Providencia vermicola sp. nov., isolated from infective juveniles of the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema thermophilum.

In the course of isolating bacteria from infective juveniles of the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema thermophilum Ganguly & Singh, 2000, three isolates were obtained (OP1T, OP29 and VS3). On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and riboprint patterns, these three strains were identical to each other but distinct from the type strains of the five recognized species of the genus Providencia. Based on biochemical and genomic analysis and supported by the low (<35 %) DNA-DNA relatedness between strain OP1T and the type strain of its phylogenetically closest relative, Providencia rettgeri (99.5 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), strain OP1T was considered to be sufficiently distinct from recognized Providencia species to warrant the description of a novel species. The name Providencia vermicola sp. nov. is proposed, with OP1T (= DSM 17385T = CIP 108829T) as the type strain.