The taxonomic position of a novel marine actinomycete isolated from a marine sponge, Aplysina fulva, which had been collected in the Archipelago of Saint Peter and Saint Paul (Equatorial Atlantic Ocean), was determined by using a polyphasic approach. The organism showed a combination of morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics consistent with its classification in the genus Streptomyces and forms a distinct branch within the Streptomyces somaliensis 16S rRNA gene tree subclade. It is closely related to Streptomyces violascens ISP 5183T (97.27 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and Streptomyces hydrogenans NBRC 13475T (97.15 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). The 16S rRNA gene similarities between the isolate and the remaining members of the subclade are lower than 96.77 %. The organism can be distinguished readily from other members of the S. violacens subclade using a combination of phenotypic properties. On the basis of these results, it is proposed that isolate 103T (=NRRL B-65309T = CMAA 1378T) merits recognition as the type strain of a new Streptomyces species, namely Streptomyces atlanticus sp. nov.
Keywords: Brazil; Polyphasic taxonomy; Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago; Streptomyces atlanticus sp. nov.; Streptomycetaceae.