Bacteroides rhinocerotis sp. nov., isolated from the fresh feces of rhinoceros in Beijing Zoo

Abstract

A Gram-negative strain, anaerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterial strain named as NGMCC 1.200684 ^T was isolated from the fresh feces of rhinoceros in Beijing Zoo. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, phylogenetic analysis indicated that strain NGMCC 1.200684 ^T belonged to the genus Bacteroides and was most strongly related to the type strain of Bacteroides uniformis ATCC 8492 ^T (96.88%). The G + C content of the genomic DNA was determined to be 46.62%. Between strains NGMCC 1.200684 ^T and B. uniformis ATCC 8492 ^T, the average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) were 93.89 and 67.60%, respectively. Strain NGMCC 1.200684 ^T can produce acid from fermentation of several substrates, including glucose, mannitol, lactose, saccharose, maltose, salicin, xylose, cellobiose, mannose, raffinose, sorbitol, trehalose, D-galactose, and maltotriose. The major cellular fatty acids (> 10%) were identified as anteiso-C_15:0, iso-C_15:0, iso-C_14:0, and iso-C_17:0 3-OH. The polar lipid profiles of strain NGMCC 1.200684 ^T were determined to contain diphosphatidyl glycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, three unknown phospholipids, and two unknown amino-phospholipids. Based on phenotypic, phylogenetic, and chemotaxonomic characteristics, a novel species of the genus Bacteroides, Bacteroides rhinocerotis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NGMCC 1.200684 ^T (= CGMCC 1.18013 ^T = JCM 35702 ^T).

Keywords: 16S rRNA phylogeny; Bacteroides rhinocerotis sp. nov; Polyphasic taxonomy; Rhinoceros feces.