Nicoliella lavandulae sp. nov., a novel fructophilic Nicoliella species isolated from flowers of Lavandula angustifolia .

A survey of fructophilic lactic acid bacteria associated with wild and cultivated plants in the metropolitan area of Valencia (Spain) led to the isolation of a novel strain of the genus Nicoliella , named Es01 T , from flowers of Lavandula angustifolia . The genus Nicoliella encompasses a single species, Nicoliella spurrieriana . Partial 16S rRNA coding gene sequencing revealed a similarity of 98.8% to N. spurrieriana SGEP1_A5 T . Average nucleotide identity (ANI) calculations revealed an ANI value of 80.49% with strain SGEP1_A5 T , the only N. spurrieriana strain with an available genomic sequence. A digital DNA-DNA hybridization value of 20% was estimated by the Type Strain Genome Server tool when Es01 T was compared with strain SGEP1_A5 T . On the basis of these results, strain Es01 T represents a novel species, for which the name Nicoliella lavandulae sp. nov. is proposed with Es01 T (=CECT 30999 T =DSMZ 117325 T =CCM 9394 T ) as type strain.