ACTINOPOLYSPORA IRAQIENSIS SP-NOV, A NEW HALOPHILIC ACTINOMYCETE ISOLATED FROM SOIL

Halophilic actinomycete strains, IQ-H1(T) (T = type strain) and IQ-H2, were isolated from extremely saline soil samples in Iraq. Besides mor phological properties, strains IQ-H1(T) and IQ-H2 have a type TV cell wall, type PIII phospholipid, and menaquinone MK-9 (H-4, H-6), which a re characteristic of Actinopolyspora spp. In addition, both strains re quired high concentrations of sodium chloride (10 to 15% [wt/vol] and 15 to 25% [wt/vol] NaCl, respectively), for optimal growth, However, s trains IQ-H1(T) and IQ-H2 differed from other previously described spe cies of the genus Actinopolyspora in cultural, morphological, and phys iological characteristics. In addition, the size of the internal trans cribed spacer in the rDNA (gene encoding rRNA) of IQ-H1(T) was differe nt from those of known published species, while the size of the intern al transcribed spacer of IQ-H2 was similar to that of Actinopolyspora halophila JCM 3278(T). Thus, we propose strain IQ-H1(T) as a new speci es and name it Actinopolyspora iraqiensis sp. nov. Strain IQ-H1(T) has been deposited in the culture collection of the Institute of Microbio logy, Academia Sinica, Beijing, the People's Republic of China (strain A.S. 4.1193).