Halomonas smyrnensis sp. nov., a moderately halophilic, exopolysaccharide-producing bacterium

Four Gram-negative, moderately halophilic, exopolysaccharide-producing strains, designated AAD6^T, AAD4, AAD17 and AAD21, were isolated from Çamalti{dotless} Saltern Area, a wildlife reserve in Sasali{dotless}, İzmir province located in the Aegean Region of Turkey. The isolates grew at an optimum NaCl concentration of 10% (w/v). The major cellular fatty acids were C_{16: 0}, C_{18: 1}v7c, C_{16: 1}v7c and C_{12: 0} 3OH, respectively and the predominant lipoquinone was ubiquinone Q-9. The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strains AAD6^T, AAD4, AAD17 and AAD21 was 63.0, 63.3, 62.8 and 62.6 mol%, respectively. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence studies showed that the isolates belonged to the genus Halomonas. The DNA-DNA hybridization mean values between the representative strain AAD6^T and the closely related species Halomonas salina DSM 5928^T, Halomonas halophila DSM 4770^T, Halomonas maura DSM 13445^T, Halomonas organivorans DSM 16226^T, Halomonas elongata DSM 2581^T, Halomonas koreensis JCM 12237^T and Halomonas nitroreducens LMG 24185, were 40.8, 39.6, 24.2, 23.3, 12.6, 14.5 and 12.2%, respectively. Based on these data the strains represent a novel species of the genus Halomonas for which the name Halomonas smyrnensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is AAD6^T (5DSM 21644^T5JCM 15723^T).