Monoglobus pectinilyticus gen. nov., sp. nov., a pectinolytic bacterium isolated from human faeces

A novel anaerobic pectinolytic bacterium (strain 14^T) was isolated from human faeces. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain 14^T belonged to the family Ruminococcaceae, but was located separately from known clostridial clusters within the taxon. The closest cultured relative of strain 14^T was Acetivibrio cellulolyticus (89.7 % sequence similarity). Strain 14^T shared ~99 % sequence similarity with cloned 16S rRNA gene sequences from uncultured bacteria derived from the human gut. Cells were Gram-stain-positive, non-motile cocci approximately 0.6 µm in diameter. Strain 14^T fermented pectins from citrus peel, apple, and kiwifruit as well as carbohydrates that are constituents of pectins and hemicellulose, such as galacturonic acid, xylose, and arabinose. TEM images of strain 14^T, cultured in association with plant tissues, suggested extracellular fibrolytic activity associated with the bacterial cells, forming zones of degradation in the pectin-rich regions of middle lamella. Phylogenetic and phenotypic analysis supported the differentiation of strain 14^T as a novel genus in the family Ruminococcaceae. The name Monoglobus pectinilyticus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is 14^T (JCM 31914^T=DSM 104782^T).