Moraxella boevrei sp. nov., a new Moraxella species found in goats

Six Moraxella-like strains that formed a phenotypically homogeneous group were isolated from the nasal flora of healthy goats. Total genomic DNA-DNA hybridization, rRNA gene restriction pattern, DNA base composition, and genetic transformation studies were performed to determine the relationships of these bacteria to species belonging to the genus Moraxella and other fastidious gram-negative species. The new group of isolates was very homogeneous, as shown by rRNA gene restriction fragment length patterns (ribotyping), and these organisms displayed high relative binding ratios (RBRs) to each other in DNA-DNA hybridization experiments (RBRs, > or = 58%) but distinctly lower levels of DNA homology with all other species investigated. However, the RBRs obtained with species of the genus Moraxella were higher than the RBRs obtained with all other gram-negative strains examined. Although the new strains had most of the Moraxella bovis phenotypic characteristics except nitrate reduction, quantitative and qualitative genetic transformation data led to the conclusion that they belong to a distinct new cluster in the genus Moraxella. The results of this study, combined with the general morphological and phenotypic profiles of the new strains, are consistent with the creation of a new Moraxella species, for which the name Moraxella boevrei is proposed. Strain 88365 (= ATCG 700022 = CCUG 35435 = NCTC 12925 = CIP 104716) is the type strain of M. boevrei.