Leclercia barmai sp. nov., isolated from worm castings of Eisenia fetida, is a urease-positive, 3-nitropropionic acid and glycerol-consuming bacterium

A comprehensive polyphasic characterization has validated the unique taxonomic position of a novel bacterium, strain EMC7^T, isolated from the worm castings of earthworm, Eisenia fetida, collected from the Centre for Floriculture and Agri-Business Management (COFAM), NBU (26.7072° N, 88.3554° E). Whole-genome sequence of this Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, motile, rod-shaped bacterium showed maximum sequence homology with Leclercia adecarboxylata NBRC 102595^T, placing it within the genus Leclercia. The genome of EMC7^T is 5.03 Mbp with a G + C content of 56.3 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses established its distinctiveness from Leclercia adecarboxylata and Leclercia tamurae. DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) value was 23.6%, and the average nucleotide identity (ANI) was 82.1%, both below the thresholds for prokaryotic species differentiation. Predominant fatty acids were C_16:0 (29.53%), summed feature 3 (C_16:1ω7c/C_16:1ω6c, 16.51%), and C_18:1ω7c (10.90%). Notably, EMC7^T exhibited urease activity and could metabolize 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NPA), glycerol, tellurite, selenate, and selenite, suggesting potential bioremediation applications. Biochemical tests, phenotypic traits, genotypic data, and physiological properties cumulatively differentiated EMC7^T from its closest relatives. Based on chemotaxonomic, phenotypic, genomic, and phylogenetic evidence, strain EMC7^T represents a novel bacterial species of the genus Leclercia, for which the name Leclercia barmai sp. nov. (type strain EMC7^T = MCC 5183^T = JCM 36544^T) is proposed.