Spirochaeta coccoides sp. nov., a novel coccoid spirochete from the hindgut of the termite Neotermes castaneus.

ABSTRACT: A novel spirochete strain, SPN1, was isolated from the hindgut contents of the termite Neotermes castaneus. The highest similarities (about 90%) of the strain SPN1 16S rRNA gene sequence are with spirochetes belonging to the genus Spirochaeta, and thus, the isolate could not be assigned to the so-called termite clusters of the treponemes or to a known species of the genus Spirochaeta. Therefore, it represents a novel species, which was named Spirochaeta coccoides. In contrast to all other known validly described spirochete species, strain SPN1 shows a coccoid morphology and is immotile. The isolated strain is obligately anaerobic and ferments different mono-, di-, and oligosaccharides by forming formate, acetate, and ethanol as the main fermentation end products. Furthermore, strain SPN1 i

SUBMITTER: Droge S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1352290 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature