A novel Gram-stain-positive, motile, endospore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain NEAU-3TGS17, was isolated from the head of an ant (Lasius fuliginosus). The isolate grew at 0-35 °C (optimum 28-30 °C), at pH 6.0-11.0 (optimum pH 7.0-8.0) and with 0-6 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 0 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain NEAU-3TGS17 belonged to the genus Psychrobacillus. Sequence similarities between strain NEAU-3TGS17 and members of the genus Psychrobacillus with validly published names (Psychrobacillus psychrotolerans DSM 11706, Psychrobacillus insolitus DSM 5, Psychrobacillus psychrodurans DSM 11713 and Psychrobacillus soli NBRC 110600) were 98.4-99.1 %. DNA-DNA relatedness values between strain NEAU-3TGS17 and its closest relatives were below 70 %. The major cellular fatty acids (>5 %) were iso-C14 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. The cell-wall peptidoglycan type was A4β with ornithine as the diamino acid and the predominant menaquinones were MK-8 and some MK-7. The DNA G+C content was 35.8 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic data and phylogenetic inference, strain NEAU-3TGS17 was classified as representing a novel species in the genus Psychrobacillus, for which the name Psychrobacillus lasiicapitis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NEAU-3TGS17 (=DSM 100484=CGMCC 1.15308).

A novel Gram-stain-positive, motile, endospore-forming, rod-shaped bacterial strain, NEAU-cbsb5, was isolated from forest soil from Changbai Mountain, Heilongjiang Province, China. The isolate grew at 15-40 °C (optimum 30 °C), at pH 6.0-8.0 (optimum pH 7.0) and in the presence of up to 4 % (w/v) NaCl, although NaCl was not required for growth. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain NEAU-cbsb5 formed a distinct lineage within the genus Bacillus and was most closely related to Bacillus acidiceler DSM 18954 (99.1 % similarity) and Bacillus luciferensis JCM 12212 (99.0 %). 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to sequences of the type strains of other Bacillus species was less than 96.0 %. Average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between NEAU-cbsb5 and its most closely related species were 78.72-84.75 % by ANIm, ANIb and OrthoANIu analysis. The in silico DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain NEAU-cbsb5 and its close relatives B. acidiceler DSM 18954 and B. luciferensis JCM 12212 were both 23.80 %, again indicating they belong to different taxa. The major cellular fatty acids of NEAU-cbsb5 were iso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0 and C16 : 0. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and an unknown aminophospholipid. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and the predominant menaquinones were MK-7 and MK-6. The genomic DNA G+C content was 33.0 mol%. Based on the phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data, strain NEAU-cbsb5 was classified as a representative of a novel species in the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus solisilvae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NEAU-cbsb5 (=CGMCC 1.14993=DSM 100485).

A novel actinobacterium, designated strain NEAU-QY24, was isolated from the rhizosphere of corn (Zea mays L.). A polyphasic approach was employed to determine the taxonomic status of strain NEAU-QY24. The isolate was found to have chemical and morphological properties of the genus Streptomyces, with high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Streptomyces lanatus JCM 4332 (98.3%) and clustered phylogenetically with Streptomyces lannensis JCM 16578 (98.2%). The cell wall was found to contain meso-diaminopimelic acid and the whole cell sugars were identified as glucose and ribose. The predominant menaquinones were identified as MK-9(H), MK-9(H) and MK-9(H). The phospholipid profile was found to consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol. The major fatty acids were identified as iso-C, C, anteiso-C and C. A combination of DNA-DNA hybridization experiments and phenotypic tests were carried out between strain NEAU-QY24 and its closely related strains, which clarified their relatedness and demonstrated that strain NEAU-QY24 could be distinguished from these strains. These data indicate that the isolate should be recognised as a new species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces flavalbus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NEAU-QY24 (= CGMCC 4.7400 = DSM 104539).