title: Spiroplasma eriocheiris sp. nov., associated with mortality in the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis.
abstract: A motile bacterium, designated strain TDA-040725-5(T), was isolated from the haemolymph of a Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis, with tremor disease. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the strain was phylogenetically distinct from other spiroplasmas but was closely related to Spiroplasma mirum ATCC 29335(T). Cells of strain TDA-040725-5(T) were variable in length and shape, helical and motile, as determined by phase-contrast light microscopy. Examination by electron microscopy revealed wall-less cells delimited by a single membrane. The strain grew in M1D or R-2 liquid media at 20-40 °C, with optimum growth at 30 °C. Doubling time at the optimal temperature was 24 h. The strain catabolized glucose and hydrolysed arginine but did not hydrolyse urea. The DNA G+C content was 29.7±1 mol%. The genome size was ~1.4-1.6 Mbp. Serological analysis, performed using the deformation test, did not reveal any reciprocal titres ≥320, indicating that strain TDA-040725-5(T) had minimal cross-reactivity to strains of recognized species of the genus Spiroplasma. Based on this evidence, strain TDA-040725-5(T) ( = CCTCC M 207170(T)  = DSM 21848(T)) represents a novel species of the genus Spiroplasma, for which the name Spiroplasma eriocheiris sp. nov. is proposed, belonging to the novel Spiroplasma serological group XLIII.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Aquatic Crustacean Diseases, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, PR China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Aquatic Crustacean Diseases, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, PR China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University, Towson, MD 21252, USA.
authors.forename: Gail E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Gasparich
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Marine Biotechnology, Huaihai Institute of Technology, Lian, Yungang 222005, PR China.|Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Aquatic Crustacean Diseases, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, PR China.
authors.forename: Keran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Aquatic Crustacean Diseases, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, PR China.
authors.forename: Jiangtao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Aquatic Crustacean Diseases, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, PR China.
authors.forename: Qingguo
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Aquatic Crustacean Diseases, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, PR China.
authors.forename: Tingming
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Aquatic Crustacean Diseases, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, PR China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
authors.forename: Jianqiong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001482:Base Composition; D003386:Brachyura / Q000382:microbiology*; D002681:China; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000382:microbiology; D008124:Locomotion; D008853:Microscopy; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013149:Spiroplasma / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S