Genome Sequence of Sphingomonas sp. Strain PAMC 26605, Isolated from Arctic Lichen (Ochrolechia sp.)

The endosymbiotic bacterium Sphingomonas sp. strain PAMC 26605 was isolated from Arctic lichens (Ochrolechia sp.) on the Svalbard Islands. Here we report the draft genome sequence of this strain, which could provide further insights into the symbi-otic mechanism of lichens in extreme environments. The genus Sphingomonas accommodates strictly aerobic,chemoheterotrophic, Gram-negative, rod-shaped, usually yellow-pigmented bacteria that suggest this genus is well adapted for the degradation of high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other aromatic contaminants (5, 6, 11). They have been widely isolated from anthropogenically polluted river water and sediments, the surfaces of various plants, and also ex-treme environments, such as Arctic and Antarctic soil (2, 3, 7, 8). The Sphingomonas sp. strain PAMC 26605 was isolated from Arc-tic lichens (Ochrolechia sp.) that grow on rocks (lat 78.54.72, long 11.57.09). The genome of Sphingomonas sp. PAMC 26605 was analyzed using a combined approachwith the 454GS FLXTitanium syste