Moraxella pluranimalium sp nov., isolated from animal specimens

Four unusual Gram-negative, catalase-positive, oxidase-positive, coccus-shaped bacteria isolated from one sheep and three pigs were characterized using phenotypic and molecular genetic methods. On the basis of cellular morphology and biochemical criteria, the isolates were tentatively assigned to the genus Moraxella, although the organisms did not appear to correspond to any recognized species. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies demonstrated that the isolates represent a novel subline within the genus Moraxella. The most closely related species in phylogenetic terms was Moraxella cuniculi, with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 97.9% to the type strain CCUG 2154(T), although the DNA-DNA relatedness value was only 29%. The novel isolates were readily distinguished from all recognized Moraxella species by means of physiological and biochemical tests. On the basis of molecular genetic and phenotypic evidence, therefore, the four isolates represent a novel species of the genus Moraxella, for which the name Moraxella pluranimalium sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 248-01(T) (=CECT 7295(T) =CCUG 54913(T)).