title: Mycobacterium europaeum sp. nov., a scotochromogenic species related to the Mycobacterium simiae complex.
abstract: Four strains isolated in the last 15 years were revealed to be identical in their 16S rRNA gene sequences to MCRO19, the sequence of which was deposited in GenBank in 1995. In a polyphasic analysis including phenotypic and genotypic features, the five strains (including MCRO19), which had been isolated in four European countries, turned out to represent a unique taxonomic entity. They are scotochromogenic slow growers and are genetically related to the group that included Mycobacterium simiae and 15 other species. The novel species Mycobacterium europaeum sp. nov. is proposed to accommodate these five strains. Strain FI-95228(T) ( = DSM 45397(T)  = CCUG 58464(T)) was chosen as the type strain. In addition, a thorough revision of the phenotypic and genotypic characters of the species related to M. simiae was conducted which leads us to suggest the denomination of the 'Mycobacterium simiae complex' for this group.
authors.affiliation: Regional Reference Center for Mycobacteria, Microbiology and Virology Laboratory, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tortoli
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Erik C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Böttger
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Modena University Hospital, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fabio
authors.affiliation: Culture Collection University of Göteborg, Department of Clinical Bacteriology, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Enevold
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Falsen
authors.affiliation: Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Mycobacteriology Department, University Hospital of Crete, Herakleon, Greece.
authors.forename: Zoe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gitti
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Modena University Hospital, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grottola
authors.affiliation: DSMZ, German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Klenk
authors.affiliation: Regional Reference Center for Mycobacteria, Microbiology and Virology Laboratory, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mannino
authors.affiliation: Cytogenetics and Genetics Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mariottini
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Modena University Hospital, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimino
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Messinò
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Modena University Hospital, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pecorari
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Modena University Hospital, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rumpianesi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D009171:Mycolic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D009171:Mycolic Acids; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S