title: Campylobacter cuniculorum sp. nov., from rabbits.
abstract: Eight strains of an unknown thermotolerant Campylobacter species were isolated from the caecal contents of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). All strains were initially identified as belonging to the genus Campylobacter by means of genus-specific PCR, but none were identified using species-specific PCR for known thermophilic species. Cells were spiral shaped with bipolar unsheathed flagella, with no periplasmic fibres, and appeared coccoid after 10-12 days of incubation. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene, rpoB and groEL sequences revealed that all strains formed a robust clade that was very distinct from recognized Campylobacter species. 16S rRNA gene sequence pairwise comparisons of strain 150B(T) with the type strains of other Campylobacter species revealed that the nearest phylogenetic neighbour was Campylobacter helveticus NCTC 12470(T), with 96.6 % similarity. The uniqueness of these rabbit isolates was confirmed by whole-cell protein electrophoresis. Taken together, these data indicate that the strains belong to a novel Campylobacter species for which the name Campylobacter cuniculorum sp. nov. is proposed, with 150B(T) (=LMG 24588(T) =CCUG 56289(T)) as the type strain.
authors: Department of Veterinary Public Health and Animal Pathology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Renato Giulio
authors: RG
authors: Zanoni
authors: Lies
authors: L
authors: Debruyne
authors: Mirko
authors: M
authors: Rossi
authors: Joana
authors: J
authors: Revez
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Vandamme
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D002432:Cecum / Q000382:microbiology; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000235:genetics; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D005838:Genotype; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D011817:Rabbits / Q000382:microbiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; C105078:RNA polymerase beta subunit