The taxonomic positions of two Gram-negative strains, SV1470(T) and SV2184P(T), isolated from arid soil samples, were determined using a polyphasic approach. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and the concatenated sequences of three housekeeping gene loci (dnaK, rpoB and gyrB) confirmed that the strains belong to the genus Microvirga. Strain SV1470(T) was found to be closely related to Microvirga vignae BR3299(T) (98.8 %), Microvirga flocculans TFB(T) (98.3 %) and Microvirga lupini Lut6(T) (98.2 %), whilst similarity to other type strains of the genus ranged from 97.8 to 96.3 %; strain SV2184P(T) was found to be closely related to Microvirga aerilata 5420S-16(T) (98.0 %), Microvirga zambiensis WSM3693(T) (97.8 %) and M. flocculans ATCC BAA-817(T) (97.4 %), whilst similarity to other type strains of the genus ranged from 97.2 to 95.9 %. The G + C content of the genomic DNA was determined to be 61.5 mol % for strain SV1470(T) and 62.1 mol % for strain SV2184P(T). Both strains were found to have the same quinone system, with Q-10 as the major ubiquinone. The polar lipid profile of strain SV1470(T) was found to consist of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified phospholipid and one unidentified aminolipid, while that of strain SV2184P(T) consisted of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, one unidentified aminolipid, one unidentified aminophospholipid and two unidentified phospholipids. DNA-DNA relatedness studies showed that the two strains belong to different genomic species. The strains were also distinguished using a combination of phenotypic properties. Based on the genotypic and phenotypic data, the novel species Microvirga makkahensis sp. nov. (type strain SV1470(T) = DSM 25394(T) = KCTC 23863(T) = NRRL-B 24875(T)) and Microvirga arabica sp. nov. (type strain SV2184P(T) = DSM 25393(T) = KCTC 23864(T) = NRRL-B 24874(T)) are proposed.

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated DS3010T, was isolated from a Black Sea marine sediment and characterized using a polyphasic approach. The strain was shown to have chemotaxonomic, morphological and phylogenetic properties consistent with classification as representing a member of the genus Micromonospora. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence studies showed that the strain was most closely related to the type strains of Micromonospora saelicesensis (99.5 %), Micromonospora chokoriensis (99.4 %) and Micromonospora violae (99.3 %). Similarly, a corresponding analysis based on partial gyrB gene sequences showed that it formed a distinct phyletic branch in a subclade that included the type strains of Micromonosporazamorensis, 'Micromonospora zeae', 'Micromonospora jinlongensis', M. saelicesensis and Micromonospora lupini. DS3010T was distinguished from its closest phylogenetic neighbours by low levels of DNA-DNA relatedness and by a combination of chemotaxonomic and phenotypic properties. On the basis of these data, it is proposed that the isolate should be assigned to the genus Micromonospora as Micromonospora profundi sp. nov. with isolate DS3010T (=DSM 45981T=KCTC 29243T) as the type strain.

A reddish-orange-pigmented, Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, facultatively methylotrophic strain, N4211 T , isolated from arid soil, collected from Abuja, Nigeria, was analysed by using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, showed that strain N4211T belonged to the genus Methylobacterium. Strain N4211 T was most closely related to

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated S2509 T , was isolated from marine sediment collected by a dredge at a depth of 45 m along Melet River offshore of the southern Black Sea coast, Ordu, Turkey. The cell wall peptidoglycan of strain was found to contain mesodiaminopimelic acid and 3-OH-diaminopimelic acid. The whole cell sugars detected were arabinose, glucose, rhamnose, ribose and xylose. The diagnostic phospholipids of strain S2509 T were found to be diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, a glycolipid and two unidentified phospholipids. The predominant menaquinones were identified as MK-9(H8), MK-9(H6), MK-10(H8), MK-9(H4), MK-10(H4) and MK-10(H6). The major cellular fatty acids were found to be iso-C16:0, iso-C15:0 and 10-methyl C17:0. The taxonomic position of the strain was established using a polyphasic approach, showing that S2509 T strain belongs to the genus Micromonospora.Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain S2509 T showed that it is closely related to the type strain of Micromonospora chokoriensis DSM 45160 T (99.37 % sequence similarity), and phylogenetically clustered with Micromonospora inaquosa LB39 T (99.37 %), Micromonospora lupini Lupac 14N T (99.16 %), Micromonospora violae NEAU-zh8 T (99.23 %) and Micromonospora taraxaci NEAU-P5 T (99.03 %). The phylogenetic analysis based on the gyrB gene sequence of strain S2509 T confirmed its close relationship with M. chokoriensis JCM 13247 T (96.5 % sequence similarity). Whole genome sequences confirmed by digital DNA-DNA hybridization analysis that the strain S2509 T represents a novel species in the genus Micromonospora, for which the name Micromonospora orduensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is S2509 T (=DSM 45926 T = KCTC 29201 T ).