The family Dermabacteraceae

Abstract

The family Dermabacteraceae is a phylogenetically and chemotaxonomically well defined taxon within the order Micrococcales, consisting at present of 4 genera and 17 species, with the majority of species described in Brachybacterium. Dermabacter, Helcobacillus, and Devriesea are monospecific. Cell morphology is rod shaped in young growth stage, forming coccoid to ovoid cells in older growth phases. Cells are nonmotile, lack mycolic acid, and do not form endospores. Strains are aerobic to facultative anaerobic. Members have a peptidoglycan type A4γ, major fatty acids are ai-C 17:0 and ai-C 15:0, predominant menaquinones (except for Helcobacillus massiliensis) are MK 7, MK8, or MK9 and major phospholipids are phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol. The range of habitats from which the type strains were isolated is broad. Species include commensals of human and lizard's skin with the potential to be opportunistic pathogens, marine strains associated to invertebrates, strains isolated from milk and milk products, and soil organisms that are able to thrive in various conditions. One strain is able to fix nitrogen non-symbiotically. DNA-based studies reveal that, except for brachybacteria, members of the family are rare in actinomycetes 16S rRNA clone libraries.