Reclassification of ATCC 9341 from Micrococcus luteus to Kocuria rhizophila

Strain ATCC 9341, currently known as Micrococcus luteus, has been designated as a quality-control strain in a number of applications. It is also cited as the standard culture in several official methods and manuals, as well as the Code of Federal Regulations. Over the years, it has become apparent that ATCC 9341 does not resemble other M. luteus strains; however, its phenotypic characteristics alone were ambiguous. Recently, a polyphasic study was performed in which molecular data were combined with cytochemical properties and physiological characteristics. The results clearly indicate that ATCC 9341 is a member of the genus Kocuria. Thus, it is proposed to reclassify ATCC 9341 as Kocuria rhizophila and to alert users worldwide of this name change.