Miscellanea in the Brāhmī Script from the Berezovsky and Krotkov Collections (IOM, RAS) with an Appendix: ВФ-4190

The main part of this article provides a complete edition (description, transliteration, transcription, preliminary translation, annotation as well as the reproduction of the photographs) of forty-two fragments in different languages, circulated along the northern Silk Road, today in the territory of modern Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (PR China) in pre-Mongolian times: Sanskrit, Tocharian A/B, Old Uyghur [hereafter: Uyghur]. Their common feature is the use of the standard North Turkestan Brāhmī and its Tocharian and Uyghur varieties. In terms of content, the fragments include extracts from Buddhist texts such as Abhidharmadīpavibhāṣaprabhāvr̥tti, Prajāpāramitā, Prasādapratibhodbhava, Prātimokṣasūtra, Pravāraṇasūtra, Saṃyuktāgama, Suvarṇabhāsottamasūtra, Udānavarga. There are also some Tocharian B document fragments. Several of these texts are found on the back of Chinese scrolls. The Chinese texts have been identified. Where possible, a reconstruction of the relevant section of the scroll has been added. An introduction provides general background information. The lexis of the edited manuscripts is given in concordances.

Taxonomical clarification of Tetrix gibberosa (Wang & Zheng), a high-backed pygmy grasshopper species from eastern PR China (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae)

Tetrix gibberosa (Wang & Zheng) is a high-backed pygmy grasshopper species from eastern PR China. Due to its reduced hind wings and pleomorphism (length changes of hind wings and the hind pronotal process, which is generally called macropterous and brachypterous morphs), the species have been described into different species which involve several taxonomically confused genera. This study clarifies its taxonomy and distribution and provides ecological information for the species. At the same time, we comment the relationships of related genera in the subfamily Tetriginae, including Tetrix Latreille, Exothotettix Zheng & Jiang, Alulatettix Liang, Aalatettix Zheng & Mao, Formosatettix Tinkham, and Formosatettixoides Zheng. Additionally, we report for the first time that nematodes can parasitize pygmy grasshoppers. New synonyms are proposed: Tetrix gibberosa (Wang & Zheng, 1993) = Alulatettix bulbosus Zheng & Zhong, 2001, syn. nov., = Exothotettix jiangxiensis Liang & Jia, 2008, syn. nov., = Tetrix glochinota Zhao, Niu & Zheng, 2010, syn. nov., = Alulatettix nigromarginalis Zhang, Deng & Zha, 2014, syn. nov., = Alulatettix flavotibialis Zhang, Deng & Zha, 2014, syn. nov..

Paenibacillus tianjinensis sp. nov., isolated from corridor air

A Gram-stain-positive, facultatively anaerobic, non-motile, endospore-forming and rod-shaped bacterium, occurring singly or in pairs, designated TB2019T, was isolated from environmental monitoring samples of corridor air collected at the Tianjin Institute for Drug Control, Tianjin Province (PR China). The isolate was able to grow at 15–40 °C (optimum growth at 37 °C), pH 6.0–8.0 (pH 7.0) and in the presence of 0–2% (w/v) NaCl (0% NaCl). Comparison of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that TB2019T was most closely related to Paenibacillus typhae CGMCC 1.11012T (98.63%), Paenibacillus albidus Q4-3T (98.19%), Paenibacillus borealis DSM 13188T (97.55%), Paenibacillus helianthi P26ET (97.33%) and Paenibacillus odorifer DSM 15391T (97.19%). The digital DNA–DNA hybridization and the average nucleotide identity values between TB2019T and the five type strains mentioned above ranged from 20.7 to 25.0% and 75.2 to 81.3%, respectively, and the genomic DNA G+C content was 49.52 mol%. The diagnostic cell-wall sugar was ribose, and the diagnostic amino acid was meso-diaminopimelic acid. The polar lipids of TB2019T included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified aminophospholipids and one unidentified phospholipid. MK-7 was the predominant menaquinone, and anteiso-C15:0 (30.6%) was the major fatty acid. Based on the polyphasic taxonomic data, strain TB2019T represents a novel species of the genus Paenibacillus , for which the name Paenibacillus tianjinensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is TB2019T (=CICC 25065T=JCM 34610T).

Chitinophaga rhizophila sp. nov., isolated from rhizosphere soil of banana

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic and rod-shaped bacterium, designated as strain B61T, was isolated from rhizosphere soil of banana collected from Dongguan, Guangdong Province, PR China. Growth occurred at 15–40 °C, within a pH range of pH 6.0–9.0. Results of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and phylogenetic analyses showed that strain B61T was most closely related to ‘Chitinophaga agri’ KACC 21303 (98.9 %) and Chitinophaga pinensis DSM 2588T (98.8 %). The genome size was 7.6 Mb with a G+C content of 45.2 mol%. The genome-inferred average nucleotide identity values between strain B61T and two closely related strains were 79.2 and 79.3 %, respectively, with corresponding digital DNA–DNA hybridization values of 22.3 and 22.6 %. The major fatty acids of the novel strain were iso-C15:0, C16:1 ω5c and iso-C17:0 3-OH and the sole respiratory quinone was menaquinone 7 (MK-7). The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, five unidentified aminolipids, four unidentified glycolipids and six unidentified lipids. The phenotypic and phylogenetic results clearly supported that strain B61T represents a novel species of the genus Chitinophaga , for which the name Chitinophaga rhizophila, sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain B61T (=GDMCC 1.2608T=KCTC 82856T).

Exophiala pseudooligosperma sp. nov., a novel black yeast from soil in southern China

Exophiala is an important genus, with several species associated with infections in humans and animals. In a survey of soil fungal diversity in Yunnan province, PR China, a novel taxon, Exophiala pseudooligosperma sp. nov., was identified based on combined morphological and molecular phylogenetic features. Morphologically, this species is characterized by having torulose, septate hyphae and swollen, terminal or intercalary conidiogenous cells arising at acute angles from aerial hyphae. Phylogenetic analysis of the combined sequences of the internal transcribed spacer, the small and large nuclear subunit of the rRNA gene and part of the β-tubulin gene confirmed the phylogenetic position of the new species within the genus Exophiala.

Sanguibacter suaedae sp. nov., isolated from the root of Suaeda aralocaspica in north-west PR China

A bacterial strain, designated YZGR15T, was isolated from the root of an annual halophyte Suaeda aralocaspica, collected from the southern edge of the Gurbantunggut desert, north-west PR China. Cells of the isolate were Gram-stain-positive, facultatively anaerobic, irregular rods. Growth occurred at 4–42 °C (optimum, 30–37 °C), at pH 6.0–9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0–7.5) and in the presence of 0–9 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2–5 %). Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain YZGR15T showed the highest sequence similarity to Sanguibacter keddieii (98.27 %), Sanguibacter antarcticus (98.20 %) and Sanguibacter inulinus (98.06 %). Results of genome analyses of strain YZGR15T indicated that the genome size was 3.16 Mb, with a genomic DNA G+C content of 71.9 mol%. Average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain YZGR15Tand three type strains were in the range of 76.5–77.8 % and 20.0–22.2 %, respectively. Analysis of the cellular component of strain YZGR15T revealed that the primary fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0, C14 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0 and the polar lipids included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, three unidentified phospholipids and two unidentified glycolipids. The cell-wall characteristic amino acids were glutamic acid, alanine and an unknown amino acid. The whole-cell sugars for the strain were mannose, ribose, rhamnose, glucose and an unidentified sugar. The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-9(H4). Based on the results of genomic, phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses, strain YZGR15T represents a novel species of the genus Sanguibacter , for which the name Sanguibacter suaedae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YZGR15T (=CGMCC 1.18691T=KCTC 49659T)

Halomonas jincaotanensis sp. nov., a 1-naphthylamine degrading bacterium isolated from Pamir Plateau

A Gram-staining-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain TRM 85114 T , was isolated from Jincaotan wetland in Pamir Plateau, PR China. According to the study, we found it have an ability to degrade 1-naphthylamine. Strain TRM 85114 T grow at 4-35 ℃ (optimum, 30 ℃), pH of 6.0-9.0 (optimum, pH 6.0) and can tolerate 1%-10% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 3%). Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain TRM 85114 T was affiliated of the genus Halomonas , sharing high sequence similarity (97.3%) with the type strain of Halomonas korlensis XK1 T . The primary cellular fatty acids of strain TRM 85114 T were C 16:0 and C 19:0 cyclo ω 8 c . The predominate respiratory quinone was Q-9. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, lyso-phospatidylglycerol, phospholipids of unknown structure containing glucosarmine, and five unidentified lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain TRM 85114 T was 61.6 mol%. Calculated the average nucleotide identities and the digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain TRM 85114 T and the related type Halomonas strains further revealed that TRM 85114 T represented a novel species of the genus Halomonas , for which the name Halomonas jincaotanensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is TRM 85114 T (CCTCC AB 2021006 T =LMG 32311 T ).

Microbacterium stercoris sp. nov., an indole acetic acid-producing actinobacterium isolated from cow dung

A novel growth-promoting and indole acetic acid-producing strain, designated NEAU-LLBT, was isolated from cow dung collected from Shangzhi, Heilongjiang Province, PR China. Cells of strain NEAU-LLBT were Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, aerobic and non-spore-forming. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain NEAU-LLBT belonged to the genus Microbacterium . Strain NEAU-LLBT had high 16S rRNA sequence similarities of 98.81 and 98.41 % to Microbacterium paludicola DSM 16915T and Microbacterium marinilacus DSM 18904T, and less than 98 % to other members of the genus Microbacterium . Chemotaxonomic characteristics showed that MK-11 and MK-12 were detected as the predominant menaquinones. The peptidoglycan contained glutamic acid, aspartic acid, glycine, ornithine and a small amount of alanine, with ornithine as the diagnostic diamino acid. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and an unidentified glycolipid. The major fatty acids were identified as anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain NEAU-LLBT was 70.2 mol%. In addition, the average nucleotide identity values between strain NEAU-LLBT and its reference strains, M. paludicola DSM 16915T, M. marinilacus DSM 18904T and M. album SYSU D8007T, were found to be 81.1, 79.4 and 78.7 %, respectively, and the level of digital DNA–DNA hybridization between them were 23.8, 22.6 and 21.8 %, respectively. Based on the phenotypic, phylogenetic and genotypic data, strain NEAU-LLBT is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Microbacterium , for which the name Microbacterium stercoris sp. nov is proposed, with NEAU-LLBT (=CCTCC AA 2018028T=JCM 32660T) as the type strain.