Phyllobacterium trifolii sp. nov., nodulating Trifolium and Lupinus in Spanish soils.

Bacterial strain PETP02(T) was isolated from nodules of Trifolium pratense growing in a Spanish soil. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that this strain represents a member of the genus Phyllobacterium. However, divergence found with the 16S rRNA gene sequence of the single recognized species of this genus, Phyllobacterium myrsinacearum, indicated that strain PETP02(T) belongs to a different species. The results of DNA-DNA hybridization, phenotypic tests and fatty acid analyses confirmed that this strain represents a novel species of the genus Phyllobacterium, for which the name Phyllobacterium trifolii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PETP02(T) (=LMG 22712(T)=CECT 7015(T)). This strain was strictly aerobic and used several carbohydrates as carbon source. It was not able to reduce nitrate. Aesculin hydrolysis was negative. It did not produce urease, arginine dihydrolase, gelatinase or beta-galactosidase. The DNA G+C content was 56.4 mol%. The nodD gene of this strain showed a sequence closely related to those of strains able to nodulate Lupinus. Infectivity tests showed that this strain is able to produce nodules in both Trifolium repens and Lupinus albus.