Characterization of Haloarcula terrestris sp. nov. and reclassification of a Haloarcula species based on a taxogenomic approach

Abstract

An extremely halophilic archaeon, strain S1AR25-5AT, was isolated from a hypersaline soil sampled in Odiel Saltmarshes Natural Area (Huelva, Spain). The cells were Gram-stain-negative, motile, pleomorphic rods. Cell growth was observed in the presence of 15–30 % (w/v) NaCl [optimum, 25 % (w/v) NaCl], at pH 6.0–9.0 (optimum, pH 6.5–7.5) and at 25–50 °C (optimum, 37 °C). Based on the 16S rRNA and rpoB′ gene sequence comparisons, strain S1AR25-5AT was affiliated to the genus Haloar-cula. Taxogenomic analysis, including comparison of the genomes and the phylogenomic tree based on the core-orthologous proteins, together with the genomic indices, i.e., orthologous average nucleotide identity, digital DNA–DNA hybridization and average amino acid identity, confirmed that strain S1AR25-5AT (=CCM 9249T=CECT 30619T) represents a new species of the genus Haloarcula, for which we propose the name Haloarcula terrestris sp. nov. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester, phosphatidylglycerol sulphate and an unidentified glycolipid, which correlated with the lipid profile of species of the genus Haloarcula. In addition, based on the modern approach in description of species in taxonomy of prokaryotes, the above mentioned genomic indexes indicated that the species Haloarcula tradensis should be considered as a heterotypic synonym of Haloarcula argentinensis.