Flavobacterium cutihirudinis sp. nov., isolated from the skin of the medical leech Hirudo verbana
Taxonomy paper published in International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology (2013)
Abstract
A Gram-staining-negative, non-endospore-forming, yellow-pigmented strain (E89(T)) was isolated from the skin of the medical leech Hirudo verbana obtained from a leech farm located in Biebertal, Germany. 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis showed that the isolate was grouped in the genus Flavobacterium. Strain E89(T) was most closely related to Flavobacterium chilense LM-09-Fp(T) (98.2 %), Flavobacterium chungangense CJ7(T) (98.1 %), and Flavobacterium oncorhynchi 631-08(T) (98.1 %). 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to all other species of the genus Flavobacterium were ≤ 97.4 %. A menaquinone of the type MK-6 was found to be the predominant respiratory quinone and the polar lipid profile consisted of the major compounds phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, two unidentified aminolipids, one unknown phospholipid and two unknown lipids. The fatty acid profile was composed of iso-C15 : 0, C15 : 0, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH) found in major amounts and several hydroxylated fatty acids in smaller amounts, among them iso-C15 : 0 3-OH and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. All these data support the allocation of the isolate in the genus Flavobacterium. Physiological/biochemical characterization and DNA-DNA hybridizations with the type strains of the most closely related species allowed a clear phenotypic and genotypic differentiation of the strain. Based on these data, strain E89(T) represents a novel species of the genus Flavobacterium, for which the name Flavobacterium cutihirudinis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is E89(T) (= DSM 25795(T) = LMG 26922(T) = CIP 110374(T)).
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Summary
Description of Flavobacterium cutihirudinis sp. nov. (E89T) isolated from Hirudo verbana skin, with full polyphasic taxonomic characterization including 16S rRNA, polar lipid, and fatty acid analyses.
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
This paper describes the isolation and taxonomic characterization of a Gram-staining-negative, yellow-pigmented bacterium from the skin of the medical leech Hirudo verbana obtained from a leech farm in Germany, proposed as a novel species Flavobacterium cutihirudinis sp. nov. (type strain E89T). Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, DNA-DNA hybridization, chemotaxonomic profiling, and physiological characterization, the strain was clearly differentiated from the most closely related Flavobacterium species. This is peripherally relevant to ASH as it adds to knowledge of the cutaneous microbial community of medicinal leeches, potentially relevant to microbiological quality and safety. The caveat is that this is purely a taxonomic description with no pathogenicity, clinical, or therapeutic data provided.
Citation
Flavobacterium cutihirudinis sp. nov., isolated from the skin of the medical leech Hirudo verbana.
Glaeser SP, Galatis H, Martin K, Kämpfer P · International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology, 2013
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