Aminithiophilus ramosus gen. nov., sp. nov., a sulphur-reducing bacterium isolated from a pyrite-forming enrichment culture, and taxonomic revision of the family Synergistaceae .

A novel sulphur-reducing bacterium was isolated from a pyrite-forming enrichment culture inoculated with sewage sludge from a wastewater treatment plant. Based on phylogenetic data, strain J.5.4.2-T.3.5.2 could be affiliated with the phylum . Among type strains of species with validly published names, the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence identity value was found with ILE-2 (89.2 %). Cells of the new isolate were Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, straight to slightly curved rods with tapered ends. Motility was conferred by lateral flagella. True branching of cells was frequently observed. The strain had a strictly anaerobic, asaccharolytic, fermentative metabolism with peptides and amino acids as preferred substrates. Sulphur was required as an external electron acceptor during fermentative growth and was reduced to sulphide, whereas it was dispensable during syntrophic growth with a species. Major fermentation products were acetate and propionate. The cellular fatty acid composition was dominated by unsaturated and branched fatty acids, especially iso-C. Its major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and distinct unidentified polar lipids. Respiratory lipoquinones were not detected. Based on the obtained data we propose the novel species and genus , represented by the type strain J.5.4.2-T.3.5.2 (=DSM 107166=NBRC 114655) and the novel family fam. nov. to accommodate the genus . In addition, we suggest reclassifying certain members of the into new families to comply with current standards for the classification of higher taxa. Based on phylogenomic data, the novel families e fam. nov., fam. nov., fam. nov., fam. nov. and fam. nov. are proposed.