Bacteroidetes

Flavonols

Acidobacteria

Membrane

16S ribosomal RNA

Bacteria

Biology

Microbiology

Phosphatidylcholine

Actinobacteria

Antioxidant

Betaproteobacteria

Phospholipid

Flavonoid

Phosphatidylglycerol

Botany

Genetics

Biochemistry

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC AND EVOLUTIONARY MICROBIOLOGY

Acidobacteria constitute a globally widespread phylum and mainly inhabit soil environments. Despite their high abundance and activity, only 60 species from seven of the 26 acidobacterial subdivisions (sds; corresponding to class level) are (validly) described. Thus, only a low number of higher taxonomic ranks is currently distinguished within the Acidobacteria. Additionally, the distribution of the known acidobacterial species within the described families of the Acidobacteriaceae (sd1), Bryobacteraceae (sd3), Blastocatellaceae (sd4), Pyrinomonadaceae (sd4), Holophagaceae (sd8) and Acanthopleuribacteraceae (sd8) is extremely biased as most strains are affiliated with the Acidobacteriaceae. Members of this family are characteristic for acidic soils. In contrast, culture-independent analysis of microbial communities worldwide revealed that sd6 Acidobacteria prevail in soils with neutral pH. To improve the existing acidobacterial taxonomy, we here formally describe the first family within sd6 Acidobacteria, the Vicinamibacteraceae. Members of the Vicinamibacteraceae are aerobic, neutrophilic, psychrotolerant to mesophilic chemoheterotrophs. Their cells stain Gram-negative, do not form capsules or spores, and are non-motile. They occur as single cells or in aggregates and divide by binary fission. Growth occurs on sugars or complex proteinaceous compounds. MK-8 is the major quinone. Major fatty acids are iso-C15 : 0, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c/C16 : 1ω6c), C18 : 1ω7c or ω9c, iso-C17 : 1ω9c, C16 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0. Diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol are the major polar lipids. Unidentified glycolipids or unknown phospholipids might also be present. The G+C content of the DNA ranges from 64.7 to 65.9 mol%. Within the Vicinamibacteraceae fam. nov., Vicinamibacter and Luteitalea are the only genera described so far.

Vicinamibacteraceae fam. nov., the first described family within the subdivision 6 Acidobacteria