Pontibacillus chungwhensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a moderately halophilic Gram-positive bacterium from a solar saltern in Korea.

Three moderately halophilic, spore-forming strains, designated BH030062T, BH030049 and BH030080, were isolated from a solar saltern in Korea. Phylogenetic analyses and comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence studies revealed that the isolates represent a novel distinct monophyletic lineage within the phyletic group classically defined as the genus Bacillus and are most closely related to members of the genera Gracilibacillus (93.7-95.1 % similarity), Virgibacillus (93.5-94.8 %), Halobacillus (94.8-95.9 %), Filobacillus (94.4-94.8 %) and Lentibacillus (93.3-93.7 %). Strain BH030062T was strictly aerobic, rod-shaped, Gram-positive and motile by means of peritrichous flagella. It grew in the presence of 1-15 % (w/v) NaCl and at temperatures of 15-45 degrees C. The cell wall peptidoglycan contained A1gamma-meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. The predominant cellular fatty acids were iso-C(15 : 0), anteiso-C(15 : 0) and iso-C(16 : 0). DNA G+C content was about 41 mol% and the major isoprenoid quinone was MK-7. On the basis of their physiological and molecular properties, the isolates represent a new genus, Pontibacillus gen. nov., and novel species, Pontibacillus chungwhensis sp. nov. The type strain is BH030062T (=KCTC 3890T=DSM 16287T).