Leptotrichia hongkongensis sp. nov., a novel Leptotrichia species with the oral cavity as its natural reservoir.
A straight, non-sporulating, Gram-variable bacillus (HKU24(T)) was recovered from the blood culture of a patient with metastatic breast carcinoma. After repeated subculturing in BACTEC Plus Anaerobic/F blood culture broth, HKU24(T) grew on brucella agar as non-hemolytic, pinpoint colonies after 96 h of incubation at 37 degrees C in an anaerobic environment and aerobic environment with 5% CO2. Growth was enhanced with a streak of Staphylococcus aureus. HKU24(T) was non-motile and catalase-negative, but positive for alkaline phosphatase, beta-glucosidase, and alpha-glucosidase. It hydrolyzed phenylphosphonate and reduced resazurin. 16S rRNA, groEL, gyrB, recA, and rpoB sequencing showed that HKU24(T) occupies a distinct phylogenetic position among the Leptotrichia species, being most closely related to Leptotrichia trevisanii. Using HKU24(T) groEL, gyrB, recA, and rpoB gene-specific primers, fragments of these genes were amplified from one of 20 oral specimens. Based on phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, we propose a new species, Leptotrichia hongkongensis sp. nov., to describe this bacterium.
Woo
Patrick C Y
PC
State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. pcywoo@hkucc.hku.hk
Wong
Samson S Y
SS
Teng
Jade L L
JL
Leung
Kit-Wah
KW
Ngan
Antonio H Y
AH
Zhao
Dong-qing
DQ
Tse
Herman
H
Lau
Susanna K P
SK
Yuen
Kwok-Yung
KY
D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D045183:Leptotrichia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D013045:Species Specificity
D004269:DNA, Bacterial