Erwinia wuhanensis sp. nov. isolated from human blood

A novel Erwinia strain, BC051422^T, was isolated from the blood of a patient at the Central Hospital of Wuhan, Wuhan, PR China, in 2022. The strain was identified as gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, motile, and rod-shaped.

Preliminary analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence and multilocus sequence analysis of the atpD, infB, rpoB, and gyrB genes unveiled that this strain is closely related to Erwinia members. Whole-genome sequencing was performed, and the average nucleotide identity (ANI) and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization (isDDH) values between strain BC051422^T and type strains of all known Erwiniaceae species ranged from 68.8% to 83.4% and 19.2% to 35.5%, respectively, which below the accepted species delineation thresholds of 95% for ANI and 70% for isDDH. The major cellular fatty acids of strain BC051422^T were C_16:0, C_16:1 ω7c/C_16:1 ω6c, and C_17:0 cyclo, consistent with profiles similar to those observed in other Erwinia species. The genomic DNA G+C content was 55.95 mol%. Strain BC051422^T can be differentiated from other Erwinia species by its ability to ferment sucrose, but its inability to metabolize mannose, rhamnose, melibiose, and sorbitol.

Genotypic and phenotypic characteristics together support the classification of strain BC051422^T as a novel species of the genus Erwinia, for which the name Erwinia wuhanensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of E. wuhanensis sp. nov. is BC051422^T (=GDMCC 1.4074^T = JCM 36319^T).