Genomic molecular signatures determined characterization of Mycolicibacterium gossypii sp. nov., a fast-growing mycobacterial species isolated from cotton field soil

A Gram-positive, acid-fast and rapidly growing rod, designated S2-37 T , that could form yellowish colonies was isolated from one soil sample collected from cotton cropping field located in the Xinjiang region of China. Genomic analyses indicated that strain S2-37 T harbored T7SS secretion system and was very likely able to produce mycolic acid, which were typical features of pathogenetic mycobacterial species. 16S rRNA-directed phylogenetic analysis referred that strain S2-37 T was closely related to bacterial species belonging to the genus Mycolicibacterium , which was further confirmed by pan-genome phylogenetic analysis. Digital DNA-DNA hybridization and the average nucleotide identity presented that strain S2-37 T displayed the highest values of 39.1% (35.7–42.6%) and 81.28% with M. litorale CGMCC 4.5724 T , respectively. And characterization of conserved molecular signatures further supported the taxonomic position of strain S2-37 T belonging to the genus Mycolicibacterium . The main fatty acids were identified as C 16:0 , C 18:0 , C 20:3 ω3 and C 22:6 ω3. In addition, polar lipids profile was mainly composed of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol. Phylogenetic analyses, distinct fatty aids and antimicrobial resistance profiles indicated that strain S2-37 T represented genetically and phenotypically distinct from its closest phylogenetic neighbour, M. litorale CGMCC 4.5724 T . Here, we propose a novel species of the genus Mycolicibacterium : Mycolicibacterium gossypii sp. nov. with the type strain S2-37 T (= JCM 34327 T = CGMCC 1.18817 T ).