Fourteen spiroplasma strains, primarily of insect origin, were analyzed according to criteria previously proposed for description of new serogroups of the genus Spiroplasma. When tested by reciprocal metabolism inhibition, growth inhibition, and deformation serological procedures, 12 of the strains were serologically unrelated to each other and to representative strains previously assigned to groups I to XI and subgroups I-1 to I-8. Examination by dark-field and electron microscopy indicated that each of the 12 strains possessed morphological features typical of spiroplasmas (helicity, motility, lack of a cell wall, and absence of periplasmic fibrils). All strains were resistant to 500 U of penicillin per ml and catabolized glucose but were unable to hydrolyze urea. Ability to hydrolyze arginine varied among strains. The guanine-plus-cytosine contents of the deoxyribonucleic acid of the 12 strains varied from 24 to 29 mol%. Two other strains (MQ-6 and Ar-1357) shared only a partial serological relationship to strain CC-1 (group XVI), suggesting that this group may consist of an assemblage of heterogeneous serovars. On the basis of the unique serological distinctions and other properties reported herein, we propose that the 12 representative strains be assigned new consecutive group designations XII to XXIII.
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