Genomic insights into novel extremotolerant bacteria isolated from the NASA Phoenix mission spacecraft assembly cleanrooms

Schultz, Júnia; Jamil, Tahira; Sengupta, Pratyay; Sivabalan, Shobhan Karthick Muthamilselvi; Rawat, Anamika; Patel, Niketan; Krishnamurthi, Srinivasan; Alam, Intikhab; Singh, Nitin K.; Raman, Karthik; Rosado, Alexandre Soares; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri

doi:10.1186/s40168-025-02082-1

Table 2 Species epithet and etymology of the novel species described during this study

From: Genomic insights into novel extremotolerant bacteria isolated from the NASA Phoenix mission spacecraft assembly cleanrooms

Novel species name proposed	Strain number (other culture collection numbers)	BioLog identification^a	MALDI identification^b	Cell characteristics	Spore formation	Gram stain characteristics	Species etymology
Shouchella phoenicis	1P01AA^T = DSM 11800^T	No ID possible	No ID possible	Round-shaped; cells are aerobic, motile, and rod-shaped. Colony on TSA medium is beige, circular, entire margin, smooth, non-transparent, and raised.	Yes	Gram-positive	Shouchella phoenicis (phoe’ni.cis. L. gen. n. phoenicis of phoenix, isolated from the surface of the clean room where the Mars Phoenix spacecraft was assembled).
Georgenia phoenicis	1P01AC = DSM 117974^T	Corynebacterium pilosum	No ID possible	Round-shaped; cells are aerobic, motile, short rods (0.5 µm ± 0.2 µm in width and 0.5 µm in length). Colonies on R2A medium are light yellow, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	No	Gram-positive	Georgenia phoenicis (phoe’ni.cis. L. gen. n. phoenicis of phoenix, isolated from the surface of the clean room where the Mars Phoenix spacecraft was assembled).
Lysinibacillus phoenicis	1P01SD = MTCC 13636^T	Lysinibacillus boronitolerans	Lysinibacillus fusiformis	Rod-shaped; cells are aerobic, motile, 2.5 µm ± 0.1 µm long and 0.5 µm in width. Colonies on R2A medium are white, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	Yes	Gram-positive	Lysinibacillus phoenicis (phoe’ni.cis. L. gen. n. phoenicis of phoenix, isolated from the surface of the clean room where the Mars Phoenix spacecraft was assembled).
Agrococcus phoenicis	1P02AA = NRRL B-59275^T	No ID possible	No ID possible	Round-shaped; cells are aerobic, non-motile, short rods (0.3 µm in width and 0.9 ± 0.4 µm in length). Colonies on R2A medium are light yellow, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	No	Gram-positive	Agrococcus phoenicis (phoe’ni.cis. L. gen. n. phoenicis of phoenix, isolated from the surface of the clean room where the Mars Phoenix spacecraft was assembled).
Alkalihalobacillus phoenicis	1P02AB = DSM 118404^T	No ID possible	No ID possible	Rod-shaped cells, aerobic, and endospore forming and motile. Colony on TSA medium is beige to transparent color, circular, entire margin, smooth, and raised.	Yes	Gram-positive	Alkalihalobacillus phoenicis (phoe’ni.cis. L. gen. n. phoenicis of phoenix, isolated from the surface of the clean room where the Mars Phoenix spacecraft was assembled).
Pseudomonas phoenicis	1P02AnB^cT	No ID possible	Pseudomonas protoformans (1.64)	Round-shaped; cells are aerobic, motile, with 1.8 ± 0.5 µm in length and 0.5 ± 0.1 µm in width. Colonies on R2A medium are light yellow, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	No	Gram- negative	Pseudomonas phoenicis (phoe’ni.cis. L. gen. n. phoenicis of phoenix, isolated from the surface of the clean room where the Mars Phoenix spacecraft was assembled).
Bacillus jepli	1P02SD = DSM 117993^T	No ID possible	No ID possible	Round-shaped; cells are aerobic, motile, with 1.3 ± 0.5 µm in length and 0.4 ± 0.1 µm in width. Colonies on R2A medium are light beige, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	Yes	Gram-positive	Bacillus jepli (jep’li. N.L. gen. n. jepli, arbitrary name derived from the abbreviation JPL, meaning of or pertaining to the NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where the type strain of the species was isolated).
Paenibacillus canaveralius	1P03SA = MTCC 13637^T	Paenibacillus assamensis	No ID possible	Rod-shaped; cells are aerobic, motile, short rods (0.4 µm ± 0.1 µm in width and 0.9 ± 0.2 µm in length). Colonies on R2A medium are white, irregular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	Yes	Gram-positive	Paenibacillus canaveralius (ca.na.ve.ra’li.us. N.L. masc. adj. canaveralius pertaining to (Cape) Canaveral, isolated from walls and floors of the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral).
Arthrobacter phoenicis	1P04PC = DSM 117984^T = MTCC13669^T	Arthobacter ilicis	No ID possible	Rod-shaped; cells are aerobic, non-motile, short rods (0.5 µm in width and 1.0 ± 0.2 µm in length). Colonies on R2A medium are light beige, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	No	Gram-negative	Arthrobacter phoenicis (phoe’ni.cis. L. gen. n. phoenicis of phoenix, isolated from the surface of the clean room where the Mars Phoenix spacecraft was assembled).
Microbacterium phoenicis	1P06AB = DSM 117975^T	No ID possible	No ID possible	Round-shaped; cells are aerobic, non-motile, short rods (0.2 µm ± 0.1 µm in width and 0.5 ± 0.2 µm in length). Colonies on R2A medium are dark beige, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	No	Gram-positive	Microbacterium phoenicis (phoe’ni.cis. L. gen. n. phoenicis of phoenix, isolated from the surface of the clean room where the Mars Phoenix spacecraft was assembled).
Bacillus kalamii	1P06AnD = DSM 117991^T = MTCC 13638^T	No ID possible	No ID possible	Rod-shaped; cells are aerobic, motile, with 2.1 ± 0.7 µm in length and 0.6 ± 0.1 µm in width. Colonies on R2A medium are light beige, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	Yes	Gram-positive	Bacillus kalamii (ka.lam′i.i. N.L. gen. n. kalamii referring to Abdul Kalam, a well-known scientist who advanced space research in India).
Sphingomonas canaveralia	1P06PA^cT	No ID possible	No ID possible	Cells are aerobic, non-motile, short rods or ovoid. Colonies on R2A medium are bright yellow, small, circular, and entire margin, smooth, and raised after incubation at 25 °C for 2 to 7 days.	No	Gram-negative	Sphingomonas canaveralia (ca.na.ve.ra’li.a. N.L. fem. adj. canaveralia pertaining to (Cape) Canaveral, isolated from walls and floors of the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral).
Peribacillus phoenicis	1P06PB = DSM 117992^T	No ID possible	Oceanobacillus kimchii (1.78)	Rod-shaped; cells are aerobic, motile, with 3.0 ± 1.1 µm in length and 0.6 ± 0.1 µm in width. Colonies on R2A medium are light beige, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	Yes	Gram-positive	Peribacillus phoenicis (phoe’ni.cis. L. gen. n. phoenicis of phoenix, isolated from the surface of the clean room where the Mars Phoenix spacecraft was assembled).
Oceanobacillus phoenicis	1P07AA = DSM 118405^T	No ID possible	No ID possible	Rod-shaped; cells are aerobic, motile, short rods (0.4 µm ± 0.1 µm in width and 0.9 ± 0.3 µm in length). Colonies on R2A medium are light beige, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	Yes	Gram-positive	Oceanobacillus phoenicis (phoe’ni.cis. L. gen. n. phoenicis of phoenix, isolated from the surface of the clean room where the Mars Phoenix spacecraft was assembled).
Paenibacillus jepli	1P07SE = MTCC 13640^T	Paenibacillus assamensis	No ID possible	Rod-shaped; cells are aerobic, motile, 1.4 ± 0.3 µm in length and 0.7 µm ± 0.1 µm in width. Colonies on R2A medium are light beige, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	Yes	Gram-positive	Paenibacillus jepli (jep’li. N.L. gen. n. jepli, arbitrary name derived from the abbreviation JPL, meaning of or pertaining to the NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where the type strain of the species was isolated.
Sphingomonas phoenicis	1P08PE^cT	No ID possible	No ID possible	Rod-shaped; cells are aerobic, non-motile, 1.6 ± 0.5 µm in length and 0.5 µm ± 0.1 µm in width. Colonies on R2A medium are orangeish, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	No	Gram-negative	Sphingomonas phoenicis (phoe’ni.cis. L. gen. n. phoenicis of phoenix, isolated from the surface of the clean room where the Mars Phoenix spacecraft was assembled).
Microbacterium canaveralium	1P10AE = DSM 117987^T = MTCC 13670^T	No ID possible	No ID possible	Round-shaped; cells are aerobic, non-motile, short rods (0.6 µm ± 0.1 µm in width and 1.1 ± 0.4 µm in length). Colonies on R2A medium are yellow, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	No	Gram-positive	Microbacterium canaveralium (ca.na.ve.ra’li.um. N.L. neut. adj. canaveralium pertaining to (Cape) Canaveral, isolated from walls and floors of the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral).
Curtobacterium phoenicis	1P10AnD = DSM 117985^T = MTCC 13639^T	Curtobacterium citreum	No ID possible	Round-shaped; cells are aerobic, motile, short rods (0.4 µm in width and 1.0 ± 0.2 µm in length). Colonies on R2A medium are yellow, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	No	Gram-positive	Curtobacterium phoenicis (phoe’ni.cis. L. gen. n. phoenicis of phoenix, isolated from the surface of the clean room where the Mars Phoenix spacecraft was assembled).
Noviherbaspirillum phoenicis	1P10PC = DSM 118057^T	No ID possible	No ID possible	Round-shaped; cells are aerobic, motile, 1.4 ± 0.6 µm in length and 0.6 µm ± 0.1 µm in width. Colonies on R2A medium are light beige, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	No	Gram-negative	Noviherbaspirillum phoenicis (phoe’ni.cis. L. gen. n. phoenicis of phoenix, isolated from the surface of the clean room where the Mars Phoenix spacecraft was assembled).
Neobacillus phoenicis	1P10SD = DSM 118030^T = MTCC 13641^T	Bacillus sp.	No ID possible	Rod-shaped; Cells are aerobic, motile, 1.8 ± 1.0 µm in length and 1.1 µm ± 1.1 µm in width. Colonies on R2A medium are light beige, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	Yes	Gram-positive	Neobacillus phoenicis (phoe’ni.cis. L. gen. n. phoenicis of phoenix, isolated from the surface of the clean room where the Mars Phoenix spacecraft was assembled).
Microbacterium jepli	1P10UB = NRRL B-59317^T	No ID possible	No ID possible	Round-shaped; cells are aerobic, non-motile, short rods (0.4 µm ± 0.1 µm in width and 0.7 ± 0.2 µm in length). Colonies on R2A medium are white, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	No	Gram-positive	Microbacterium jepli (jep’li. N.L. gen. n. jepli, arbitrary name derived from the abbreviation JPL, meaning of or pertaining to the NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where the type strain of the species was isolated.
Robertmurraya phoenicis	2P01SA = DSM 118031^T = MTCC 13642^T	Brevibacillus borstelensis	Robertmurraya massiliosenegalensis (1.75)	Rod-shaped; cells are aerobic, motile, 2.1 µm ± 0.5 µm long and 0.5 µm ± 0.1 µm in width. Colonies on R2A medium are light white, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	Yes	Gram-positive	Robertmurraya phoenicis (phoe’ni.cis. L. gen. n. phoenicis of phoenix, isolated from the surface of the clean room where the Mars Phoenix spacecraft was assembled).
Microbacterium pratiae	2P06AB = DSM 117976^T = MTCC 13671^T	Microbacterium arboescens	No ID possible	Round-shaped; cells are aerobic, non-motile, short rods (0.4 µm ± 0.1 µm in width and 1.0 ± 0.4 µm in length). Colonies on R2A medium are dark beige, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	No	Gram-positive	Microbacterium pratiae (pra’ti’ae. N.L. gen. fem. n. pratiae referring to Dr. Lisa Pratt, a biogeochemist and astrobiologist who previously served as the Planetary Protection Officer for NASA).
Brevundimonas phoenicis	2P2-tot-C = DSM 118058^T	Brevundimonas diminuta	No ID possible	Round-shaped; cells are aerobic, motile, short rods (0.6 µm ± 0.1 µm in width and 1.2 ± 0.4 µm in length). Colonies on R2A medium are light beige, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	No	Gram-negative	Brevundimonas phoenicis (phoe’ni.cis. L. gen. n. phoenicis of phoenix, isolated from the surface of the clean room where the Mars Phoenix spacecraft was assembled).
Lysinibacillus canaveralius	3P01SB = DSM 118058^T = MTCC 13643^T	Lysinibacillus sp.	No ID possible	Rod-shaped; cells are aerobic, motile, 1.7 µm ± 0.7 µm long and 0.4 µm ± 0.1 µm in width. Colonies on R2A medium are white, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	Yes	Gram-positive	Lysinibacillus canaveralius (ca.na.ve.ra’li.us. N.L. masc. adj. canaveralius pertaining to (Cape) Canaveral, isolated from walls and floors of the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral).
Neobacillus canaveralius	3P2-tot-E-2 = DSM 118040^T	No ID possible	No ID possible	Rod-shaped; cells are aerobic, motile, 2.3 ± 1.0 µm in length and 1.0 µm ± 0.5 µm in width. Colonies on R2A medium are light beige, circular and opaque after incubation at 25 °C for 48 h.	Yes	Gram-positive	Neobacillus canaveralius (ca.na.ve.ra’li.us. N.L. masc. adj. canaveralius pertaining to (Cape) Canaveral, isolated from walls and floors of the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral).

^aMethods followed as per established procedure [15]
^bMethods followed as per established procedure [16]. The number in paranthesis denotes MALDI ID index #. Anything >2.0 is considered as identified species
^cCulture collection is processing the viability of the strains submitted

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