Paenibacillus hebaui sp. nov., a psychrotolerant and cellulolytic-xylanolytic bacterium isolated from high-coverage grassland soil in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

A novel Gram-positive bacterium, Paenibacillus hebaui sp. nov. (QZ-Y1T), was isolated from soil samples in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. Phylogenetic analysis of its 16S rRNA gene (PV459073.1) showed 98.67% similarity to Paenibacillus xylanexedens B22aT, whereas genomic comparisons (ANI<84.4%, DNA G+C content was 45.8 mol%) confirmed taxonomic novelty. Cells are motile rods (0.8-0.9×3.0-3.9 µm) forming ellipsoidal endospores. Growth occurs at 10-40 °C (optimum 25 °C), pH 6-12 and 0-4% NaCl. Chemotaxonomic traits include dominant fatty acids anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0, core polar lipids (Diphosphatidylglycerol, Phosphatidylglycerol and Phosphatidylethanolamine), respiratory quinone MK-7 and meso-diaminopimelic acid (A1γ-type). Genomic comparisons (7.20 Mb) and phenotypic differentiation support its classification as a novel species. The type strain QZ-Y1T (=CCTCC AB 2025086T=KCTC 43838T) expands the ecological and taxonomic diversity of Paenibacillus.