*Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Zürich, Gloriastrasse 32, CH-8028 Zürich, Switzerland. Phone: 41-1-257-2700. Fax: 41-1-252-8107. E-mail: funke@immv.unizh.ch.
Ten strains of a hitherto undescribed catalase-negative, facultatively anaerobic, coryneform bacterium were isolated or collected by workers at three European clinical bacteriology laboratories or reference centers. These strains were isolated from humans, and most came from abscess material. Biochemical and chemotaxonomic characterization revealed that the strains belonged to the genus Actinomyces. The phenotypic features of the 10 strains were incompatible with the descriptions of the previously established Actinomyces species. A comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis demonstrated that the previously undescribed strains constitute a new line in the genus Actinomyces. The name Actinomyces europaeus sp. nov. is proposed for these clinical isolates. The type strain is CCUG 32789A.
BernardK. A., BellefeuilleM., EwanE. P.1991; Cellular fatty acid composition as an adjunct to the identification of asporogenous, aerobic gram-positive rods. J. Clin. Microbiol. 29:83–89
FitchW. M., MargoliashE.1967; Construction of phylogenetic trees: a method based on mutation distances as estimated from cytochrome c sequences is of general applicability. Science 155:279–284
FunkeG., Martinetti-LucchiniG., PfyfferG. E., MarchianiM., von GraevenitzA.1993; Characteristics of CDC group 1 and group 1-like coryneform bacteria isolated from clinical specimens. J. Clin. Microbiol. 31:2907–2912
FunkeG., Pascual RamosC., CollinsM. D.1995; Identification of some clinical strains of CDC coryneform group A-3 and group A-4 bacteria as Cellulomonas species and proposal of Cellulomonas hominis sp. nov. for some group A-3 strains. J. Clin. Microbiol. 33:2091–2097
FunkeG., Pascual RamosC., Fernandez-GarayzabalJ., WeissN., CollinsM. D.1995; Description of human-derived Centers for Disease Control coryneform group 2 bacteria as Actinomyces bemardiae sp. nov. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 45:57–60
HoldemanL. V., CatoE. P., MooreW. E. C.ed1977Anaerobe laboratory manual, 4th. Department of Anaerobic Microbiology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Blacksburg:
HollisD. G., WeaverR. E.1981Gram-positive organisms: a guide to identification Special Bacteriology Section, Centers for Disease Control; Atlanta, Ga.:
HutsonR. A., ThompsonD. E., CollinsM. D.1993; Genetic interrelationships of saccharolytic Clostridium botulinum types B, E and F and related Clostridia as revealed by small-subunit rRNA gene sequences. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 108:103–110
JohnsonJ. L., MooreL. V. H., KanekoB., MooreW. E. C.1990; Actinomyces georgiae sp. nov., Actinomyces gerencseriae sp. nov., designation of two genospecies of Actinomyces naeslundii, and inclusion of A. naeslundii serotypes II and III and Actinomyces viscosus serotype II in A. naeslundii genospecies 2. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 40:273–286
Pascual RamosC., FosterG., CollinsM. D.1997; Phylogenetic analysis of the genus Actinomyces based on 16S rRNA gene sequences: description of Arcanobacterium phocae sp. nov., Arcanobacterium bemardiae comb, nov., and Arcanobacterium pyogenes comb. nov. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 47:46–53
PotB., VandammeP., KerstersK.1994 Analysis of electrophoretic whole-organism protein fingerprints. 493–521GoodfellowM., O’DonnellA. G.edModern microbial methods. Chemical methods in prokaryotic systematics J. Wiley and Sons Ltd.; Chichester, United Kingdom:
SchaalK. P.1986 Genus Actinomyces. 1383–1418SneathP. H. A., MairN. S., SharpeM. E., HoltJ. G.edBergey’s manual of systematic bacteriology2 The Williams & Wilkins Co.; Baltimore, Md:
StackebrandtE., GoebelB. M.1994; Taxonomic note: a place for DNA-DNA reassociation and 16S rRNA sequence analysis in the present species definition in bacteriology. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 44:846–849
WiistJ., Martinetti LucchiniG., Liithy-HottensteinJ., BrunF., AltweggM.1993; Isolation of gram-positive rods that resemble but are clearly distinct from Actinomyces pyogenes from mixed wound infections. J. Clin. Microbiol. 31:1127–1135
WiistJ., StubbsS., WeissN., FunkeG., CollinsM. D.1995; Assignment of Actinomyces pyogenesAike (CDC coryneform group E) bacteria to the genus Actinomyces as Actinomyces radingae sp. nov. and Actinomyces turicensis sp. nov. Lett. Appl. Microbiol. 20:76–81