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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC AND EVOLUTIONARY MICROBIOLOGY logo International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology

Volume 75, Issue 6

Reclassification of , and , into the genus , and proposal of a new genus within the family , gen. nov., comb. nov., to accommodate the divergent species No Access

Abstract

The genus (, ) comprises a diverse group of bacteria inhabiting human and animal mucosa, as well as environmental niches such as water, soil and food. While some species are clinically significant pathogens, others play ecological or biotechnological roles. Despite previous taxonomic revisions, remains polyphyletic, necessitating a refined classification. In this study, we conducted comprehensive taxogenomic analyses integrating core protein phylogeny, average amino acid identity and the percentage of conserved proteins, along with 16S rRNA similarities and inferred phylogeny. Our results revealed three distinct phylogenetic clusters within . The core group, comprising NBRC 102154 and closely related species, exhibited strong genomic cohesion. A second cluster, consisting of DSM 14165, CCUG 350 and NBRC 14588, showed greater genetic affinity to GVCNT2, supporting their reassignment to the genus . The third group, represented by CCUG 9405, was phylogenetically distinct, occupying a basal position relative to , indicating the need for its classification within a novel genus within the family , for which we propose the name gen. nov., comb. nov. Phenotypic data compiled from the original published descriptions of the respective species, including fatty acid composition and enzymatic profiles, further corroborated these genomic findings. This study refines taxonomy by clarifying genus boundaries and evolutionary relationships, with implications for ecology and clinical microbiology.

  • Received:
  • Accepted:
  • Published Online:
Keyword(s): 16S rRNA gene , average amino acid identity (AAI) , Faucicola , Moraxella , Moraxellaceae , percentage of conserved proteins (POCP) , phylogeny and Taxogenomic
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2025-06-20
2025-07-10
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/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijsem.0.006820
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Reclassification of Moraxella boevrei, M. osloensis and M. atlantae, into the genus Faucicola, and proposal of a new genus within the family Moraxellaceae, Lwoffella lincolnii gen. nov., comb. nov., to accommodate the divergent species Moraxella lincolnii
Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 75, 006820 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1099/ijsem.0.006820
/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijsem.0.006820
/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijsem.0.006820
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