Genome-based reclassification of Anoxybacillus salavatliensis Cihan et al. 2011 as a later heterotypic synonym of Anoxybacillus gonensis Belduz et al. 2003.

In the present study, we aim to clarify the taxonomic positions of Anoxybacillus salavatliensis DSM 22626 and Anoxybacillus gonensis G2 by using whole genome phylogenetic analysis, biochemical and chemotaxonomic characteristics. The genome sequences of A. salavatliensis DSM 22626 was not available in any database, so it was sequenced in this study. In phylogenetic trees drawn using whole genome sequences and 16S rRNA gene sequences, A. salavatliensis DSM 22626 and A. gonensis G2 clade together and showed high sequence similarity (99.3%) based on 16S rRNA gene. The average amino acid identity, average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between A. salavatliensis DSM 22626 and A. gonensis G2 were found to be greater than the threshold values for species demarcation. Further, the phylogenomic analysis based on the core genome of the strains under study confirmed that A. salavatliensis DSM 22626 and A. gonensis G2 formed a monophyletic clade. Most phenotypic and chemotaxonomic features between both strains were almost identical except for a few exceptions. The present results show that A. salavatliensis DSM 22626 is a later heterotypic synonym of A. gonensis G2.