Reclassification of [Pasteurella] langaaensis as Alitibacter langaaensis gen. nov., comb. nov.

Abstract

[Pasteurella] langaaensis has been found to be polyphyletic in relation to the type species Pasteurella multocida, as endicated by 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons and a number of other comparisons (enclosing the genus name in brackets). 16S rRNA gene sequence-based phylogeny confirmed that [P.] langaaensis is unrelated to other members of Pasteurellaceae at the genus level and may be a candidate for a new genus with 95% 16S rRNA gene sequence identity to the closest related sequence belonging to the type strain of [Actinobacillus] rossii. The highest digital DNA-DNA hybridization value predicted from the whole-genomic sequence of the type strain of [P.] langaaensis was to the type strain of Acinobacillus suis with 26%, confirming a separate taxonomic status at the species level. The phylogenetic comparison of concatenated conserved protein sequences determined in a previous study showed a unique position of the taxon investigated, which qualified for the status of a new genus since the highest conserved protein sequence identity was found to [A.] rossii with 86%. A new genus with one species, Alitibacter langaaensis gen. nov., comb. nov., is proposed. The genus can be separated from other genera in the family Pasteurellaceae by from 1 up to 12 phenotypic characters, and it is monotypic from other genera with respect to analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences as well as of predicted core genomic proteins. The type strain of Alitibacter langaaensis is F73^T (=NCTC 11411^T=CCUG 15566^T=DSM 22999^T=CPI 102678^T=ATCC 43328^T).