Corynebacterium spheniscorum sp. nov., isolated from the cloacae of wild penguins
Investigation article published in International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology
January 1st, 2003
Twenty unidentified Gram-positive, rod-shaped organisms were recovered from the cloacae of apparently healthy wild penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic analysis. On the basis of cellular morphology and biochemical criteria, the isolates were tentatively assigned to the genus Corynebacterium, although the organisms did not appear to correspond to any recognized species. Lipid studies confirmed this generic placement, and comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that the unidentified organisms represent a hitherto unknown subline, associated with a small subcluster of species that includes Corynebacterium diphtheriae and its close relatives. On the basis of phenotypic and phylogenetic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown isolates from penguins be classified in the genus Corynebacterium, as Corynebacterium spheniscorum sp. nov. The type strain is strain PG 39T (=CCUG 45512T =CECT 5986T)
Goyache J., Vela AI., Collins MD., Ballesteros C., Briones V., Moreno J., Yorio P., Dominguez L., Hutson RA. and Fernandez-Garayzabal JF..
 | Departamento de Sanidad Animal. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
| Servicio de Identificación y Caracterización Microbiana (ICM). Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
| School of Food Biosciences. University of Reading. | |
 | Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN). Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). |
| Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). | |
