# Fodinibius alkaliphilus sp. nov., a moderately halophilic and alkaliphilic bacterium isolated from an inland saltern in central Portugal and reclassification of Aliifodinibius salipaludis as Fodinibius salipaludis sp. nov

## TL;DR

A new species of bacteria, Fodinibius alkaliphilus, was discovered in a salt pond in Portugal and another species was reclassified.

## Contribution

A new bacterial species is described and a previous classification is corrected using genomic and phenotypic data.

## Key findings

- Strain N2T is a new species in the genus Fodinibius, named Fodinibius alkaliphilus.
- Aliifodinibius salipaludis is reclassified as Fodinibius salipaludis.
- The new species thrives in high salt and alkaline conditions with specific growth parameters.

## Abstract

A novel moderately halophilic and alkaliphilic Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, bacterial strain (N2T) was isolated from an inland saltern in central Portugal. The taxonomic position of this isolate was determined based on polyphasic taxonomic and phylogenomic analysis. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that isolate N2T belongs to the genus Fodinibius, showing the highest similarity to Fodinibius halophilus 2W32T (98.14%). Phylogenomic analysis based on whole genomes, using the up-to-date bacterial core gene sets (92 genes), showed that strain N2T formed a distinct monophyletic lineage within the genus Fodinibius. The cells of N2T were motile rods that grew at temperatures between 30 and 40 °C (optimum at 35 °C), pH levels of 6.0–11.0 (optimum at pH 9.0) and salinities of 13–20 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum at 15% NaCl). Cells tested positive for oxidase and catalase activity. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone-7 (MK-7), and the major fatty acids were iso-C15:0, anteiso-C15:0, C16:1 ω6c and/or 10-methyl C16:0. The polar lipids included two aminolipids, two glycolipids and seven phospholipids. The DNA G+C content was 42.0 mol%. Based on phylogenetic, phylogenomic, genomic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data, we propose that strain N2T (=KCTC 102228T=MCCC 1K08942T) represents a novel species within the genus Fodinibius, with the name Fodinibius alkaliphilus sp. nov. We also propose the reclassification of Alifodinibius salipaludis as Fodinibius salipaludis sp. nov.