Reevaluating the classification of Halobacteroides and Haloanaerobacter species based on sequence comparisons of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene.

The 16S rRNA gene (rDNA) sequence analysis of four halophilic anaerobes: Halobacteroides halobius, H. lacunaris. Haloanaerobacter (Hb.) chitinovorans and H. acetoethylicus confirmed that they were all members of the family Haloanaerobiaceae. H. lacunaris and H. halobius were found to be more closely related to each other and were distantly related to Sporohalobacter lortetti and the members of the genera Haloanaerobium and Halothermothrix. These data are in agreement with their assignment to the genus Halobacteroides. Further analysis indicated that Hb. chitinovorans was closely affiliated to members of the genus Halobacteroides, and therefore we propose to transfer it to the genus Halobacteroides as H. chitinovorans comb. nov. This transfer would invalidate the genus Haloanaerobacter, as Hb. chitinovorans is the only member of this genus. The 16S rDNA sequence analysis of H. acetoethylicum indicated that it was very closely related to members of the genus Haloanaerobium, viz. Haloanaerobium (Ha.) praevalens, Ha. salsugo, and Ha. alcaliphilum, and hence we propose to transfer it to the genus Haloanaerobium as Ha. acetoethylicus comb. nov.