Methylobacterium indicum sp. nov., a facultative methylotrophic bacterium isolated from rice seed.

Two pink pigmented, Gram-negative, motile, aerobic, rod shaped endophytic bacteria designated as SE2.11(T) and SE3.6 were isolated in different experiments from surface sterilized rice seeds. Both strains grew optimally at 28°C temperature. They were positive for catalase and nitrate reduction. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of the strains SE2.11(T) and SE3.6 displayed between 98.1% and 97.2% similarities with the validly published species of the genus Methylobacterium. The major cellular fatty acid was C18:1 ω7c in both the strains, a characteristic feature observed for members of the genus Methylobacterium. The predominant polar lipids were phospholipids including phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG). Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences resulted in the formation of a coherent cluster of strains SE2.11(T) and SE3.6 with closest relative Methylobacterium platani JCM 14648(T). However, digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) of strains SE2.11(T) and SE3.6 with the closest type strain M. platani JCM 14648(T) revealed similarity of 35.5% and 35.4%, respectively. Further, the ANI analysis of strains SE2.11(T) and SE3.6 genomes revealed only 87.9% identity with M. platani JCM 14648(T). Based on differences in biochemical, chemotaxonomic characteristics along with low identity at whole genome level we conclude that both strains represent a novel species of the genus Methylobacterium, for which the name Methylobacterium indicum sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain Methylobacterium indicum is SE2.11(T) (=MTCC 12298(T)=JCM 30761(T)) and SE3.6 (=MTCC 12299=JCM 30762) is another strain.