Reclassification of Pseudomonas beijerinckii Hof 1935 as Chromohalobacter beijerinckii comb. nov., and emended description of the species

Pseudomonas beijerinckii (type strain DSM 7218(T) =ATCC 19372(T) = NCIMB 9041(T)) was isolated from salted beans and was first described by Hof in 1935. 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons demonstrated its close relatedness (> 97-99 %) to species of the genus Chromohalobacter. A recent isolate from salted herrings originating from the Baltic Sea, strain 3b, also clustered phylogenetically within this genus. Phenotypic features, substrate utilization, fatty acid profile, quinone and polar lipid composition and whole-cell protein patterns supported the similarity of strain 3b to P. beijerinckii DSM 7218(T) and confirmed its relatedness to members of the genus Chromohalobacter. The G + C content of the DNA from strain 3b and P. beijerinckii DSM 7218(T) was 60.4 and 60.7 mol%, respectively. DNA-DNA hybridization data showed that the two strains represent the same species, but are separated from Chromohalobacter canadensis, the closest species from a phylogenetic point of view. Therefore, the reclassification of Pseudomonas beijerinckii as Chromohalobacter beijerinckii comb. nov. (type strain DSM 7 218 T =ATCC 19372(T) = NCIMB 9041(T)) is proposed. The species description has been emended considering the new data on both the type strain and strain 3b.