A Gram-reaction-negative, yellow-pigmented, gliding, rod-shaped, aerobic bacterium (RA5-111T) was isolated from foreshore soil. The taxonomic status of the novel isolate was determined using a polyphasic approach. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, strain RA5-111T could be assigned to the genus Gramella, with sequence similarities of 97.7, 97.3 and 96.2 % to the type strains of Gramella echinicola, Gramella portivictoriae and Gramella marina, respectively. Chemotaxonomic and phenotypic characteristics also supported the affiliation of strain RA5-111T with the genus Gramella. The genomic DNA G+C content was 39.1 mol%. The isolate contained MK-6 as the predominant menaquinone, iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and a summed feature (iso-C15 : 0 2-OH and/or C16 : 1ω7c) as major fatty acids, and phosphatidylethanolamine and unknown phospholipids as the polar lipids. DNA–DNA relatedness, phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic data clearly indicate that the isolate represents a novel species of the genus Gramella, for which the name Gramella gaetbulicola sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is RA5-111T ( = KCTC 23022T  = JCM 16528T  = NBRC 106272T).

Endophytic actinobacterial diversity in the native herbaceous plant species of Korea was analyzed using a culture-based approach. Sixty one actinobacterial strains were isolated, and assigned to 15 genera based on 16S rRNA gene analysis. The members of the genus Streptomyces comprised 45.9% of the total isolates, followed by Micromonospora (18.8%), Rhodococcus (6.6%), Microbispora (4.9%), and Micrococcus (4.9%). Other minor constituents included members of Microbacterium, Streptacidiphilus, Arthrobacter, Dietzia, Kitasatospora, Herbiconiux, Mycobacterium, Nocardia, Rathayibacter, and Tsukamurella. Among the isolates, 65.6% exhibited at least one hydrolytic enzyme activity out of four, and 45.9% exhibited antagonistic activity against at least one fungal pathogen out of five, thus demonstrating that endophytic actinobacteria can be an important source of bioactive compounds. Notably, most strains of Streptomyces proved active for both enzymatic and antagonistic activities.