Abstract

A gram-staining-negative, pink bacterium designated strain BUZ 2T, was isolated from coastal mud from the North Sea (Fedderwardersiel, Germany). Cells were rod-shaped and able to form multicellular filaments. Growth after 7 days was observed at 10-40 degrees C, at pH 6-8 and with 0-0.5 % NaCl. The phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain BUZ 2T is a member of the family Cytophagaceae, its closest neighbours being Rudanella lutea 5715S-11T, Spirosoma linguale LMG 10896T and Spirosoma panaciterrae Gsoil 1519T (87.8 %, 86.4 % and 86.1 % 16S rRNA gene similarity, respectively). The major fatty acids were summed feature 3 (comprising C16:1omega7c and/or isoC15:0 2-OH), C16:1omega5c and isoC15:0. The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7 and the major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine and several unidentified aminophospholipids. The G+C content was 56.5 mol%. On the basis of this polyphasic study, we propose that strain BUZ 2T represents a novel genus and species, for which the name Fibrella aestuarina gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BUZ 2T (= DSMZ 22563T = CCUG 58136T). An emended description of the genus Rudanella is also proposed.