The taxonomy of Enterobacter sakazakii: proposal of a new genus Cronobacter gen. nov. and descriptions of Cronobacter sakazakii comb. nov. Cronobacter sakazakii subsp. sakazakii, comb. nov., Cronobacter sakazakii subsp. malonaticus subsp. nov., Cronobacter turicensis sp. nov., Cronobacter muytjensii sp. nov., Cronobacter dublinensis sp. nov. and Cronobacter genomospecies 1.
BACKGROUND
Enterobacter sakazakii is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause infections such as necrotizing enterocolitis, bacteraemia, meningitis and brain abscess/lesions. When the species was defined in 1980, 15 biogroups were described and it was suggested that these could represent multiple species. In this study the taxonomic relationship of strains described as E. sakazakii was further investigated.


RESULTS
Strains identified as E. sakazakii were divided into separate groups on the basis of f-AFLP fingerprints, ribopatterns and full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences. DNA-DNA hybridizations revealed five genomospecies. The phenotypic profiles of the genomospecies were determined and biochemical markers identified.


CONCLUSIONS
This study clarifies the taxonomy of E. sakazakii and proposes a reclassification of these organisms.
Iversen
Carol
C
Quality and Safety Department, Nestlé Research Centre, Vers-Chez-les-Blanc, Lausanne, Switzerland. iversenc@fsafety.unizh.ch <iversenc@fsafety.unizh.ch>
Lehner
Angelika
A
Mullane
Niall
N
Bidlas
Eva
E
Cleenwerck
Ilse
I
Marugg
John
J
Fanning
Séamus
S
Stephan
Roger
R
Joosten
Han
H
D001483:Base Sequence; D044083:Cronobacter sakazakii / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D021521:Ribotyping; D013045:Species Specificity
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S