Frigoriflavimonas Asaccharolytica Gen. Nov., Sp. Nov., a Novel Psychrophilic Esterase and Protease Producing Bacterium Isolated from Antarctica

The rod-shaped and Gram-stain-negative bacterial strain 16F, isolated from an air sample collected at King George Island, maritime Antarctica, was investigated to determine its taxonomic status. Strain 16F is strictly aerobic, catalase positive, oxidase positive and non-motile. Strain 16F hydrolyses casein, lecithin, Tween 20, 60 and 80, but not aesculin, gelatin and starch. Growth of strain 16F is observed at 0-20 °C (optimum 10 °C), pH 5.0-8.0 (optimum pH 6.0), and in the presence of 0-2.0% NaCl (optimum 0.5%). The predominant menaquinone is MK-6, and the major fatty acids comprise anteiso-C and iso-C. The major polar lipids are phosphatidylethanolamine, ornithine lipid OL2, unidentified phospholipid PL1 and the unidentified lipids L3 and L6 lacking functional groups. The DNA G + C content based on the draft genome sequence is 32.3 mol%. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene indicates the highest similarity to Kaistella palustris 3A10 (95.4%), Kaistella chaponensis Sa 1147-06 (95.2%), Kaistella antarctica AT1013 (95.1%), Kaistella carnis NCTC 13525 (95.1%) and below 95.0% to other species with validly published names. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene and whole-genome sequences places strain 16F in a distinct branch, indicating a separate lineage within the family Weeksellaceae. Based on the data from our polyphasic approach, 16F represents a novel species of a new genus, for which the name Frigoriflavimonas asaccharolytica gen. nov, sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 16F (= CCM 8975 = CGMCC No.1.16844).