Taxonomic Studies on Streptococcus bovis and Streptococcus equinus: Description of Streptococcus alactolyticus sp. nov. and Streptococcus saccharolyticus sp. nov.

Reappraisal of the taxonomy of the Streptococcus bovis/Streptococcus equinus complex and related species: description of Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus subsp. nov., S. gallolyticus subsp. macedonicus subsp. nov. and S. gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus subsp. nov.

“…Our laboratory has conducted genotypic studies on strains of S. bovis biotype II.1 (mannitol-and b-glucuronidase-negative and a-galactosidase-positive). Our results have shown that S. bovis biotype II.1 includes strains belonging to DNA group 1 of Farrow et al (1984), whereas the strains of S. infantarius subsp. infantarius, which have a closely related phenotype, belong to DNA group 4 (Bouvet et al, 1997;Schlegel et al, 2000).…”

“…We have reappraised the classification of the 'S. bovis/ S. equinus' complex proposed by Farrow et al (1984). Using DNA-DNA hybridizations and 16S rDNA sequences, we demonstrate that S. macedonicus and S. waius are subjective synonyms and that S. bovis biotype II.2 strains, S. gallolyticus and S. macedonicus are subspecies of a single species.…”

“…All the strains produced leucine aminopeptidase and alanyl-phenylalanylproline arylamidase. Table 2 shows the reactions obtained with the 84 strains representative of all species of group D streptococci sensu stricto, the two strains of DNA group 3 of Farrow et al (1984) and the type strains of S. suis and E. saccharolyticus. Except for S. suis and E. saccharolyticus, they did not produce pyrrolidonyl arylamidase.…”

“…This association led to great interest in the identification of group D streptococci, which are common inhabitants of the intestinal flora of humans and animals (Facklam, 1972;Farrow et al, 1984;Osawa et al, 1995). Since the initial antigen-based description of the group D streptococci by Lancefield (1933), Streptococcus equinus and S. bovis have been separated from Streptococcus suis, which may possess this antigen (Bentley et al, 1991; S. bovis strains are delineated into two biotypes according to their ability (biotype I) or inability (biotype II) to ferment mannitol.…”

“…Furthermore, Osawa (1990) demonstrated that the S. bovis biotype I strains produce tannase. Indeed, hydrolysis of tannins and decarboxylation of gallic acid are characteristic of strains of DNA group 2 of Farrow et al (1984), which Osawa et al (1995) called Streptococcus gallolyticus. Simultaneously, Brooker et al (1994) proposed that tannin-tolerant strains isolated from goats should be named Streptococcus caprinus.…”