A study of Klisinema koreana sp. nov. (Desertifilaceae, Cyanobacteria) from the Republic of Korea based on morphological, ecological and molecular analyses

Genus Klisinema (Desertifilaceae, Desertifilales) has only one species, Klisinema persicum, reported worldwide, and this species was found in soils around thermal springs (50°C) of high radiation regions. Simple filament cyanobacteria belonging to the genus Klisinema were collected from Korea, and cultured samples were studied through morphological, ecological and molecular analyses. Both Korean K. persicum and Klisinema koreana were found as epilithic species in freshwater gravel, which have different ecological characteristics from previously reported K. persicum. As a result of morphological analysis, keritomized cytoplasm was observed in K. koreana, and this feature was also newly observed in K. persicum that was discovered in Korea. In addition, K. koreana has a larger width/length ratio compared to K. persicum, and both species have an irregular thylakoid arrangement. Furthermore, as a result of phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA, the genus Klisinema formed a monophyletic lineage, and K. koreana strains were clearly separated from K. persicum strains to form a phylogenetic tree. Moreover, when comparing the secondary structure of the 16S–23S internal transcribed spacer region, K. koreana has a structural difference from K. persicum, especially in the structure of the Box-B helix. Therefore, Klisinema koreana sp. nov. was proposed as a new species belonging to the genus Klisinema of family Desertifilaceae.