# Acinetobacter zhairhuonensis sp. nov., isolated from sediments of the East China Sea

## TL;DR

A new species of bacteria, Acinetobacter zhairhuonensis, was discovered in the East China Sea and characterized through genomic and phenotypic analysis.

## Contribution

The discovery and formal classification of a new Acinetobacter species based on comprehensive genomic and biochemical data.

## Key findings

- The new species is distinct from other Acinetobacter species based on genomic thresholds like ANI, AAI, and dDDH.
- The genome includes a 3.57 Mb chromosome and a plasmid with 41.3 mol% GC content.
- Phenotypic traits and lipid profiles further support the classification of this novel species.

## Abstract

A novel aerobic bacterial strain, designated as Acinetobacter zhairhuonensis sp. nov. A7.4T, was isolated from East China Sea sediments near Zhairuo island. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, non-motile short rods, forming milky, moist colonies. Growth occurred at 10–35 °C, pH 6.0–9.0 and 0–5% NaCl concentrations (w/v). Strain A7.4T was catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. Major fatty acids (>10%) included summed feature 3 (C16:1 ω7c/C16 :1 ω6c), C18:1 ω9c and C16:0. The polar lipid profile comprised diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, two phospholipids and two aminolipids. Ubiquinone Q-9 and Q-8 predominated. The genome (3.57 Mb, 41.3 mol% GC) included one chromosome and a plasmid. The core-genome phylogeny placed A7.4T within Acinetobacter, forming a distinct clade with Acinetobacter kanungonis PS-1T, Acinetobacter tibetensis Y-23T and Acinetobacter tandoii CIP107469T. Average nucleotide identity (ANI), average amino acid identity (AAI) and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between strain A7.4T and 87 validly published Acinetobacter species were below species thresholds (96% ANI/AAI, 70% dDDH). Phenotypic, genomic and chemotaxonomic data support the proposal of Acinetobacter zhairhuonensis sp. nov., with type strain A7.4T (=MCCC 1K07162T=LMG 32567T).