Acetic acid bacteria (family Acetobacteraceae) are found in the gut of most insects. Two clades are currently recognized: Commensalibacter-Entomobacter and Bombella-Oecophyllibacter. The latter group is only found in hymenopteran insects and the described species have been isolated from bees and ants. In this study, two new strains DDB2-T1T (=KACC 21507T=LMG 31759T) and DM15PD (=CCM 9165=DSM 112731=KACC 22353=LMG 32454) were isolated from wasps collected in the Republic of Korea and Germany, respectively. Molecular and phenotypic analysis revealed that the strains are closely related, with 16S rRNA gene sequences showing 100 % identity and genomic average nucleotide identity (ANI) values ≥99 %. The closest related species based on type strain 16S rRNA gene sequences are Swingsia samuiensis, Acetobacter peroxydans, Bombella favorum and Bombella intestini (94.8-94.7% identity), whereas the closest related species based on type strain genome analysis are Saccharibacter floricola and Bombella intestini (ANI values of 68.8 and 68.2 %, respectively). The reconstruction of a phylogenomic tree based on 107 core proteins revealed that the branch leading to DDB2-T1T and DM15PD is localized between Oecophyllibacter and Saccharibacter-Bombella. Further genomic distance metrics such as ANI, percentage of conserved proteins and alignment fraction values were consistent with these strains belonging to a new genus. The key phenotypic characteristics were one MALDI-TOF-MS peak (m/z=4601.9±2.0) and the ability to produce acid from d-arabinose. Based on this polyphasic approach, including phylogenetics, phylogenomics, genome distance calculations, ecology and phenotypic characteristics, we propose to name the novel strains Aristophania vespae gen. nov., sp. nov., with the type strain DDB2-T1T (=KACC 21507T=LMG 31759T).
Keywords: Acetobacteraceae; Aristophania vespae; Hymenoptera; insect-associated bacteria; wasps.