Malikia granosa gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel polyhydroxyalkanoate- and polyphosphate-accumulating bacterium isolated from activated sludge, and reclassification of Pseudomonas spinosa as Malikia spinosa comb. nov.

A Gram-negative, motile, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain P1(T), was isolated from activated sludge of a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Phylogenetic analysis of its 16S rRNA gene sequence placed the novel isolate among representatives of the family Comamonadaceae. The closest relatives in reconstructed phylogenetic trees were Pseudomonas spinosa, Macromonas bipunctata and Hydrogenophaga species. Strain P1(T) was not able to grow anaerobically or autotrophically, reduced nitrate to nitrite and required vitamins for growth. Ubiquinone 8 (Q8) and 3-hydroxy-substituted fatty acids were present, but 2-hydroxy fatty acids were absent. The G+C content of the DNA was 67 mol%. Phenotypic characteristics allowed a clear differentiation of strain P1(T) from representatives of the genera Hydrogenophaga and Macromonas, whereas DNA-DNA hybridization experiments revealed that strain P1(T) did not belong to the species P. spinosa. As a peculiarity, cells of strain P1(T) and P. spinosa ATCC 14606(T) were able to accumulate large amounts of polyhydroxyalkanoates and polyphosphate in the form of large intracellular granules. Apparently in both strains nitrogen limitation stimulates the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates, whereas carbon starvation induces the formation of polyphosphates. Based upon phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, it is proposed to establish the novel taxon Malikia granosa gen. nov., sp. nov., represented by the type strain P1(T) (=DSM 15619(T)=JCM 12706(T)=CIP 108194(T)). The most closely related species of strain P1(T) was P. spinosa. This species has been misclassified, and it is proposed to transfer it to the new genus Malikia as Malikia spinosa gen. nov., comb. nov. The type strain is ATCC 14606(T) (=DSM 15801(T)).