Bombilactobacillus apium sp. nov., isolated from the gut of honeybee (Apis cerana)

Abstract

A novel Gram-reaction positive-, catalase and oxidase negative-, rod-shaped, facultatively anaerobic bacterial strain, DCY120^T_, was isolated from the gut of honeybee (Apis cerana) in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Strain DCY120^T belongs to the genus Bombilactobacillus and is moderately related to Bombilactobacillus mellis Hon2^T (94.1% similarity), Bombilactobacillus bombi BTLCH M1/2^T (93.8%), and Bombilactobacillus mellifer Bin4N^T (93.5%) based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The genome of strain DCY120^T was sequenced and the average nucleotide identity (ANI) between strain DCY120^T and the related Bombilactobacillus type strains were below the threshold value (95-96%) for species delineation. The major fatty acids were C_16:0, C_18:1 ω9c, Summed C_19:1 ω6c/C_19:0 cyclo ω10c/C_19:0 ω6 and Summed C_18:1 ω7c/C_18:1 ω6c. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), one glycolipid (GL), and one unidentified aminophospholipid (APL). The amino acids in peptidoglycan of strain DCY120^T were lysine, alanine, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid. In conclusion, the description of phenotypic and genotypic properties support strain DCY120^T as a novel species within the genus Bombilactobacillus, for which the name Bombilactobacillus apium sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DCY120^T (= KCTC 43194^T = JCM 34006^T).

Keywords: Apis cerana; Bombilactobacillus apium; Gut of honeybee; Honey stomach.