Catellicoccus marimammalium gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel Gram-positive, catalase-negative, coccus-shaped bacterium from porpoise and grey seal

Abstract

Two strains of an unknown Gram-positive, catalase-negative, facultatively anaerobic, coccus-shaped bacterium, originating from a porpoise and a grey seal, were characterized using phenotypic, biochemical and molecular phylogenetic methods. Chemical studies revealed the presence of a cell-wall murein based on l-lysine (type l-lys–gly–d-Asp) and a DNA G+C content of 38 mol%. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that this unidentified coccus-shaped organism formed a hitherto unknown subline closely related to, albeit distinct from, a number of other catalase-negative genera which included Enterococcus, Melissococcus, Tetragenococcus and Vagococcus. Other known Gram-positive, catalase-negative taxa were more distantly related. Tree-branching considerations and sequence divergence values of >6 % with recognized taxa were indicative of this novel bacterium representing a separate genus. Based on phenotypic and phylogenetic evidence, it is proposed that this unknown bacterium, recovered from a porpoise and a grey seal, be classified as a novel genus and species, Catellicoccus marimammalium gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain is M35/04/3T (=CCUG 49459T=CIP 108575T).