Taxonomy and Epidemiology. In: Horaud T, Bouvet A, Leclercq R, de Montclos H, Sicard M, editors. Streptococci and the Host. Boston: Springer US; 1997. pp. 299-306. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4899-1825-3_73]

Characterization of yellow-pigmented and motile enterococci isolated from intestines of the garden snail Helix aspersa

AIMS

Enterococci associated with garden snails (Helix aspersa) were studied in order to obtain reliable species identification and characterization.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Twelve yellow-pigmented and motile enterococci, isolated from the intestines of garden snails, were phenotypically close to Enterococcus casseliflavus, but they showed certain unusual biochemical characteristics. tRNA intergenic length polymorphism analysis (tDNA-PCR) divided all strains studied into two groups, in full agreement with biochemical test results. 16S rDNA sequencing, DNA base composition analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization results showed unambiguously that the enterococci studied belonged to the species Ent. casseliflavus. The representative strains of described ecovars were deposited in the Czech Collection of Microorganisms (CCM) as Ent. casseliflavus CCM 4868, 4869, 4870 and 4871.

CONCLUSIONS

Enterococcus casseliflavus associated with garden snails can be subdivided into groups.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Enterococcus casseliflavus differs from other enterococcal species in that it is typically associated with plants, soil, water and invertebrate animals. The different groups that can be found in these widely occurring bacteria are possibly source-specific ecovars, as exemplified by the Ent. casseliflavus inhabiting the intestines of snails.

Evaluation of ribotyping for characterization and identification of Enterococcus haemoperoxidus and Enterococcus moraviensis strains

Seven Enterococcus moraviensis and 16 Enterococcus haemoperoxidus as well as nine reference cultures of other enterococcal species obtained from the Czech Collection of Microorganisms were characterized using ribotyping with EcoRI and HindIII in the present work. The ribopatterns obtained by both restriction enzymes clearly distinguished all E. moraviensis and E. haemoperoxidus strains from the other enterococci (E. faecalis, E. faecium, E. avium, E. raffinosus, E. pseudoavium, E. malodoratus) and they differentiated both species from each other as well. Although all strains were isolated from different sampling sites, many strains shared the same band patterns. E. moraviensis formed four ribogroups using EcoRI and two ribogroups using HindIII restriction enzyme. E. haemoperoxidus gave six different patterns with EcoRI and five using the HindIII restriction enzyme.