Streptosporangium algeriense sp. nov., an actinobacterium isolated from desert soil

The taxonomic position of a novel actinobacterium, strain 169 T , isolated from a sample of Algerian Saharan soil, was determined using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The aerial mycelium produced non-motile, round- to oval-shaped spores, with a smooth surface, which were sessile or carried by short sporophores. Chemotaxonomically, isolate 169 T showed the same results as members of the genus Streptosporangium , but madurose, the so far diagnostic sugar of the genus, was not detected in the whole-cell hydrolysate. Despite the absence of sporangia, the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis confirmed that strain 169 T was a member of the genus Streptosporangium . Strain 169 T was most closely related to Streptosporangium jomthongense NBRC 110047 T (99.3 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), which is the only non-sporangia-forming species reported among the genus. However, DNA-DNA hybridization studies with this species showed 60 % relatedness. Based upon genotypic and phenotypic data, a novel species, Streptosporangium algeriense sp. nov., is proposed, with 169 T ( = DSM 45455 T  = MTCC 11561 T  = CCUG 62974 T ) as the type strain.