Description of Cellulophaga baltica gen, nov., sp nov, and Cellulophaga fucicola gen. nov., sp nov and reclassification of [Cytophaga] lytica to Cellulophaga lytica gen. nov., comb. nov.

Phenotypic data indicate that gliding, yellow/orange-pigmented, agar-digesting bacterial strains were members of the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides (CFB) group. The strains were isolated from the surface of the marine benthic macroalga Fucus serratus L, and the surrounding seawater at three localities in Danish waters. The bacteria were Cram-negative, flexirubin-negative, aerobic, catalase-positive and oxidase-negative and were psychrophilic and halophilic. All strains utilized D-fructose, L-fucose and alpha-ketobutyric acid and degraded alginic acid, carrageenan, starch and autoclaved yeast cells. Amplification with primers specific for repetitive extragenic palindromic elements by PCR divided the strains of this study into two groups. Both groups showed unique PCR amplification patterns compared to reference strains of the CFB group. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA sequences showed association of these organisms and [Cytophaga] lytica at the genus level. Hybridization of total chromosomal DMA revealed that the new strains and [Cytophaga] lytica ATCC 23178(T) were clearly distinct from each other and other previously described species of the CFB group. A new genus is described, Cellulophaga gen, nov. comprising two new species, Cellulophaga baltica gen, nov., sp, nov. (NN015840(T) = LMG 18535(T)) and Cellulophaga fucicola gen, nov., sp. nov. (NN015860(T)) = LMG 18536(T), as well as the emendation of [Cytophaga] lytica to Cellulophaga lytica gen. nov., comb, nov.