Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 718 No. 3: 23 Sept. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-09-23
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.718.3.1
Page range: 163-177
Abstract views: 407
PDF downloaded: 10

Description of a novel cyanobacterial species Elainella ringii sp. nov. (Oculatellales) from Himalayan hot spring, Uttarakhand, India using polyphasic approach

Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar 246174 (Garhwal), Uttarakhand, INDIA
Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri 305817 (Ajmer), Rajasthan, INDIA
Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar 246174 (Garhwal), Uttarakhand, INDIA
Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar 246174 (Garhwal), Uttarakhand, INDIA
Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar 246174 (Garhwal), Uttarakhand, INDIA
Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri 305817 (Ajmer), Rajasthan, INDIA
Cyanobacteria Elainella Hot Spring ITS region p-distance Polyphasic approach Algae

Abstract

Cyanobacteria are oxygenic photosynthetic prokaryotes capable of surviving in harsh environments ranging from semi-arid to arid regions, hot springs and polar regions. Exploration of cyanobacterial diversity from such habitat is taxing due to variable temperature, fluctuating pH, and unique chemical compositions, though it harbours various unexplored taxa that calls for divulgence. Therefore, the present investigation aimed to characterize a filamentous cyanobacterium isolated from a mat growing in Ringi hot spring located in Tapovan, Uttarakhand, India, using polyphasic approach. Morphological analysis revealed that the studied strain exhibited Leptolyngbya-like morphology with the characteristic features such as straight filaments, non-heterocytous cells with less than 3.5 µm width. The optimum temperature for the growth of isolated strain was 30°C. However, molecular and phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene, evinced that the studied strain is closely related to genus Elainella rather than Leptolyngbya. The phylogenetic tree constructed using maximum-likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) method shows that the studied strain forms a distinct lineage with high standard bootstrap/ultrafast bootstrap/posterior probability values (91%/100%/1) that were consistent with the p-distance similarity matrix. Additionally, analysis of the D1-D1’ helix, BoxB helix, and V3 region of the 16S-23S ITS gene indicates significant differences from related taxa, reinforcing the taxonomic status of the studied strain. Henceforth, on the basis of morphological, physiological, molecular, phylogenetic and ecological characteristics, we provide the description of new taxon: Elainella ringii sp. nov.

References

  1. Akagha, M.U., Pietrasiak, N., Bustos, D.F., Vondrášková, A., Lamb, S.C. & Johansen, J.R. (2023) Albertania and Egbenema gen. nov. from Nigeria and the United States, expanding biodiversity in the Oculatellaceae (cyanobacteria). Journal of Phycology 59: 1217–1236. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpy.13389
  2. Alvarenga, D.O., Rigonato, J., Branco, L.H.Z., Melo, I.S. & Fiore, M.F. (2016) Phyllonema aviceniicola gen. nov., sp. nov. and Foliisarcina bertiogensis gen. nov., sp. nov., epiphyllic cyanobacteria associated with Avicennia schaueriana leaves. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 66: 689–700. https://doi.org/10.1099/ijsem.0.000774
  3. Bahl, J., Lau, M.C.Y., Smith, G.J.D., Vijaykrishna, D., Cary, S.C., Lacap, D.C., Lee, C.K., Papke, R.T., Warren-Rhodes, K.A., Wong, F.K.Y., McKay, C.P. & Pointing, S.B. (2011) Ancient origins determine global biogeography of hot and cold desert cyanobacteria. Nature Communications 2: 163. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1167
  4. Baldarelli, L.M., Pietrasiak, N., Osorio-Santos, K. & Johansen, J.R. (2022) Mojavia aguilerae and M. dolomitestris — two new Nostocaceae (Cyanobacteria) species from the Americas. Journal of Phycology 58: 502–516. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpy.13275
  5. Ballot, A., Dadheech, P.K. & Krienitz, L. (2004) Phylogenetic relationship of Arthrospira, Phormidium and Spirulina strains from Kenyan and Indian waterbodies. Algological Studies/Archiv für Hydrobiologie, Supplement Volumes: 37–56. https://doi.org/10.1127/1864-1318/2004/0113-0037
  6. Bohunická, M., Pietrasiak, N., Johansen, J.R., Gómez, E.B., Hauer, T., Gaysina, L.A. & Lukešová, A. (2015) Roholtiella, gen. nov. (Nostocales, Cyanobacteria)—a tapering and branching cyanobacteria of the family Nostocaceae. Phytotaxa 197: 84–103. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.197.2.2
  7. Boyer, S.L., Johansen, J.R., Flechtner, V.R. & Howard, G.L. (2002) Phylogeny and genetic varience in terrestrial Microcoleus (Cyanophyceae) species based 16S rRNA gene and associated 16S–23S ITS Region. Journal of Phycology 38: 1222–1235. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1529-8817.2002.01168.x
  8. Dadheech, P.K., Abed, R.M.M., Mahmoud, H., Mohan, M.K. & Krienitz, L. (2012) Polyphasic characterization of cyanobacteria isolated from desert crusts, and the description of Desertifilum tharense gen. et sp. nov. (Oscillatoriales). Phycologia 51: 260–270. https://doi.org/10.2216/09-51.1
  9. Dadheech, P.K., Mahmoud, H., Kotut, K. & Krienitz, L. (2014) Desertifilum fontinale sp. nov. (Oscillatoriales, Cyanobacteria) from a warm spring in East Africa, based on conventional and molecular studies. Fottea 14: 129–140. https://doi.org/10.5507/fot.2014.010
  10. Desikachary, T.V. (1959) Cyanophyta ICAR monographs of Algae. ICAR, New Delhi, 686 pp.
  11. Dvořák, P., Poulíčková, A., Hašler, P., Belli, M., Casamatta, D.A. & Papini, A. (2015) Species concepts and speciation factors in cyanobacteria, with connection to the problems of diversity and classification. Biodiversity and Conservation 24: 739–757. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-015-0888-6
  12. Engene, N., Cameron Coates, R. & Gerwick, W.H. (2010) 16S rRNA gene heterogeneity in the filamentous marine cyanobacterial genus Lyngbya. Journal of Phycology 46: 591–601. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1529-8817.2010.00840.x
  13. Geng, R., Cheng, Y., Chen, S., Zhang, H., Xiao, P., Chen, S., Ma, Z., Han, B. & Li, R. (2024) Maricoleus vaginatus gen. et sp. nov. (Oculatellaceae, Synechococcales), a novel cyanobacterium isolated from a marine ecosystem in China. Fottea 24: 27–41. https://doi.org/10.5507/fot.2023.005
  14. Gleeson, D., O’Connell, A. & Jordan, K. (2013) Review of potential sources and control of thermoduric bacteria in bulk-tank milk. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research 52: 217–227.
  15. Hentschke, G.S., Mohamed, Z., Campos, A. & Vasconcelos, V.M. (2024) Description of Pegethrix niliensis sp. nov., a novel cyanobacterium from the Nile river basin, Egypt: A polyphasic analysis and comparative study of related genera in the Oculatellales order. Toxins 16: 451. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins16100451
  16. Hoang, D.T., Chernomor, O., Von Haeseler, A., Minh, B.Q. & Vinh, L.S. (2018) UFBoot2: Improving the Ultrafast Bootstrap approximation. Molecular Biology and Evolution 35: 518–522. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msx281
  17. Hoffmann, L., Komárek, J. & Kaštovský, J. (2005) System of cyanoprokaryotes (cyanobacteria) state in 2004. Algological Studies/Archiv für Hydrobiologie, 95–115. https://doi.org/10.1127/1864-1318/2005/0117-0095
  18. Ikram, S.F., Kumar, D., Singh, V., Tripathi, B.N. & Kim, B.H. (2021) Microalgal and cyanobacterial diversity of two selected hot springs of Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India. Fundamental and Applied Limnology: 111–127. https://doi.org/10.1127/fal/2021/1366
  19. Ikram, S.F., Uniyal, V. & Kumar, D. (2022) Changes in species composition of cyanobacterial and microalgal communities along a temperature gradient in Tapovan Hot Spring, Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India. Aquatic Ecology 56: 573–584. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10452-021-09921-x
  20. Jahodářová, E., Dvořák, P., Hašler, P., Holušová, K. & Poulíčková, A. (2018) Elainella gen. nov.: a new tropical cyanobacterium characterized using a complex genomic approach. European Journal of Phycology 53: 39–51. https://doi.org/10.1080/09670262.2017.1362591
  21. Jung, P., Veronika, S., Ulf, K. & Michael, L. (2022) Salty Twins: salt-tolerance of terrestrial Cyanocohniella strains (cyanobacteria) and description of C. rudolphia sp. nov. point towards a marine origin of the genus and terrestrial long distance dispersal patterns. Microorganisms 10: 968. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10050968
  22. Kalyaanamoorthy, S., Minh, B.Q., Wong, T.K.F., Von Haeseler, A. & Jermiin, L.S. (2017) ModelFinder: fast model selection for accurate phylogenetic estimates. Nature Methods 14: 587–589. https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.4285
  23. Kaštovský, J., Johansen, J.R., Hauerová, R. & Akagha, M.U. (2023) Hot is rich—an enormous diversity of simple trichal cyanobacteria from Yellowstone hot springs. Diversity 15: 975. https://doi.org/10.3390/d15090975
  24. Keshari, N., Das, S.K. & Adhikary, S.P. (2015) Identification of cyanobacterial species with overlapping morphological features by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. European Journal of Phycology 50: 395–399. https://doi.org/10.1080/09670262.2015.1064548
  25. Komárek, J. (2016) A polyphasic approach for the taxonomy of cyanobacteria: principles and applications. European Journal of Phycology 51: 346–353. https://doi.org/10.1080/09670262.2016.1163738
  26. Komárek, J. & Anagnostidis, K. (2005) Cyanoprokaryota 2. In: Budel,B., Gartner,G., Krienitz, L. & Schagerl, M. (Eds.) Teil/2nd part: oscillatoriales. Springer, Heidelberg, pp. 1–759.
  27. Komárek, J., Kaštovský, J. & Mareš, J. & Johansen, M.J. & J.J. (2014) Taxonomic classification of cyanoprokaryotes (cyanobacterial genera), using a polyphasic approach. Preslia 86: 295–335.
  28. Labrada, N.A., McGovern, Callahan, A., Thomas, A.L., Hurley, A.C., Mooney, M.R. & Casamatta, D.A. (2023) The CIMS (Cyanobacterial ITS motif slicer) for molecular systematics. Fottea 24: 23–26. https://doi.org/10.5507/fot.2023.008
  29. Lee, N.J., Seo, Y., Ki, J.S. & Lee, O.M. (2020) Morphology and molecular description of Wilmottia koreana sp. nov. (Oscillatoriales, Cyanobacteria) isolated from the Republic of Korea. Phytotaxa 447: 237–251. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.447.4.2
  30. Lepère, C., Wilmotte, A. & Meyer, B. (2000) Molecular diversity of Microcystis strains (Cyanophyceae, Chroococcales) based on 16S rDNA sequences. Systematics and Geography of Plants 70: 275–283. https://doi.org/10.2307/3668646
  31. Li, X., Huo, S., Zhang, J., Ma, C., Xiao, Z., Zhang, H., Xi, B. & Xia, X. (2019) Metabarcoding reveals a more complex cyanobacterial community than morphological identification. Ecological Indicators 107: 105653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.105653
  32. Machado-De-Lima, N.M., Martins, M.D. & Branco, L.H.Z. (2017) Description of a tropical new species of Wilmottia (Oscillatoriales, Cyanobacteria) and considerations about the monophyly of W. murrayi. Phytotaxa 307: 43–54. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.307.1.4
  33. Mai, T., Johansen, J.R., Pietrasiak, N., Bohunická, M. & Martin, M.P. (2018) Revision of the Synechococcales (Cyanobacteria) through recognition of four families including Oculatellaceae fam. nov. and Trichocoleaceae fam. nov. and six new genera containing 14 species. Phytotaxa 365: 1–59. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.365.1.1
  34. Martinez, J.N., Nishihara, A., Lichtenberg, M., Trampe, E., Kawai, S., Tank, M., Kühl, M., Hanada, S. & Thiel, V. (2019) Vertical distribution and diversity of phototrophic bacteria within a hot spring microbial mat (Nakabusa hot springs, Japan). Microbes and Environments 34: 374–387. https://doi.org/10.1264/jsme2.me19047
  35. Minh, B.Q., Schmidt, H.A., Chernomor, O., Schrempf, D., Woodhams, M.D., Von Haeseler, A., Lanfear, R. & Teeling, E. (2020) IQ-TREE 2: new models and efficient methods for phylogenetic inference in the genomic era. Molecular Biology and Evolution 37: 1530–1534. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaA015
  36. Negi, R., Nigam, M. & Singh, R.K. (2024) Harnessing Leptolyngbya for antiproliferative and antimicrobial metabolites through lens of modern techniques: A review. Algal Research 83: 103702. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2024.103702
  37. Nübel, U., Garcia-Pichel, F. & Muyzer, G. (1997) PCR primers to amplify 16S rRNA genes from cyanobacteria. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 63: 3327–3332. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.63.8.3327-3332.1997
  38. Nübel, U., Garcia-Pichel, F. & Muyzer, G. (2000) The halotolerance and phylogeny of cyanobacteria with tightly coiled trichomes (Spirulina Turpin) and the description of Halospirulina tapeticola gen. nov., sp. nov. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 50: 1265–1277. https://doi.org/10.1099/00207713-50-3-1265
  39. Osorio-Santos, K., Pietrasiak, N., Bohunická, M., Miscoe, L.H., Kováčik, L., Martin, M.P. & Johansen, J.R. (2014) Seven new species of Oculatella (Pseudanabaenales, Cyanobacteria): taxonomically recognizing cryptic diversification. European Journal of Phycology 49: 450–470. https://doi.org/10.1080/09670262.2014.976843
  40. Pietrasiak, N., Osorio-Santos, K., Shalygin, S., Martin, M.P. & Johansen, J.R. (2019) When is a lineage a species? A case study in Myxacorys gen. nov. (Synechococcales: Cyanobacteria) with the description of two new species from the Americas. Journal of Phycology 55: 976–996. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpy.12897
  41. Řeháková, K., Johansen, J.R., Casamatta, D.A., Xuesong, L. & Vincent, J. (2007) Morphological and molecular characterization of selected desert soil cyanobacteria: three species new to science including Mojavia pulchra gen. et sp. nov. Phycologia 46: 481–502. https://doi.org/10.2216/06-92.1
  42. Reuter, J.S. & Mathews, D.H. (2010) RNAstructure: software for RNA secondary structure prediction and analysis. BMC Bioinformatics 11: 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2105-11-129
  43. Rippka, R., Deruelles, J., Waterbury, J.B., Herdman, M. & Stanier, R.Y. (1979) Generic assignments, strain histories and properties of pure cultures of cyanobacteria. Microbiology 111: 1–61. https://doi.org/10.1099/00221287-111-1-1
  44. Ronquist, F., Teslenko, M., Van Der Mark, P., Ayres, D.L., Darling, A., Höhna, S., Larget, B., Liu, L., Suchard, M.A. & Huelsenbeck, J.P. (2012) MrBayes 3.2: Efficient bayesian phylogenetic inference and model choice across a large model space. Systematic Biology 61: 539–542. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/sys029
  45. Saraf, A., Suradkar, A., Dawda, H.G., Gaysina, L.A., Gabidullin, Y., Kumat, A., Behere, I., Kotulkar, M., Batule, P. & Singh, P. (2019) Phylogenetic complexities of the members of Rivulariaceae with the re-creation of the family Calotrichaceae and description of Dulcicalothrix necridiiformans gen nov., sp nov., and reclassification of Calothrix desertica. FEMS Microbiology Letters 366: fnz219. https://doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fnz219
  46. Sciuto, K. & Moro, I. (2016) Detection of the new cosmopolitan genus Thermoleptolyngbya (Cyanobacteria, Leptolyngbyaceae) using the 16S rRNA gene and 16S–23S ITS region. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 105: 15–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2016.08.010
  47. Shen, L.Q., Zhang, Z.C., Huang, L., Zhang, L.D., Yu, G., Chen, M., Li, R. & Qiu, B.S. (2023) Chlorophyll f production in two new subaerial cyanobacteria of the family Oculatellaceae. Journal of Phycology 59: 370–382. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpy.13314
  48. Singh, Y., Gulati, A., Singh, D.P. & Khattar, J.I.S. (2018) Cyanobacterial community structure in hot water springs of Indian north-western Himalayas: A morphological, molecular and ecological approach. Algal Research 29: 179–192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2017.11.023
  49. Stackebrandt, E. & Goebel, B.M. (1994) Taxonomic note: A place for DNA-DNA reassociation and 16S rRNA sequence analysis in the present species definition in bacteriology. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 44: 846–849. https://doi.org/10.1099/00207713-44-4-846
  50. Stackebrandt, E. & Ebers, J. (2006) Taxonomic parameters revisited: tarnished gold standards. Microbial Today 33: 152.
  51. Strunecký, O., Ivanova, A.P. & Mareš, J. (2023) An updated classification of cyanobacterial orders and families based on phylogenomic and polyphasic analysis. Journal of Phycology 59: 12–51. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpy.13304
  52. Strunecký, O., Komárek, J. & Elster, J. (2012) Biogeography of Phormidium autumnale (Oscillatoriales, Cyanobacteria) in western and central Spitsbergen. Polish Polar Research 33: 369–382. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10183−012−0020−5
  53. Tang, J., Jiang, D., Luo, Y., Liang, Y., Li, L., Shah, M.M.R. & Daroch, M. (2018) Potential new genera of cyanobacterial strains isolated from thermal springs of western Sichuan, China. Algal Research 31: 14–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2018.01.008
  54. Tawong, W., Pongcharoen, P., Nishimura, T. & Saijuntha, W. (2022) Siamcapillus rubidus gen. et sp. nov. (Oculatellaceae), a novel filamentous cyanobacterium from Thailand based on molecular and morphological analyses. Phytotaxa 558: 33–52. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.558.1.2
  55. Turland, N.J., Wiersema, J.H., Barrie, F.R., Greuter, W., Hawksworth, D.L., Herendeen, P.S., Knapp, S., Kusber, W.H., Li, D.Z., Marhold, K., May, T.W., McNeill, J., Monro, A.M., Prado, J., Price, M.J. & Smith, G.F. (2018) International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Shenzhen Code) adopted by the Nineteenth International Botanical Congress Shenzhen, China, July 2017. Koeltz Botanical Books, Kapellenberg Street, Germany.
  56. Yarza, P., Yilmaz, P., Pruesse, E., Glöckner, F.O., Ludwig, W., Schleifer, K.H., Whitman, W.B., Euzéby, J., Amann, R. & Rosselló-Móra, R. (2014) Uniting the classification of cultured and uncultured bacteria and archaea using 16S rRNA gene sequences. Nature Reviews Microbiology 12: 635–645. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro3330
  57. Zammit, G., Billi, D. & Albertano, P. (2012) The subaerophytic cyanobacterium Oculatella subterranea (Oscillatoriales, Cyanophyceae) gen. et sp. nov.: a cytomorphological and molecular description. European Journal of Phycology 47: 341–354. https://doi.org/10.1080/09670262.2012.717106

How to Cite

Bhandari, M., Sonam, S., Negi, R., Singh, P., Singh, R.K. & Dadheech, P.K. (2025) Description of a novel cyanobacterial species Elainella ringii sp. nov. (Oculatellales) from Himalayan hot spring, Uttarakhand, India using polyphasic approach. Phytotaxa 718 (3): 163–177. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.718.3.1