent in all other genomes of strains of members of the genus examined. Some strains lack genes coding for glucokinase, but the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway appears to be otherwise complete. The pentose phosphate pathway has a complete set of genes, but genes of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway were not identified in the genomes of any of the strains examined. Genome analysis using average nucleotide identity (ANIb), digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH), average amino acid identity (AAI) and phylogenetic analysis of 400 conserved genes was performed to assess the taxonomic classification of the organisms. Two isolates of the genus from the hot spring at São Pedro do Sul, Portugal, designated SPSP-6 and SPSPC-18 were also examined in this study. These organisms are mixotrophic, have an optimum growth temperature of about 50 ºC, utilize several organic acids and amino acids for growth but do not grow on sugars. Distinctive phenotypic, 16S rRNA gene sequence and genomic characteristics of strains SPSP-6 and SPSPC-18 lead us to propose a novel species based on strain SPSP-6 for which we recommend the name sp. nov. (=CECT 9683=LMG 30884).