title: Alloscardovia omnicolens gen. nov., sp. nov., from human clinical samples.
abstract: The taxonomic position of 12 isolates tentatively assigned to the genus Bifidobacterium on the basis of a limited phenotypic characterization was examined. The isolates were collected between 1978 and 2005 in Belgium, Sweden and Norway, and originated from various human clinical samples, including urine, blood, urethra, oral cavity, tonsil, and abscesses of lung and aortic valve. On the basis of band number and clustering analysis, repetitive DNA element-based PCR fingerprinting using the BOXA1R and (GTG)(5) primers indicated that the clinical isolates represented a taxon probably not belonging to the genus Bifidobacterium. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities revealed that the isolates were most closely affiliated to Parascardovia denticolens LMG 18312(T) (93.0-93.2 %), Scardovia inopinata LMG 18313(T) (92.9-93.1 %) and other members of the Bifidobacteriaceae, indicating that the isolates belong to a novel genus within that family. This observation was further substantiated by the results of partial sequencing of the heat-shock protein 60 gene (hsp60) and determination of the DNA G+C contents (47.3-48.3 mol%). Members of the novel taxon can be phenotypically distinguished from S. inopinata, P. denticolens and Gardnerella vaginalis by the ability to grow on agar under aerobic conditions and on the basis of positive reactions for acid production from L-arabinose, raffinose, salicin and D-xylose. Unambiguous phenotypic differentiation from Aeriscardovia aeriphila and Bifidobacterium species may be difficult, so phenotypic analyses should be complemented by molecular methods. The values for DNA-DNA binding among four members of the novel genus were in the range of 89-100 %, indicating that the strains should be considered as a single novel species of a novel genus, for which the name Alloscardovia omnicolens gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Alloscardovia omnicolens is CCUG 31649(T) (=LMG 23792(T)).
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Ghent University, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Huys
authors.affiliation: BCCM/LMG Bacteria Collection, Ghent University, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vancanneyt
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Ghent University, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Klaas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: D'Haene
authors.affiliation: CCUG Culture Collection, University of Göteborg, Guldhedsgatan 10, SE-413 46 Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Enevold
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Falsen
authors.affiliation: University of Louvain, Microbiology Unit UCL 5490, Avenue Hippocrate 54, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wauters
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Ghent University, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vandamme
mesh_terms: D039903:Actinobacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D000332:Aerobiosis; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001482:Base Composition; D001530:Belgium; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000235:genetics; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005285:Fermentation; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D005838:Genotype; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009664:Norway; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S