Pedobacter deserti sp. nov., a novel species isolated from desert soil

An aerobic, Gram-stain-negative bacterium, designated as SYSU D00382^T, was sourced from soil of Gurbantunggut Desert, PR China. The strain was short-rod-shaped, oxidase-positive and catalase-negative, with yellow-colored, convex, round, and smooth colonies on TSA plate. Growth and proliferation occurred at 4–37 °C (optimal: 28–30 °C), pH 5.0–8.0 (optimal: pH 6.0–7.0) and NaCl concentration of 0–2.5% (optimal: 0–0.5%). The 16S rRNA gene based phylogenetic assessment showed that SYSU D00382^T belonged to the genus Pedobacter, and was most closely related to Pedobacter ginsengisoli Gsoil 104^T with similarity of 97.7%. The genomic DNA G+C content of SYSU D00382^T was 46.4%. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between SYSU D00382^T and P. ginsengisoli Gsoil 104^T were 75.7% and 17.5%, respectively. The main polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine. The major fatty acids (> 5%) were iso-C_15:0, iso-C_17:0 3-OH, summed features 3 and 9. The sole respiratory quinone identified was MK-7. The phylogeny based on 16S rRNA gene and whole-genome sequences revealed that SYSU D00382^T formed a robust lineage with P. ginsengisoli Gsoil 104^T. Based on phenotypic, phylogenetic and genotypic data, a novel specie named Pedobacter deserti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SYSU D00382^T (= CGMCC 1.18627^T = MCCC 1K04972^T = KCTC 82279^T).