NOCARDIOPSIS HALOPHILA SP-NOV, A NEW HALOPHILIC ACTINOMYCETE ISOLATEDFROM SOIL

A new species, Nocardiopsis halophila, is proposed. This species is re presented by a single isolate obtained from a saline soil sample in Ir aq. This organism grows in both synthetic and organic media containing concentrations of NaCI up to 20% (wt/vol) and is resistant to lysozym e. Whole-cell hydrolysates contain meso-diaminopimelic acid (cell wall type III) and no diagnostic sugars (sugar pattern C). The phospholipi d type is type PILI. The predominant menaquinone is MK-1O(H-6,H-8), an d mycolic acids are absent. This organism forms abundant white aerial mycelia and long irregularly branched spore chains that have a zigzag appearance and fragment into spores of various lengths. The substrate mycelia are extensively branched and are rarely fragmented. These prop erties suggest that this bacterium should be placed in the genus Nocar diopsis. However, this organism differs from all previously described species of the genus Nocardiopsis in its ability to grow in the presen ce of 20% (wt/vol) NaCI and also in many other physiological and bioch emical characteristics. Thus, we propose that this organism is a new s pecies, Nocardiopsis halophila. Type strain IQ-H3 has been deposited i n the Culture Collection of the Institute of Microbiology, Academia Si nica, Beijing, People's Republic of China, as strain A.S.4.1195.