A novel actinomycete strain, OFN S17T, was isolated from a sample collected from Altamira Cave, Cantabria, Spain. This strain was identified by using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The 16S rRNA, hsp65 and sod gene sequences of the strain were determined and compared with those of representative Nocardia species. The results showed that strain OFN S17T should be assigned to the genus Nocardia. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that strain OFN S17T was most closely related to the type strain of Nocardia tenerifensis (98.6, 96.2 and 96% similarity, respectively, for the 16S rRNA, hsp65 and sod gene sequences). The DNA G+C content was 64.4 mol%. DNA-DNA hybridization analyses revealed 29% relative reassociation between the DNA of strain OFN S17T and N. tenerifensis DSM 44704T. The phenotypic and genotypic data show that strain OFN S17T merits recognition as a representative of a novel species of the genus Nocardia, for which the name Nocardia altamirensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is OFN S17T (=CIP 109606T =DSM 44997T). © 2008 IUMS.

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