Proposal for the New Genus Allokutzneria gen. nov. Within the Suborder Pseudonocardineae and Transfer of Kibdelosporangium albatum Tomita et al. 1993 as Allokutzneria albata comb. nov.

Authors: Labeda, David; KROPPENSTEDT, R - DSMZ, GERMANY

Submitted to: International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/12/2007
Publication Date: 6/1/2008
Citation: Labeda, D.P., Kroppenstedt, R.M. 2008. Proposal for the new genus Allokutzneria gen. nov. within the suborder Pseudonocardineae and transfer of Kibdelosporangium albatum Tomita et al. 1993 as Allokutzneria albata comb. nov. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 58:1472-1475.

Interpretive Summary: Gene sequence-based molecular analyses for reassessment of evolutionary relationships of microoganisms at the species, genus, or higher taxonomic levels can sometimes reveal unexpected problems with existing classification of microbial species where conclusions based incomplete morphological or chemical composition data resulted in incorrect decisions. The microorganism that produces the antiviral antibiotic cycloviracin was described as a species of the genus Kibdelosporangium in 1993 based on data available to the researchers at that time. A molecular systematic analysis of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences of all members of the bacterial family Pseudonocardineae, to which this strain belongs, revealed that it is not related to the genus Kibdelosporangium, but is much more similar to the genus Kutzneria, whose species exhibit similar morphological characteristics. The chemical composition of this strain conclusively showed that it could not be a species of Kutzneria. A new genus, to be named Allokutzneria (meaning ‘near to Kutzneria’), is proposed to contain this species. The detailed morphological, physiological, and genetic information provided in the description of this new genus should be useful to researchers in biotechnology in the search for additional representatives of the genus to exploit as a source of new antiviral antibiotics and other useful compounds.

Technical Abstract: During the course of phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences for all currently described taxa within the family Pseudonocardineae it became evident that Kibdelosporangium albatum DSM 44149T was misplaced within the genus Kibdelosporangium and is phylogenetically most closely related to the genus Kutzneria. Chemotaxonomic analyses revealed that Kibdelosporangium albatum differed from Kutzneria in containing arabinose as well as galactose and mannose as diagnostic whole cell sugars. The polar lipid pattern was distinct from both Kibdelosporangium and Kutzneria species in containing phosphatidylethanolamine containing 2-hydroxy fatty acids, lyso-phosphatidylethanolamine and lyso-phosphatidylmethylethanolamine as well as phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, and phosphatidylglycerol. These data preclude the inclusion of this strain within the genus Kutzneria or Kibdelosporangium and a new genus to be named Allokutzneria is proposed. The type species of this new genus is Allokutzneria albata NRRL B-24661T (=DSM 44149T =ATCC 55061T =R761-7T).