Buttiauxella, a new genus of the family Enterobacteraceae

In this communication we report on the taxonomic position of strains previously alloted to group F by numerical phenotypic analysis (Gavini et al., 1976b) according to DNA-DNA hybridization studies. This group comprising 28 strains isolated from drinking water and soil is related to the genus Citrobacter on the basis of the IMViC tests. It differs from this taxon with respect to the numerical analysis of its phenotype and also in its G + C mol % of DNA (Ferragut et al., 1978a).

DNA reassociation obtained with labeled reference DNA from strain F44 = CUETM 77-167 showed that 60% of the F-strains constitute a genetically homogenous group with a relative binding rate higher than 82%. The other strains of this group showed a lower DNA-DNA relatedness (32 to 66%). The experiments carried out with species of the family Enterobacteraceae revealed moderate (35–43%) and low (4–35%) levels of relatedness.

The phenotypical and genotypical data allow us to propose a new genus Buttiauxella gen. nov. for F-strains with a relative DNA relatedness higher than 80%. A new species designated Buttiauxella agrestis sp. nov., with strain CIP 80-31 (= CUETM 77-167) as the type strain, is described.