A novel Gram-positive strain WQ 127069T that was isolated from the soil of Baima Snow Mountain, a habitat of highly endangered Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti), was subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the isolate belongs to the genus Paenibacillus, showing 98.4 and 96.08 % sequence similarity to the type strains Paenibacillus periandrae PM10T and Paenibacillus foliorum LMG 31456T, respectively. The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain WQ127069T was 45.6 mol%. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7, and meso-diaminopimelic acid was present in peptidoglycan. The major cellular fatty acids were antiiso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and C16 : 0. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine. The whole genome average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain WQ 127069T and strain PM10T were 93.2 and 52.5 %, respectively. Growth occurred at 5-40 °C (optimally at 20-35 °C), pH 6-8 (optimally at pH7.0) and with 0.5-2 % (w/v) NaCl (optimally at 0.5 %). On the basis of the taxonomic evidence, a novel species, Paenibacillus baimaensis sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is WQ 127069T (=KCTC 43480T=CCTCC AB 2022381T).
Keywords: 16S rRNA gene sequence; Paenibacillus; Rhinopithecus bieti; soil bacteria.