Corynebacterium anserum sp. nov., isolated from the faeces of greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons) at Poyang Lake, PR China

Update on Novel Taxa and Revised Taxonomic Status of Bacteria Isolated from Nondomestic Animals Described in 2018 to 2021

Revisions and new additions to bacterial taxonomy can have a significant widespread impact on clinical practice, infectious disease epidemiology, veterinary microbiology laboratory operations, and wildlife conservation efforts. The expansion of genome sequencing technologies has revolutionized our knowledge of the microbiota of humans, animals, and insects. Here, we address novel taxonomy and nomenclature revisions of veterinary significance that impact bacteria isolated from nondomestic wildlife, with emphasis being placed on bacteria that are associated with disease in their hosts or were isolated from host animal species that are culturally significant, are a target of conservation efforts, or serve as reservoirs for human pathogens.

Description of Corynebacterium poyangense sp. nov., isolated from the feces of the greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons)

Two novel Gram-positive, non-spore-forming, facultatively anaerobic, non-motile, and short rods to coccoid strains were isolated from the feces of the greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons) at Poyang Lake. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of strains 4H37-19^T and 3HC-13 shared highest identity to that of Corynebacterium uropygiale Iso10^T (97.8%). Phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses indicated that strains 4H37-19^T and 3HC-13 formed an independent clade within genus Corynebacterium and clustered with Corynebacterium uropygiale Iso10^T. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization value between strains 4H37-19^T and 3HC-13 and members within genus Corynebacterium were all below 95% and 70%, respectively. The genomic G + C content of strains 4H37-19^T and 3HC-13 was 52.5%. Diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidyl inositol mannosides (PIM) were the major polar lipids, with C_18:1ω9c, C_16:0, and C_18:0 as the major fatty acids, and MK-8 (H4), MK-8(H₂), and MK-9(H₂) as the predominant respiratory quinones. The major whole cell sugar was arabinose, and the cell wall included mycolic acids. The cell wall peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid (meso-DAP). The polyphasic taxonomic data shows that these two strains represent a novel species of the genus Corynebacterium, for which the name Corynebacterium poyangense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Corynebacterium poyangense is 4H37-19^T (=GDMCC 1.1738^T = KACC 21671^T).

Corynebacterium zhongnanshanii sp. nov. isolated from trachea of Marmota himalayana, Corynebacterium lujinxingii sp. nov. and Corynebacterium wankanglinii sp. nov. from human faeces

Six novel facultatively anaerobic, Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, non-haemolytic bacteria (zg-320^T/zg-336, zg-917^T/zg-910 and zg-913^T/zg-915) isolated from animal tissues and human faeces were found to belong to the genus Corynebacterium based on the phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA gene and 262 core genes set. Based on the greatest degree of 16S rRNA similarity, zg-320^T/zg-336 had the highest 16S rRNA gene similarity to Corynebacterium falsenii DSM 44353^T (97.51 %), zg-917^T/zg-910 to Corynebacterium coyleae DSM 44184^T (98.68 %), and zg-913^T/zg-915 to Corynebacterium afermentans subsp. lipophilum CIP 103500^T (98.79 %). The three novel type strains had a relatively high DNA G+C content (61.2-64.4 mol%), low DNA relatedness and ANI values with their respective neighbours: 23.5/72.7 %, 25.0/72.3%and 22.6/73.1 % (zg-320^T vs. Corynebacterium auriscanis CIP 106629^T, Corynebacterium resistens DSM 45100^T and Corynebacterium suicordis DSM 45110^T); 24.4/82.3% and 23.7/81.3 % (zg-917^T vs. C. coyleae DSM 44184^T and Corynebacterium jeddahense JCB^T); 26.8/83.7% and 27.7/84.4 % (zg-913^T vs. Corynebacterium mucifaciens ATCC 700355^T and C. afermentans subsp. lipophilum CCUG 32105^T). The three novel species had C_16 : 0, C_18 : 0, C_18 : 1  ω9c and C_18 : 0 ante/C_18 : 2  ω6,9c as the major cellular fatty acids; MK-8(H₂) in strain zg-917^T and MK-9(H₂) in strains zg-320^T and zg-913^T were found to be the major respiratory quinones. For the three novel species, the detected major polar lipids included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidyl inositol mannoside, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol, the cell-wall peptidoglycan was based on meso-DAP, and the whole-cell sugars mainly included ribose, arabinose and galactose. The three novel species grew optimally at 35-37 °C, 0.5 % (w/v) NaCl and pH 7.0-8.0; notably, they were tolerant of 10.5 % (w/v) NaCl. Based on the results of these comprehensive analyses, three novel species in the genus Corynebacterium are proposed, aptly named Corynebacterium zhongnanshanii sp. nov. (zg-320^T = GDMCC 1.1719^T = JCM 34106^T), Corynebacterium lujinxingii sp. nov. (zg-917^T = GDMCC 1.1707^T = JCM 34094^T) and Corynebacterium wankanglinii sp. nov. (zg-913^T = GDMCC 1.1706^T = JCM 34398^T).

Nanchangia anserum gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from feces of greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons)

Two rod-shaped and Gram-stain-positive bacteria (strains C64^T and C62) were isolated in 2020 from faeces of greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons) from Poyang Lake, PR China. Their optimal growth conditions were at 37 °C, pH 7.0 and with 0.5 % (w/v) NaCl. The two isolates showed a highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Bowdeniella nasicola DSM 19116^T (92.1 %). Phylogenetic/phylogenomic analyses indicated that strains C64^T and C62 clustered independently in the vicinity of the genera Varibaculum, Winkia and Mobiluncus within the family Actinomycetaceae, but could not be classified clearly as members of any of these known genera. The average amino acid identity values between our isolates and available genomes of members of the family Actinomycetaceae were around the genus threshold value (45-65 %). The major cellular fatty acids of the strains were C_18 : 1ω9c and C_16 : 0. The predominant polar lipids were phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, diacylglycerol, triacylglycerol and cardiolipin. The amino acid composition of peptidoglycan contained alanine, glutamic acid and glycine. The major respiratory menaquinones were MK-8(H₄) and MK-9(H₄). The whole cell sugars included galactose, arabinose and glucose. On the basis of the results of the 16S rRNA gene sequences comparison, whole-genome phylogenomic analysis, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, we propose that strains C64^T and C62 represent a novel species belonging to a novel genus within the family Actinomycetaceae, for which the name Nanchangia anserum gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Nanchangia anserum C64^T (=CGMCC 1.18410^T=GDMCC 1.1969^T=KCTC 49511^T=KACC 22143^T).