title: Actinomyces dentalis sp. nov., from a human dental abscess.
abstract: A previously undescribed filamentous, beaded, Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium was isolated from pus of a human dental abscess. Based on its cellular morphology and the results of biochemical testing the organism was tentatively identified as a member of the genus Actinomyces, but it did not correspond to any currently recognized species of this genus. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies showed the bacterium represents a distinct subline within the genus Actinomyces, clustering within a group of species that includes Actinomyces bovis, the type species of the genus. Sequence divergence values of >8 % with other recognized species within this phylogenetic group clearly demonstrated that the organism represents a hitherto unknown species. Based on biochemical and molecular phylogenetic evidence, it is proposed that the unidentified organism recovered from a dental abscess be classified as a novel species, Actinomyces dentalis sp. nov. The type strain is R18165T (=CCUG 48064T=CIP 108337T).
authors.affiliation: Anaerobe Reference Laboratory, NPHS Microbiology Cardiff, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff CF14 4XW, UK.
authors.forename: Val
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: School of Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK.
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: School of Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.affiliation: Culture Collection, Department of Clinical Bacteriology, University of Göteborg, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Enevold
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Falsen
authors.affiliation: Anaerobe Reference Laboratory, NPHS Microbiology Cardiff, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff CF14 4XW, UK.
authors.forename: Brian I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Duerden
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000382:microbiology*; D000190:Actinomyces / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000382:microbiology; D000368:Aged; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S