Genome-based classification of Paraniabella aurantiaca gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from soil and taxonomic reclassification of five species within the genus Niabella

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped, and orange-pigmented bacterium, designated CJ426T, was isolated from ginseng soil in Anseong, Korea. Strain CJ426T grew optimally on Reasoner's 2A agar at 30°C and pH 7.0 in the absence of NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain CJ426T belonged to the family Chitinophagaceae and had the highest sequence similarity with Niabella hibiscisoli KACC 18857T (98.7%). The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with other members of the genus Niabella ranged from 92.3% to 98.1%. Phylogenomic analyses and overall genomic relatedness indices, including average nucleotide identity, average amino acid identity, and the percentage of conserved proteins values, supported the classification of strain CJ426T as a representative of a novel genus within the family Chitinophagaceae. Furthermore, genome-based analyses suggested that five members of the genus Niabella, including N. aquatica, N. defluvii, N. ginsengisoli, N. hibiscisoli, and, N. yanshanensis, should be separated from other Niabella species and be assigned as a novel genus. The major isoprenoid quinone of strain CJ426T was menaquinone-7 (MK-7). The predominant polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine and six unidentified aminolipids. The major fatty acids were iso-C15:0, iso-C15:1 G, and iso-C17:0 3-OH. The genome of strain CJ426T was 6.3 Mbp in size, consisting of three contigs, with a G + C content of 41.9%. Based on a polyphasic taxonomic approach, strain CJ426T represents a novel genus and species within the family Chitinophagaceae, for which the name Paraniabella aurantiaca gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CJ426T (= KACC 23908T = JCM 37728T).