Genome Analysis and Potential Ecological Functions of Members of the Genus Ensifer from Subsurface Environments and Description of Ensifer oleiphilus sp. nov.

The current work deals with genomic analysis, possible ecological functions, and biotechnological potential of two bacterial strains, HO-A22(T) and SHC 2-14, isolated from unique subsurface environments, the Cheremukhovskoe oil field (Tatarstan, Russia) and nitrate- and radionuclide-contaminated groundwater (Tomsk region, Russia), respectively. New isolates were characterized using polyphasic taxonomy approaches and genomic analysis. The genomes of the strains HO-A22(T) and SHC 2-14 contain the genes involved in nitrate reduction, hydrocarbon degradation, extracellular polysaccharide synthesis, and heavy metal detoxification, confirming the potential for their application in various environmental biotechnologies. Genomic data were confirmed by cultivation studies. Both strains were found to be neutrophilic, chemoorganotrophic, facultatively anaerobic bacteria, growing at 15–33 °C and 0–1.6% NaCl (w/v). The 16S rRNA gene sequences of the strains were similar to those of the type strains of the genus Ensifer (99.0–100.0%). Nevertheless, genomic characteristics of strain HO-A22(T) were below the thresholds for species delineation: the calculated average nucleotide identity (ANI) values were 83.7–92.4% (<95%), and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values were within the range of 25.4–45.9% (<70%), which supported our conclusion that HO-A22(T) (=VKM B-3646(T) = KCTC 92427(T)) represented a novel species of the genus Ensifer, with the proposed name Ensifer oleiphilus sp. nov. Strain SHC 2-14 was assigned to the species ‘Ensifer canadensis’, which has not been validly published. This study expanded the knowledge about the phenotypic diversity among members of the genus Ensifer and its potential for the biotechnologies of oil recovery and radionuclide pollution treatment.