Genome description of a potentially novel species of Billgrantia sp. strain SL18_1 isolated from Sambhar Lake, India

A potentially novel species belonging to the genus Billgrantia bearing strain number SL18_1 has been isolated from Sambhar Lake, the largest inland salt water wetland located in the north of India. Based on 16S rRNA sequence search in International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration, the isolate showed 99.3% identity with Billgrantia chromatireducens . Based on long-read sequencing using Oxford Nanopore Technologies chemistry, followed by annotation, the genome size of this organism has been found to be ~4.14 Mb. The genome has a G+C content of 66.27 mol% and is closest to Billgrantia campisalis based on genome relatedness. The functional annotation of draft genome has revealed the presence of key genes involved in nitrate reduction and denitrification pathways, including nirB , nirD and nasD (nitrate reductase), nirS (nitrite reductase) and norB and norC (nitric-oxide reductase). The nosZ coding for nitrous-oxide reductase has been also identified from the draft genome. This strain also possesses genes linked to the breakdown of benzoate compounds as well as osmoregulatory genes, which can possibly allow the bacterium to adapt to high osmotic stress. Besides, the presence of ibaG gene within the genome may allow this organism to adapt to acidic stress. Genes linked to multidrug resistance, including mdtA , mdtB and mdtK , have been identified within the genome of Billgrantia sp. strain SL18_1.