A new Vibrio strain, K08M4T, was isolated from the broad-nosed pipefish Syngnathus typhle in the Kiel Fjord. Infection experiments revealed that K08M4T was highly virulent for juvenile pipefish. Cells of strain K08M4T were Gram-stain-negative, curved rod-shaped and motile by means of a single polar flagellum. The strain grew aerobically at 9-40° C, at pH 4-10.5 and it tolerated up to 12 % (w/v) NaCl. The most prevalent (>10 %) cellular fatty acids of K08M4T were C16 : 1 ω7c and C16 : 0. Whole-genome comparisons revealed that K08M4T represents a separate evolutionary lineage that is distinct from other Vibrio species and falls within the Splendidus clade. The genome is 4,886,292 bp in size, consists of two circular chromosomes (3,298,328 and 1, 587,964 bp) and comprises 4,178 protein-coding genes and 175 RNA genes. In this study, we describe the phenotypic features of the new isolate and present the annotation and analysis of its complete genome sequence. Based on these data, the new isolate represents a new species for which we propose the name Vibrio syngnathi sp. nov. The type strain is K08M4T (=DSM 109818T=CECT 30086T).
Keywords: Splendidus clade; Vibrio; complete genome sequence; fish pathogen; genomic comparison; virulence factors.