title: Campylobacter iguaniorum sp. nov., isolated from reptiles.
abstract: During sampling of reptiles for members of the class Epsilonproteobacteria, strains representing a member of the genus Campylobacter not belonging to any of the established taxa were isolated from lizards and chelonians. Initial amplified fragment length polymorphism, PCR and 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed that these strains were most closely related to Campylobacter fetus and Campylobacter hyointestinalis. A polyphasic study was undertaken to determine the taxonomic position of five strains. The strains were characterized by 16S rRNA and atpA sequence analysis, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and conventional phenotypic testing. Whole-genome sequences were determined for strains 1485E(T) and 2463D, and the average nucleotide and amino acid identities were determined for these strains. The strains formed a robust phylogenetic clade, divergent from all other species of the genus Campylobacter. In contrast to most currently known members of the genus Campylobacter, the strains showed growth at ambient temperatures, which might be an adaptation to their reptilian hosts. The results of this study clearly show that these strains isolated from reptiles represent a novel species within the genus Campylobacter, for which the name Campylobacter iguaniorum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 1485E(T) ( = LMG 28143(T) = CCUG 66346(T)).
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maarten J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.affiliation: Department Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kik
authors.affiliation: Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Albany, USA.
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: WHO Collaborating Centre for Campylobacter/OIE Reference Laboratory for Campylobacteriosis, Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Duim
authors.affiliation: Central Veterinary Institute of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, The Netherlands.|WHO Collaborating Centre for Campylobacter/OIE Reference Laboratory for Campylobacteriosis, Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jaap A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Wagenaar
mesh_terms: D054458:Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis; D000818:Animals; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001482:Base Composition; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000145:classification*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012104:Reptiles / Q000382:microbiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S