BACILLUS MOJAVENSIS SP-NOV, DISTINGUISHABLE FROM BACILLUS-SUBTILIS BYSEXUAL ISOLATION, DIVERGENCE IN DNA-SEQUENCE, AND DIFFERENCES IN FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION

A number of Bacillus strains isolated from desert soil samples were sh own to belong to a previously unidentified species, for which we propo se the name Bacillus mojavensis. The type strain is RO-H-1 (= NRRL B-1 4698). On the basis of restriction digest data, B. mojavensis is most closely related to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus atrophaeus, an d Bacillus subtilis. So far, B. mojavensis can be distinguished from B . subtilis only by differences in whole-cell fatty acid composition, d ivergence in DNA sequence, and resistance to genetic transformation be tween taxa (in addition to reduced genome relatedness values). Sequenc e divergence and sexual isolation may prove to be more useful than met abolic characteristics for delimiting cryptic Bacillus species.