Access to axenic cultures of Planctomycetes is crucial for further investigating their complex lifestyle, uncommon cell biology and primary and secondary metabolism. As a contribution to achieve this goal in the future, we here describe three strains belonging to the novel genus Novipirellula gen. nov. The strains were isolated from biotic and abiotic surfaces in the Baltic Sea and from the island Heligoland in the North Sea. Colony colours range from white to light pink. Cells are acorn-shaped and grew optimally at neutral pH and temperatures between 27 and 30 °C. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the isolated strains represent three novel species belonging to a new genus, Novipirellula gen. nov. Beyond that, our analysis suggests that Rhodopirellula rosea LHWP3T, Rhodopirellula caenicola YM26-125T and Rhodopirellula maiorica SM1 are also members of this novel genus. Splitting the current genus Rhodopirellula into a more strictly defined genus Rhodopirellula and Novipirellula also allowed readjusting the genus threshold value for the gene rpoB, encoding the RNA polymerase β-subunit, which is used as phylogenetic marker for Planctomycetales. A threshold range of 75.5-78% identity of the analysed partial rpoB sequence turned out to be reliable for differentiation of genera within the family Planctomycetaceae.
Keywords: Baltic Sea; Heligoland; Novipirellula artificiosorum; Novipirellula aureliae; Novipirellula galeiformis; Planctomycetaceae; Rhodopirellula; Rosettes; rpoB gene.