title: Bacillus acidiceler sp. nov., isolated from a forensic specimen, containing Bacillus anthracis pX02 genes.
abstract: Research at the Center for Biological Defense identified plasmid-borne forms of Bacillus anthracis pXO2 genes in a Gram-positive, endospore-forming rod, isolated from a forensic specimen considered a credible threat of harbouring anthrax. Conventional, commercial and molecular-based methods indicated that the isolate (CBD 119(T)) was not B. anthracis and considered not to be a member of the Bacillus cereus group. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, strain CBD 119(T) was most closely related to Bacillus luciferensis LMG 18422(T) (99.3 %). Phenotyping and fatty acid methyl ester analysis of the isolate were conducted alongside B. luciferensis JCM 12212(T). The major cellular fatty acids (anteiso-C(15 : 0), iso-C(15 : 0), and >7 iso or anteiso forms) supported inclusion of the isolate in the genus Bacillus. Strain CBD 119(T) was inconsistent with B. luciferensis JCM 12212(T) for 18 of 96 traits evaluated including motility, degree of endospore-driven swelling and pH optimum; the two were linked by fatty acid methyl ester analysis as separate but closely related species. DNA-DNA relatedness between strain CBD 119(T) and B. luciferensis JCM 12212(T) resulted in less than 20 % hybridization. The results of biochemical and physiological characterization, chemotaxonomic analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization differentiated strain CBD 119(T) both phenotypically and genotypically from the only species with validly published name with greater than 97 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. The isolate has an accelerated doubling time when grown in aerated broth at pH 5.9 relative to that at pH 7.1. Therefore, it is proposed that strain CBD 119(T) represents a novel species, Bacillus acidiceler sp. nov. The type strain is strain CBD 119(T) (=NRRL B-41736(T)=DSM 18954(T)).
authors.affiliation: USF Center for Biological Defense, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3602 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612-9401, USA.
authors.forename: K Kealy
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Peak
authors.affiliation: University of Oklahoma, Department of Botany and Microbiology, 770 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019-6131, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.affiliation: USF Center for Biological Defense, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3602 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612-9401, USA.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Veguilla
authors.affiliation: USF Center for Biological Defense, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3602 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612-9401, USA.
authors.forename: Vicki A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Luna
authors.affiliation: USF Center for Biological Defense, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3602 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612-9401, USA.
authors.forename: Debra S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: USF Center for Biological Defense, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3602 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612-9401, USA.
authors.forename: Loreé
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heller
authors.affiliation: Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Laboratories, 3602 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612-9401, USA.
authors.forename: Lea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heberlein-Larson
authors.affiliation: Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Laboratories, 3602 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612-9401, USA.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Reeves
authors.affiliation: USF Center for Biological Defense, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3602 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612-9401, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Cannons
authors.affiliation: Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Laboratories, 3602 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612-9401, USA.|USF Center for Biological Defense, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3602 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612-9401, USA.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Amuso
authors.affiliation: USF Center for Biological Defense, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3602 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612-9401, USA.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cattani
mesh_terms: D001407:Bacillus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000235:genetics*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005431:Florida; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010802:Phylogeny; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D005227:Fatty Acids; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S