title: Description of Comamonas aquatica comb. nov. and Comamonas kerstersii sp. nov. for two subgroups of Comamonas terrigena and emended description of Comamonas terrigena.
abstract: Three clusters of isolates have previously been defined within the species Comamonas terrigena, on the basis of DNA-rRNA and DNA-DNA hybridization data, and of protein electrophoretic patterns and immunotyping. More detailed characterization in the current study shows that representatives of these three groups can also be differentiated phenotypically from each other. Strains of C. terrigena sensu stricto (C. terrigena DNA group 1) are pyrrolidone aminopeptidase-positive, do not grow at 40 degrees C, are L-alanine-positive and are always negative for 4-hydroxybenzoate. Strains of C. terrigena DNA groups 2 and 3 are pyrrolidone aminopeptidase-negative; the former is the only group that is tyrosine-negative, and only the latter can grow at 42 degrees C (with an optimal growth temperature of 40 degrees C). These findings are corroborated by differences in 16S rDNA sequence and tRNA intergenic spacer lengths. Therefore, it is proposed to rename C. terrigena DNA group 2 [containing former Aquaspirillum aquaticum and E. Falsen (EF) group 10 strains] as Comamonas aquatica sp. nov., and C. terrigena DNA group 3 (containing former EF group 10 strains) as Comamonas kerstersii sp. nov.
authors.affiliation: Medical Microbiology Unit, University of Louvain, Avenue Hippocrate 54, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wauters
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Blok A, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Baere
authors.affiliation: Laboratorium voor Microbiologie, Fac. Wetenschappen, Vakgroep WE10V, Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Willems
authors.affiliation: Culture Collection of the University of Göteborg, Department of Clinical Bacteriology, Guldhedsgatan 10, 6tr, S-413 46 Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Enevold
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Falsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Blok A, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaneechoutte
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D020585:Comamonas / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S