Abstract
Strain aSej3(T) was isolated from a root nodule of a Lupinus angustifolius plant growing in Bizerte, Tunisia. 16S rRNA gene analysis placed this strain within the genus Bradyrhizobium. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) including three housekeeping genes (glnII, gyrB and recA) grouped aSej3T together with Bradyrhizobium rifense CTAW71(T), Bradyrhizobium cytisi CTAW11(T), Bradyrhizobium ganzhouense RITF806(T), Bradyrhizobium lupini USDA 3051(T) and Bradyrhizobium canariense BTA-1(T). MLSA with five housekeeping genes (dnaK, glnII, gyrB, recA and rpoB) revealed that this strain shares less than 93.5% nucleotide identity with other type strains. Genome sequencing and inspection revealed a genome size of 8.83 Mbp with a G+C content of 62.8mol%. Genome-wide average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values were below 87.5 and 36.2%, respectively, when compared to described Bradyrhizobium species. Strain aSej3(T) nodulated L. angustifolius plants under axenic conditions and its nodC gene clustered within the genistearum symbiovar. Altogether, the phylogenetic data and the chemotaxonomic characteristics of this strain support that aSej3T represents a new species for which we propose the name Bradyrhizobium hipponense sp. nov. with the type strain aSej3(T) (=DSM 108913(T)=LMG 31020(T)).