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Mycobacterium hippocampi sp. nov., a Rapidly Growing Scotochromogenic Species Isolated from a Seahorse with Tail Rot

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Abstract

A Gram-positive, aerobic, non-motile, non-sporulating, acid-fast, and rod-shaped bacterium (BFLP-6T), previously isolated from a seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus) with tail rot, was studied using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Growth occurred at 15–35 °C (optimum 25 °C), at pH 5.0–10.0 (optimum pH 7.0) and at NaCl concentrations between 0 and 6 % (w/v). The G+C content of DNA was 66.7 mol%. The predominant fatty acids were C18:1 ω9c, C16:0 and C16:1 ω6c. A mycolic acid pattern of alpha-mycolates and keto-mycolates was detected. Analysis of concatenated sequences (16S rRNA, rpoB, ssrA and tuf genes), and chemotaxonomic and phenotypic features indicated that strain BFLP-6T represents a novel species within the genus Mycobacterium, for which the name Mycobacterium hippocampi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BFLP-6T (=DSM 45391T =LMG 25372T).

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Acknowledgments

This study was financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Projects CGL2005-05927-C03-01 and CGL2009-08386) and by the Regional Government Xunta de Galicia (09MDS022402PR). J.L.B. acknowledges receipt of an I3P postdoctoral contract from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), co-financed by the European Social Fund. We thank P. Quintas, A. Chamorro, M. Cueto and S. Otero for skilful technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Eduardo Cabello 6, 36208, Vigo, Spain

    José Luis Balcázar, Miquel Planas & José Pintado

  2. Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Scientific and Technological Park of the University of Girona, Carrer Emili Grahit 101, 17003, Girona, Spain

    José Luis Balcázar

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  1. José Luis Balcázar
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  2. Miquel Planas
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  3. José Pintado
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Correspondence to José Luis Balcázar.

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Balcázar, J.L., Planas, M. & Pintado, J. Mycobacterium hippocampi sp. nov., a Rapidly Growing Scotochromogenic Species Isolated from a Seahorse with Tail Rot. Curr Microbiol 69, 329–333 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-014-0588-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-014-0588-6

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