Actinopolyspora
mzabensis sp. nov., a halophilic actinomycete isolated from an Algerian Saharan soil
A halophilic actinomycete strain, designated H55T, was isolated from Saharan soil sampled in the Mzab region (Ghardaïa, southern Algeria) and was characterized in a taxonomic study using a polyphasic approach. The cell wall was determined to contain meso-diaminopimelic acid and the characteristic whole-cell sugars were arabinose and galactose. The predominant menaquinones were found to be MK-10(H4) and MK-9(H4). The predominant cellular fatty acids were determined to be anteiso-C17 : 0, iso-C16 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0. The diagnostic phospholipid detected was phosphatidylcholine. The morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics of the strain were consistent with those of members of the genus Actinopolyspora , and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis confirmed that strain H55T was a member of this genus. DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain H55T and the type strains of the nearest species of the genus Actinopolyspora , Actinopolyspora erythraea and A. alba , were clearly below the 70 % threshold. The genotypic and phenotypic data showed that the organism represents a novel species of the genus Actinopolyspora , for which the name Actinopolyspora mzabensis sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain H55T ( = DSM 45460T = CCUG 62965T).