Characterization of a new xylanolytic bacterium, Clostridium xylanovorans sp. nov.

A new xylanolytic bacterium designated strain HESP1T (T = type strain) was isolated from a methanogenic digester. Strain HESP1T was a motile, rod shaped, spore-forming bacterium, which possessed a Gram-positive type cell wall. Glucose, fructose, lactose, trehalose, maltose, raffinose, sucrose, xylan, mannitol, cellobiose, galactose, mannose, melibiose, ribose were fermented to produce, acetate, butyrate, H2, CO2, formate, isobutyrate, and ethanol. Fumarate was fermented to acetate. Glycerol and methanol were also utilized. Sulfate, thiosulfate, nitrate, sulfur and fumarate were not used as electron acceptors. Strain HESP1T had a G + C content of 40 mol% and grew optimally at 37 degrees C and pH 7 on a fructose containing medium. Phylogenetically, strain HESP1T was most related to Clostridium aminovalericum (similarity of 94%) than to C. populeti, C. herbivorans and Eubacterium xylanophilum (average similarity of 92%), all members of subcluster XIVa of the low G + C containing Gram-positive branch. However, strain HESP1T shared little phenotypic and genotypic traits with C. aminovalericum and on the basis of this and phylogenetic evidence, we propose to tentatively designate strain HESP1T as a new species of the genus Clostridium, Clostridium xylanovorans sp. nov. The type strain is HESP1T (= DSM 12503).