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Strain EB21T was isolated from a brine sample from Aran-Bidgol salt lake, a saline playa in Iran. Strain EB21T was an orange–red-pigmented, motile rod and required at least 2 M NaCl but not MgCl2 for growth. Optimal growth was achieved at 3.5 M NaCl and 0.2 M MgCl2. The optimum pH and temperature for growth were pH 7.5 and 40 °C, while it was able to grow at pH 6.0–8.0 and 25–55 °C. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain EB21T is a member of the family Halobacteriaceae , showing low levels of similarity to other members of the family. The highest sequence similarities, 91.8, 91.7 and 91.5 %, were obtained with the 16S rRNA gene sequences of the type strains of Halobiforma lacisalsi , Haloterrigena thermotolerans and Halalkalicoccus tibetensis , respectively. Polar lipid analyses revealed that strain EB21T contains phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester and phosphatidylglycerol sulfate. Three unidentified glycolipids and one minor phospholipid were also observed. The only quinone present was MK-8(II-H2). The G+C content of its DNA was 67.7 mol%. On the basis of the data obtained, the new isolate could not be classified in any recognized genus. Strain EB21T is thus considered to represent a novel species in a new genus within the family Halobacteriaceae , order Halobacteriales , for which the name Haloarchaeobius iranensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Haloarchaeobius iranensis is EB21T ( = IBRC-M 10013T  = KCTC 4048T).

We carried out a polyphasic taxonomic study on a new halophilic strain designated 3(2)T, isolated from Meighan wetland, Iran. Cells of the novel strain were Gram-stain-negative, non-hemolytic, catalase- and oxidase-positive, rod-shaped, non-endospore-forming and motile. Cell growth occurred at 3–15 % NaCl (w/v; optimum, 5 %), pH 7.0–9.0 (optimum, pH 7.5–8.0) and 15–35 °C (optimum, 30 °C). 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons confirmed the affiliation of strain 3(2)T to the class Gammaproteobacteria and the genus Halomonas with highest similarity to Halomonas daqiaonensis YCSA28T (98.4 %) and Halomonas ventosae Al12T (97.9 %). Experimental and in silico DNA–DNA hybridization values were 42.7 and 35.1% with H. daqiaonensis IBRC-M 10931T and 48 and 35.2% with H. ventosae IBRC-M 10566T, respectively, and indicated that they are different members of the same genus. The genome of the type strain was characterized by a size of 3.83 Mbp with 63 scaffolds and a G+C content of 64.8 mol%. Moreover, the average nucleotide identity values against H. ventosae Al12T and H. daqiaonensis YCSA28T were 88.8 and 88.5 %, respectively. The predominant respiratory quinone was Q-9 (92 %) with Q-8 (8 %) as a minor component. Major fatty acids were C16 : 0 cyclo, C19 : 0 ω8c, C16 : 1 ω7c and/or iso-C15:0 2-OH, C12 : 0 3-OH and C18 : 1 ω7c. The polar lipid profile of the strain contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphoaminoglycolipid and four unidentified phospholipids. According to our results, strain 3(2)T could be classified as a novel species in the genus Halomonas for which the name Halomonas lysinitropha sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 3(2)T (=IBRC M 10929T=LMG 29450T=CIP 111708T).

A Gram-positive, halophilic actinobacterial strain Miq-12 was isolated from Meighan wetland in Iran. Strain Miq-12 was strictly aerobic, catalase positive and oxidase negative. The isolate grew at 12-25 % NaCl, at 30-50 °C and pH 5.5-10.5. The optimum NaCl, temperature and pH for growth were 15-20 %, 40 °C and 7.0-8.0, respectively. The cell wall of strain Miq-12 contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as diagnostic diamino acid and arabinose as whole-cell sugar. The polar lipid pattern consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol. It synthesized cellular fatty acids of anteiso and iso-branched types, anteiso-C17 : 0, iso-C17:0, iso-C15:0, iso-C16 : 0. The major respiratory quinone was MK-9(H4). The G+C content of its genomic DNA was 72.1 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison revealed that strain Miq-12 belongs to the family Pseudonocardiaceae, constituted a separate clade, and showed the closest phylogenetic similarity to Saccharopolyspora aidingensis TRM 46074 (96.99 %) and Saccharopolyspora ghardaiensis CCUG 63370 (96.92 %). On the basis of phylogenetic analysis, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, a novel genus and species of the family Pseudonocardiaceae, Salinifilum proteinilyticum gen. nov., sp. nov., are proposed. The type strain is Miq-12 (=IBRCM 11033=LMG 28390). We also propose that S. aidingensis and S. ghardaiensis should be transferred to this new genus and be named Salinifilum aidingensis comb. nov. and Salinifilum ghardaiensis comb. nov., respectively. The type strain of Salinifilum aidingensis comb. nov. is TRM 46074 (=CCTCCAA 2012014=JCM 30185) and the type strain of Salinifilum ghardaiensis comb. nov. is CCUG 63370 (=DSM 45606=CECT 8304).

A Gram-staining-positive, moderately halophilic bacterium, designated strain Amb31 T , was isolated from water of the hypersaline lake Aran-Bidgol in Iran and characterized taxonomically using a polyphasic approach. Cells were rods, motile and able to produce ellipsoidal endospores at a central position in swollen sporangia. Strain Amb31 T was facultatively anaerobic and catalase-and oxidase-positive. The strain grew in a complex medium supplemented with 3-25 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 7.5-10 %). Optimal growth was at 30-35 6C and pH 7.5. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons showed that strain Amb31 T belonged to the genus Lentibacillus; it exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 96.8 and 96.4 % to Lentibacillus salicampi SF-20 T and Lentibacillus salinarum AHS-1 T , respectively, and values of 95.9-94.7 % to the type strains of other recognized species of Lentibacillus. The cellwall peptidoglycan of strain Amb31 T was based on meso-diaminopimelic acid and MK-7 was the respiratory isoprenoid quinone. The major fatty acids were anteiso-C 15 : 0 (44.7 %), iso-C 16 : 0 (21.4 %) and anteiso-C 17 : 0 (15.9 %) and the polar lipid pattern consisted of phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, five phospholipids and a glycolipid. The DNA G+C content was 44.1 mol%. All these features confirmed the placement of strain Amb31 T within the genus Lentibacillus and the strain could be clearly differentiated from strains of the other species of Lentibacillus on the basis of several phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic features. DNA-DNA relatedness with the type strain of the most closely related strain, L. salicampi DSM 16425 T , was 28 %. Therefore, strain Amb31 T represents a novel species of the genus Lentibacillus, for which the name Lentibacillus persicus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Amb31 T (5CCM 7683 T 5CECT 7524 T 5DSM 22530 T 5LMG 25304 T ).The genus Lentibacillus was described by Yoon et al. (2002) to accommodate a single species, Lentibacillus salicampi, isolated from a salt field of the Yellow Sea in Korea. Namwong et al. (2005) described Lentibacillus juripiscarius, isolated from sauce produced in Thailand by the fermentation of fish. Jeon et al. (2005) described a third species within this genus, Lentibacillus salarius, isolated from saline sediment of a salt lake in China, and emended the description of the genus. This genus includes Gramvariable rods that are catalase-positive, oxidase-variable and urease-negative. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contains meso-diaminopimelic acid, and the predominant menaquinone is MK-7. The major polar lipids are diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol and the major fatty acids are anteiso-C 15 : 0 and iso-C 16 : 0 . The G+C content of the DNA of this genus is in the range 42-44 mol% . At the time of writing, the genus Lentibacillus includes six additional species: Lentibacillus lacisalsi from a salt lake in China , Lentibacillus halophilus from a fish-sauce fermentation (Tanasupawat et al., 2006) and Lentibacillus...

Countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have been facing serious environmental issues due to over-exploitation of natural resources. This paper analyzes the ecological footprint as a proxy of environmental degradation and determines its influencing factors in 18 MENA countries during 2000–2016. Despite the many studies on the relationship between the ecological footprint and its determinants in the region, the current study use spatial econometric models to take into account spatial dependence in the ecological footprint as well as its determinants. Using a spatial Durbin model, we revealed that neighbors’ behavior can significantly affect a country’s ecological footprint. Factors such as GDP per capita, trade openness, and financial development were found to increase environmental degradation, while the renewable energy consumption, urbanization, and quality of democracy effectively reduce the ecological footprint. These factors not only affect the ecological footprint in the host country, but also affect it in the adjacent countries in different ways. Due to the interdependence of the countries, we recommend development of a regional vision of the bio-economy such that the scope of the analysis goes beyond the country level to account for territorial effects. Furthermore, considering the great potential for renewable energy consumption in the region, we recommend MENA countries to develop use of renewable energy sources in order to reduce environmental degradation in the region.

A Gram-stain-positive actinobacterial strain, Miq-4 T , was isolated from soil around Meighan wetland in the centre of Iran. Strain Miq-4 T was strictly aerobic, catalase-and oxidase-positive. The isolate grew in the presence of 3-15 % (w/v) NaCl, at 20-40 8C and pH 6.0-11.0. The optimum NaCl, temperature and pH for growth were 7.0 %, 30 8C and 7.0-8.5, respectively. The cell wall of strain Miq-4 T contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diamino acid and glucose and ribose as the whole-cell sugars. The polar lipid pattern consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannoside. Strain Miq-4 T synthesized cellular fatty acids of anteiso-and iso-branched types, including anteiso-C 17 : 0 , anteiso-C 15 : 0 and iso-C 16 : 0 , and the major respiratory quinone was MK-9(H 4). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 68.2 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and characteristic patterns of 16S rRNA gene signature nucleotides revealed that strain Miq-4 T belongs to the family Glycomycetaceae and showed the closest phylogenetic similarity with Haloglycomyces albus YIM 92370 T (94.1 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). On the basis of phylogenetic analysis and phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, strain Miq-4 T represents a novel species of a new genus in the family Glycomycetaceae, for which the name Salininema proteoliyticum gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is Miq-4 T (5IBRC-M 10908 T 5LMG 28391 T). An emended description of the family Glycomycetaceae is also proposed in order to include features of the new genus. At the time of writing, the family Glycomycetaceae consists of three genera, namely Glycomyces (Labeda et al., 1985), Stackebrandtia (Labeda & Kroppenstedt, 2005) and Haloglycomyces (Guan et al., 2009), comprising aerobic, Gram-stain-positive, non-acid-fast, non-motile actinomycetes that contain meso-diaminopimelic acid and ribose as the diamino acid and diagnostic sugar, respectively. Here we describe the taxonomic characterization of strain Miq-4 T using a polyphasic approach and propose the strain represents a novel genus and species of actinomycete. In the course of our investigation on the biodiversity of actinomycetes from saline and hypersaline environments Abbreviation: ISP, International Streptomyces Project. The GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ accession number for the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain Miq-4 T is KP162267. Four supplementary figures are available with the online Supplementary Material.