Homologies of Deoxyribonucleic Acids from Brucella ovis , Canine Abortion Organisms, and other Brucella Species

Abstract

The bacterium that causes canine abortion has polynucleotide sequences similar, in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-DNA homology studies, to those of Brucella suis and, by inference from previous data, those of B. abortus and B. melitensis as well as B. neotomae . Therefore, the organism causing canine abortion appears to be a member of the genus Brucella . DNA preparations from Serratia marcescens, Alcaligenes faecalis, and Bordetella bronchiseptica , 58, 62, and 66 mole% guanine plus cytosine, respectively, do not have detectable polynucleotide sequence homologies with B. suis DNA which is 56 mole% guanine plus cytosine. B. ovis DNA lacks some of the polynucleotide sequences present in B. suis DNA and appears to be a deletion mutant. However, a large proportion of B. ovis polynucleotides are similar to those of other Brucella species, which supports the inclusion of B. ovis in the genus.