Microbacterium pollutisoli sp. nov., isolated from HCH-contaminated soil, exhibits genomic potential for bioactive compounds

Strain MC2 T was isolated from Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) contaminated soil, collected from a dumpsite at Ummari village, Uttar Pradesh, India. The isolate was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Cells were Gram-positive, non-motile, short-rod, aerobic, catalase positive and oxidase negative capable of growth at 12–46 °C, pH 5–12 and up to 5% NaCl. Phylogenetic and phylogenomic analysis revealed that the strain is affiliated with the genus Microbacterium , sharing 98.64% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Microbacterium invictum DC-200 T . Overall genome related index (OGRI) analysis showed that strain MC2 T and Microbacterium invictum DC-200 T shares 26% digital DNA-DNA hybridization value and 83.02% Average Nucleotide Identity. Major polar lipids include phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, and one unknown lipid. The predominant respiratory quinones are MK-11 and MK-12. The cell-wall diamino acid is lysine, and anteiso-C₁₅:₀ is the major cellular fatty acid. Genome analysis unravelled the presence of biosynthetic gene clusters for carotenoids, ectoine and β-lactone. Based on a comprehensive comparison of the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, phylogenetic and phylogenomic characteristics of closely related taxa, strain MC2 T represents the novel species of the genus Microbacterium , for which the name Microbacterium pollutisoli sp. nov. (type strain MC2 T =MCC 5196 T =CCM 9353 T = TSD 397 T ) is proposed.