%0 Journal Article %A Van Steenbergen, T. J. M. %A Vlaanderen, C. A. %A De Graaff, J. %T Confirmation of Bacteroides gingivalis as a Species Distinct from Bacteroides asaccharolyticus %D 1981 %J International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, %V 31 %N 3 %P 236-241 %@ 1466-5034 %R https://doi.org/10.1099/00207713-31-3-236 %I Microbiology Society, %X Abstract We divided the asaccharolytic, black-pigmented Bacteroides strains into two groups on the basis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) base ratios, DNA hybridization (S1 nuclease method) results, and direct hemagglutination. One homologous group of strains, which included the type strain of Bacteroides asaccharolyticus and had guanine-plus-cytosine contents of 52 to 54 mol%, contained only nonoral isolates. Another DNA homology group contained all of the strains from periodontal pockets and some nonoral isolates. These strains appeared to belong to the recently described new species Bacteroides gingivalis Coykendall et al. B. gingivalis strains had guanine-plus-cytosine contents of 48 to 50 mol%, showed high DNA homology values, and shared hemagglutinating activity. No DNA homology was observed between the two groups. Using a different method of analysis for DNA homology (S1 nuclease method), we confirmed the conclusion of Coykendall et al., who separated these two groups into different species, B. asaccharolyticus and B. gingivalis. Two strains from infected root canals could not be placed in either of these two species. On the basis of the DNA homology results, all asaccharolytic strains were distinguished clearly from the saccharolytic, black-pigmented Bacteroides strains, which at present are classified in the species Bacteroides melaninogenicus. %U https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/00207713-31-3-236