Caproicibacter fermentans gen. nov., sp. nov., a new caproate-producing bacterium and emended description of the genus Caproiciproducens.

A strictly anaerobic bacterial strain designated EA1T was isolated from an enrichment culture inoculated with biogas reactor content. Cells of strain EA1T are spore-forming rods (1-3×0.4-0.8 µm) and stain Gram-negative, albeit they possess a Gram-positive type of cell-wall ultrastructure. Growth of strain EA1T was observed at 30 and 37 °C and within a pH range of pH 5-9. The major components recovered in the fatty acid fraction were C14:0, C16:0, C16:0 DMA (dimethyl acetal) and C16:1 ω7c. Strain EA1T fermented several mono- and disaccharides. Metabolic end products from fructose were acetate, butyrate, caproate and lactate. Furthermore, ethanol, CO2 and H2 were identified as products. The genome consists of a chromosome (3.9 Mbp) with 3797 predicted protein-encoding genes and a G+C content of 51.25 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain EA1T represents a novel taxon within the family Oscillospiraceae. The most closely related type strains of EA1T, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence identity, are Caproiciproducens galactitolivorans BS-1T (94.9 %), [Clostridium] leptum DSM 753T (93.8 %), [Clostridium] sporosphaeroides DSM 1294T (91.7 %) and Ruminococcus bromii ATCC 27255T (91.0 %). Further phenotypic characteristics of strain EA1T differentiate it from related, validly described bacterial species. Strain EA1T represents a novel genus and novel species within the family Oscillospiraceae. The proposed name is Caproicibacter fermentans gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain is EA1T (DSM 107079T=JCM 33110T).