Nocardia noduli sp. nov., a novel actinobacterium with biotechnological potential

A genome-based polyphasic study was undertaken to establish the taxonomic status of an actinobacterium strain isolated from an actinorhizal root nodule. Strain ncl1(T) was found to have chemotaxonomic, cultural and morphological properties characteristic of members of the genus Nocardia. The strain was closely related to Nocardia aurea in the phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene and genome sequences. The draft genome of the strain is 8.9 Mbp in size, has a genomic DNA G + C content of 67.0% and was predicted to contain at least 19 biosynthetic gene clusters encoding for specialized metabolites. Strain ncl1(T) was distinguished from its closest neighbour, N. aurea DSM 103986(T), by a broad range of phenotypic properties and by low average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization scores. Consequently, the strain represents a novel Nocardia species for which the name Nocardia noduli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ncl1(T) (CECT 30123(T) = DSM 110878(T)). The present study provides further evidence that actinorhizal nodules are a source of novel species of Nocardia. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00203-022-02878-x.