Moritella japonica sp. nov., a novel barophilic bacterium isolated from a Japan Trench sediment

Strain DSK1 is a novel moderately barophilic bacterium isolated from the Ja pan Trench at a depth of 6,356 m, Phylogenetic analysis based on 166 riboso mal DNA sequences showed that strain DSK1 represents a separate lineage wit h the Shewanella barophiles branch and is closely related to Moritella mari na, Comparisons of the temperature and pressure range for growth and some b iochemical characteristics indicate that strain DSK1 differs from M. marina and Shewanella barophilic species, Furthermore, strain DSK1 displays a low level of DNA similarity to the Moritella and Shewanella type strains; howe ver this isolate characteristically produces DHA (22:6) as a membrane fatty acids, and the fatty acid profile of this strain is similar to that of M. marina, Because of these differences, strain DSK1 appears to represent a no vel deep-sea Moritella species. The name Moritella japonica is proposed. Th e type strain is JCM 10249.