title: Actinomyces naturae sp. nov., the first Actinomyces sp. isolated from a non-human or animal source.
abstract: Three facultatively anaerobic, Gram-positive staining, rod-shaped, non-spore forming, flagellated bacterial strains, BL-75, BL-79(T) and BL-104, were isolated from chlorinated solvent-contaminated groundwater. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons showed them to represent a distinct lineage within the genus Actinomyces with sequence identities in the range of <88-95.4% with previously described Actinomyces species. The strains were oxidase and catalase negative. Nitrate was not reduced. Esculin was hydrolyzed. Growth occurred in the temperature range of 20-43°C (optimum 30-37°C) and pH range 4.5-9.0 (optimum pH 6.5). Substrates supporting growth included various mono-, di-, and tri-saccharides. The end products of glucose fermentation were acetate, lactate, succinate and formate. Fermentative growth was observed in the presence of near saturation concentrations of perchloroethene (PCE) and toluene and in the presence of 1,2-dichloroethane and 1,1,2-trichloroethane at concentrations up to at least 24.4 mM and 11.2 mM, respectively. The dominant cellular fatty acids when grown in peptone/yeast extract/glucose (PYG) medium were C(18:1) ω9c, C(16:0), and C(14:0). The peptidoglycan was found to contain the amino acids alanine, glutamic acid, lysine, and ornithine at approximate molar ratios of 1.7 Ala: 2.3 Glu: 1.3 Lys: 1.0 Orn. The cell wall sugars were found to include rhamnose and mannose. The polar lipids were found to include diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phospholipid (PL), phosphoglycolipids (PGL), and glycolipids (GL). The main respiratory quinone of strain BL-79(T) was MK-9(H(4)), with minor components MK-10(H(4)) and MK-8(H(4)). The DNA mol% G+C content of the type strain is 69.8%. On the basis of phylogenetic and phenotypic characteristics, these strains could be differentiated from previously described species of the genus Actinomyces. Strains BL-75, BL-79(T) and BL-104 are designated as a novel species, for which the name Actinomyces naturae sp. nov. is proposed. This is the first Actinomyces species isolated from an environmental rather than human or animal sources. The type strain of Actinomyces naturae is BL-79(T) (= CCUG 56698(T) = NRRL B-24670(T)).
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
authors.forename: Jyoti U
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Brian A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Rash
authors.forename: M Fernanda
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Nobre
authors.forename: Milton S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.forename: Fred A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Rainey
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Moe
mesh_terms: D000190:Actinomyces / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001482:Base Composition; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005285:Fermentation; D005407:Flagella / Q000502:physiology; D060587:Groundwater / Q000382:microbiology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000737:chemistry; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis; D010802:Phylogeny; D011809:Quinones / Q000032:analysis; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D002241:Carbohydrates; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D005227:Fatty Acids; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D010743:Phospholipids; D011809:Quinones; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012989:Soil Pollutants