Streptomyces abietis sp. nov., a cellulolytic bacterium isolated from soil of a pine forest.

Cellulolytic bacteria A191(T), A192 and A193 isolated from the soil of Sakhalin fir forest in Hokkaido, Japan were studied phenotypically, genotypically and phylogenetically. Analysis of their 16S rRNA gene and gyrB sequences and DNA base composition suggested that these isolates were conspecific and members of the genus Streptomyces. However, levels of 16S rRNA gene and gyrB sequence similarity between the isolates and the type strains of their closest relatives in the genus Streptomyces were no higher than 97.9 and 95.0 %, respectively, implying that these isolates were distinctive. Moreover, the results of DNA-DNA hybridization experiments and physiological characterization clearly differentiated these isolates from their closest neighbours. It is therefore concluded that these isolates represent a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces abietis is proposed. The type strain is A191(T) ( = NBRC 109094(T) = DSM 42080(T)).