Gordonia alkanivorans sp nov., isolated from tar-contaminated soil

Twelve bacterial strains isolated from tar-contaminated soil were subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. The strains possessed meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid of the peptidoglycan, MK-9(H-2) as the predominant menaquinone, long-chain mycolic acids of the Gordonia-type, st raight-chain saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, and considerable am ounts of tuberculostearic acid. The G+C content of the DNA was 68 mol%. Che motaxonomic and physiological properties and 16S rDNA sequence comparison r esults indicated that these strains represent a new species of the genus Go rdonia. Because of the ability of these strains to use alkanes as a carbon source, the name Gordonia alkanivorans is proposed. The type strain of Gord onia alkanivorans sp. nov. is strain HKI 0136(T) (= DSM 44369(T)).