Deinococcusradioresistens sp. nov., a UV and gamma radiation-resistant bacterium isolated from mountain soil

Two Gram-negative, non-motile, short rod-shaped bacterial strains, designated as 8A T and 28A, were isolated from Mount Deogyusan, Jeonbuk Province, South Korea. The isolates were analyzed by a polyphasic approach, revealing variations in their phenotypic characters but high DNA–DNA hybridisation values reciprocally, confirming that they belong to the same species. Both the isolates also showed a high resistance to UV compared with Deinococcus radiodurans , and a gamma-radiation resistance similar to other members of the genus Deinococcus . Phylogenetic analysis with the 16S rRNA gene sequences of closely related species indicated their similarities were below 97 %. Chemotaxonomic data showed the most abundant fatty acids to be C 16:1 ω7c and C 16:0 . The strains can be distinguished from closely related species by the production of esterase (C4) and α-galactosidase, and by their ability to assimilate l -alanine, l -histidine and N -acetyl- d -glucosamine. Based on the phenotypic, phylogenetic, and chemotaxonomic data, the isolates represent a novel species of the genus Deinococcus , for which the name Deinococcus radioresistens sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 8A T (KEMB 9004-109 T = JCM 19777 T ), and a second strain is 28A (KEMB 9004-113 = JCM 19778).