Uruburuella testudinis sp. nov., isolated from tortoise (Testudo)

A polyphasic taxonomic analysis was carried out on 11 uncommon Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, catalase- and oxidase-positive, but indole-negative, bacterial strains isolated from tortoises. Phenotypically and genetically they represented a homogeneous group of organisms most closely related to, but distinct from, Uruburuella suis . In a reconstructed 16S rRNA gene tree they clustered on a monophyletic branch next to U. suis with gene similarities between strains of 99.5–100 %, and of up to 98.2 % with U. suis . DNA–DNA hybridization indicated the organisms represented a novel species with only 40 % DNA-DNA similarity with U. suis . Partial sequencing of rpoB resulted in two subclusters confirming the 16S rRNA gene phylogeny; both genes allowed clear separation and identification of the novel species. Furthermore, they could be unambiguously identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight MS, where, again, they formed a highly homogeneous cluster separate from U. suis and other members of the family Neisseriaceae . The major fatty acids were C16 : 0 and summed feature C16 : 1ω7c/iso-C15 : 0 2-OH. The DNA G+C content was 54.4 mol%. Based on phenotypic and genetic data we propose classifying these organisms as representatives of a novel species named Uruburuella testudinis sp. nov. The type strain is 07_OD624T ( = DSM 26510T = CCUG 63373T).