title: Ultrastructure and phylogenetic analysis of 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis' in the family Anaplasmataceae, isolated from wild rats and found in Ixodes ovatus ticks.
abstract: A novel bacterium that infects laboratory rats was isolated from wild Rattus norvegicus rats in Japan. Transmission electron microscopy of the spleen tissue revealed small cocci surrounded by an inner membrane and a thin, rippled outer membrane in a membrane-bound inclusion within the cytoplasm of endothelial cells. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of the bacterium found in R. norvegicus rats and Ixodes ovatus ticks in Japan revealed that the organism represents a novel clade in the family Anaplasmataceae, which includes the Schotti variant found in Ixodes ricinus ticks in the Netherlands and the Ehrlichia-like Rattus strain found in R. norvegicus rats from China. The novel clade was confirmed by phylogenetic analysis of groESL sequences found in R. norvegicus rats and Ixodes ovatus ticks in Japan. No serological cross-reactivity was detected between this bacterium and members of the genera Anaplasma, Ehrlichia or Neorickettsia in the family Anaplasmataceae. It is proposed that this new cluster of bacteria should be designated 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis'.
authors.affiliation: Nagoya City Public Health Research Institute, Hagiyama-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467-8615, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawahara
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rikihisa
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Tobetu-cho, Ishikari-gun, Hokkaido, 061-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Emiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Isogai
authors.affiliation: Kawagoe Sogo Senior High School, Kosenba-machi, Kawagoe, 350-0036, Japan.
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Saitama Medical School, Moroyama-machi, Iruma-gun, Saitama, 350-0451, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitoko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Misumi
authors.affiliation: University of Nagoya, Tsurumai-cho, Shouwa-ku, Naogaya, 466-8550, Japan.
authors.forename: Chiharu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Suto
authors.affiliation: Nagoya City Public Health Research Institute, Hagiyama-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467-8615, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
authors.forename: Chunbin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Rakunou Gakuen University, Bunkyoudai-midori-machi, Ebetu, Hokkaido, 069-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsuji
mesh_terms: D000710:Anaplasmataceae / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000711:Anaplasmataceae Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002462:Cell Membrane; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000235:genetics; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000382:microbiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D007564:Japan; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012703:Serotyping; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S