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Characterization of a Pathogenic Escherichia coli Strain Derived from Oreochromis spp. Farms Using Whole-Genome Sequencing
Published on: December 23, 2022
Enterococcus alcedinis sp. nov., isolated from common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Petra Frolková1, Pavel Švec2, Ivo Sedláček2
1Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic.
International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology
|February 19, 2013
Summary
Researchers discovered a new bacterial species, Enterococcus alcedinis, isolated from kingfishers. This finding expands the known diversity within the Enterococcus genus and highlights avian hosts as potential reservoirs for novel bacteria.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Bacteriology
- Taxonomy
Background:
- Enterococcus species are common bacteria found in various environments.
- The cloaca of birds can harbor diverse bacterial communities.
- Previous studies have not reported Enterococcus species from common kingfishers (Alcedo atthis).
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize novel bacterial strains isolated from kingfisher cloaca.
- To determine the taxonomic position of these isolates within the genus Enterococcus.
- To propose a new species designation based on comprehensive analysis.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and cultivation of Gram-positive, catalase-negative bacteria.
- Repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) fingerprinting using the (GTG)5 primer.
- 16S rRNA, sodA, pheS, and rpoA gene sequencing.
- Whole-cell protein fingerprinting, automated ribotyping, and extensive phenotyping.
Main Results:
- Two bacterial strains were isolated from the cloaca of common kingfishers.
- rep-PCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated the isolates belonged to the genus Enterococcus, with Enterococcus aquimarinus as the closest relative (97.14% similarity).
- Polyphasic taxonomic analyses confirmed the strains represent a distinct, novel species.
Conclusions:
- The isolated strains constitute a new species within the genus Enterococcus, named Enterococcus alcedinis sp. nov.
- The type strain is L34(T) (= CCM 8433(T) = LMG 27164(T)).
- This study expands the known diversity of Enterococcus and identifies avian hosts as a source of novel bacterial species.
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