DNA–DNA hybridization study of strains of Chryseobacterium, Elizabethkingia and Empedobacter and of other usually indole-producing non-fermenters of CDC groups IIc, IIe, IIh and IIi, mostly from human clinical sources, and proposals of Chryseobacterium bernardetii sp. nov., Chryseobacterium carnis sp. nov., Chryseobacterium lactis sp. nov., Chryseobacterium nakagawai sp. nov. and Chryseobacterium taklimakanense comb. nov.

Abstract

The taxonomic classification of 182 phenotypically similar isolates was evaluated using DNA–DNA hybridization and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. These bacterial isolates were mainly derived from clinical sources; all were Gram-negative non-fermenters and most were indole-producing. Phenotypically, they resembled species from the genera Chryseobacterium , Elizabethkingia or Empedobacter or belonged to CDC groups IIc, IIe, IIh and IIi. Based on these analyses, four novel species are described: Chryseobacterium bernardetii sp. nov. (type strain NCTC 13530T = CCUG 60564T = CDC G229T), Chryseobacterium carnis sp. nov. (type strain NCTC 13525T = CCUG 60559T = CDC G81T), Chryseobacterium lactis sp. nov. (type strain NCTC 11390T = CCUG 60566T = CDC KC1864T) and Chryseobacterium nakagawai sp. nov. (type strain NCTC 13529T = CCUG 60563T = CDC G41T). The new combination Chryseobacterium taklimakanense comb. nov. (type strain NCTC 13490T = X-65T = CCTCC AB 208154T = NRRL B-51322T) is also proposed to accommodate the reclassified Planobacterium taklimakanense.