[Taxonomic study of Pseudomonas aurantiaca Nakhimovskaya, 1948 and the proposal of a neotype strain of this species].

The type strain of Pseudomonas aurantiaca VKM B-876 (NCIB 10068) was shown to be identical to P. aureofaciens in its biological properties, G + C--content of DNA and chemical nature of produced pigments. Its genome relatedness value with the type strain of P. aureofaciens was found to be 82%. The properties of 36 orange-pigmented fluorescent bacterial strains corresponding with the special description of P. aurantiaca, are presented. Their DNA homology values with other fluorescent species and with the majority of P. fluorescens biotypes ranged from 0 to 49%. At the same time this bacterial group showed a considerable phenotypic similarity and high DNA homology values (90-100%) with the strains of P. fluorescens biotype II (B). The ability to produce a complex of antibiotics, phloroglucinol derivatives, is also their mutual distinctive characteristic. The unification of orange-pigmented microorganisms and the strains of P. fluorescens biotype B under the specific name P. aurantiaca is proposed, regarding the strains of biotype B as the pigmentless variants of this species. The amended description of P. aurantiaca Nakhimovskaya, 1948 is presented. The neotype strain P. aurantiaca VKM B-1524 is proposed.