Corynebacterium uterequi sp. nov., a non-lipophilic bacterium isolated from urogenital samples from horses

Hoyles, L., Ortman, K., Cardew, S., Foster, G., Rogerson, F. and Falsen, E. (2013) Corynebacterium uterequi sp. nov., a non-lipophilic bacterium isolated from urogenital samples from horses. Veterinary Microbiology, 165 (3-4). pp. 469-474. ISSN 0378-1135 doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2013.03.025

Abstract/Summary

Three strains of a Gram-positive, catalase-positive, fermentative, non-lipophilic, previously unknown bacterium were isolated from urogenital samples taken from mares in Scotland (M401624/00/1) and Sweden (VM 2074 and VM 2298T). All were deposited with the CCUG with tentative identifications as Corynebacterium spp. The strains were characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Biochemically, the strains were very similar to each other, but phylogenetically distinct from Corynebacterium species with validly published names (≤95% sequence similarity). rpoB gene sequence data confirmed the strains belonged to the same species (>99% sequence similarity) and were distinct from species with validly published names (>13% sequence divergence). On the basis of phenotypic and sequence data, the strains represent a novel species within the genus Corynebacterium, for which the name Corynebacterium uterequi is proposed. The type strain is VM 2298T (=CCUG 61235T = DSM 45634T), isolated from equine uterus.