Fortiea necridiiformans sp. nov., a soil-dwelling cyanobacterium from Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve, India

Abstract

Cyanobacterial strain PS4G was isolated from seepage soil sampled at Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh, India, and was characterized using a polyphasic approach. The results of morphological analysis showed that strain PS4G had unique morphological characteristics which were not observed in the other described species of the genus Fortiea. In the 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis inferred using Bayesian inference, maximum-likelihood and neighbour-joining methods, strain PS4G clustered within the clade consisting of the members of the genus Fortiea. Furthermore, in the secondary structure analysis using the D1–D1′ helix and BoxB regions of 16S–23S ITS, strain PS4G showed marked differences in comparison with other members of the genus Fortiea. Overall, the morphological, phylogenetic and folded 16S–23S ITS secondary structure examination indicated that strain PS4G represents a novel species of the genus Fortiea. In accordance with the International Code of Nomenclature of Algae, Fungi and Plants we describe a novel species of Fortiea with the name Fortiea necridiiformans sp. nov.