RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Guan, Su Hua A1 Chen, Wen Feng A1 Wang, En Tao A1 Lu, Yang Li A1 Yan, Xue Rui A1 Zhang, Xiao Xia A1 Chen, Wen XinYR 2008 T1 Mesorhizobium caraganae sp. nov., a novel rhizobial species nodulated with Caragana spp. in China JF International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, VO 58 IS 11 SP 2646 OP 2653 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/ijs.0.65829-0 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1466-5034, AB Five rhizobial strains representing the largest group in the genus Mesorhizobium associated with Caragana spp. in China were characterized taxonomically. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that these microsymbionts belonged to the genus Mesorhizobium, with Mesorhizobium tianshanense USDA 3592T, Mesorhizobium temperatum SDW018T and Mesorhizobium mediterraneum UPM-Ca36T as the closest neighbours (≥99.5 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). Genotypic fingerprinting by whole-cell protein electrophoresis, DNA–DNA hybridization, comparative housekeeping sequence analysis of the atpD, glnII and recA genes, fatty acid profiles and a series of phenotypic and physiological tests allowed the novel group to be differentiated from all previously recognized species of the genus Mesorhizobium. This group therefore represents a novel species, for which the name Mesorhizobium caraganae sp. nov. is proposed with the type strain CCBAU 11299T (=LMG 24397T=HAMBI 2990T). Cross-inoculation tests showed that strain CCBAU 11299T could form effective nodules on Caragana microphylla, Caragana intermedia, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Astragalus adsurgens and Phaseolus vulgaris., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijs.0.65829-0