ABSTRACT
Twenty-two agarolytic, aerobic, spore-forming strains were characterized taxonomically by DNA-DNA reassociation experiments, riboprint analyses, 16S rDNA sequencing and phenetic similarity analyses. Based on riboprint analyses, the strains formed eight ribogroups, six of which contained 2-6 strains and two encompassed single strains. Within the multi-strain ribogroups, similarities ranged from 91-99%. Phylogenetic analyses of representatives of the eight groups by 16S rDNA sequence analysis showed that the strains were affiliated to the genus Paenibacillus, but relatedness to described Paenibacillus species was only moderate (<97.8% sequence similarity). Published DNA-DNA similarity values for most of the agarolytic strains, supplemented with new data, supported the distinctiveness of the eight ribogroups. Intragroup DNA-DNA similarity values ranged from 80 to 104%, while intergroup DNA-DNA similarities were <35%. Based on genomic distinctiveness and supported by the presence of distinguishing phenotypic properties, multi-strain groups 1 and 2 are proposed as novel species, Paenibacillus agarexedens sp. nov., nom. rev. (type strain, DSM 1327T=CIP 107437T) and Paenibacillus agaridevorans sp. nov. (type strain, DSM 1355T=CIP 107436T).
Subject(s)
Bacillus/classification , Bacillus/genetics , Bacillus/metabolism , Cell Wall/chemistry , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , DNA, Ribosomal/genetics , Molecular Sequence Data , Phenotype , RNA, Bacterial/genetics , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Species SpecificityABSTRACT
Ribosomal RNA gene restriction patterns have been determined for 43 strains of Bacillus thuringiensis representing 10 serovars and eight reference strains of B. anthracis, B. cereus and B. mycoides. Strains within a B. thuringiensis serovar produced highly related or identical ribotype patterns: in particular, 12 strains of serovar israelensis, five strains of serovar kurstaki, two strains of serovar galleriae and three strains of serovar aizawa produced ribotype patterns consistent with serotype designations. Moreover, variety tenebrionis (serotype 8a8b), a coleopteran pathogen, could be distinguished from the more common lepidopteran pathogens of this serotype (serovar morrisoni) by ribotyping. The correlation of ribotype patterns with serotype suggests a clonal population structure for B. thuringiensis.
Subject(s)
Bacillus thuringiensis/classification , Bacillus thuringiensis/genetics , Bacterial Toxins , Bacterial Typing Techniques , DNA, Ribosomal/genetics , Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Bacillus/classification , Bacillus/genetics , Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins , Bacterial Proteins/genetics , Base Sequence , Cluster Analysis , Endotoxins/genetics , Hemolysin Proteins , Molecular Sequence Data , SerotypingABSTRACT
Information technology plays an increasingly vital role in bioindustrial development and in the establishment of biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the environment. Recognizing the need and importance of local and regional database developments, the Tropical Data Base is establishing an interactive biodiversity/biotechnology information resource. The system is linked to major international networks and information centres, and is based on a workstation system and personal computers. All software was developed to attend specific needs and to cope with hardware limitations, making the system adequate to other developing countries.
Subject(s)
Biotechnology , Information Systems , Brazil , Computers , Genetic Variation , SoftwareABSTRACT
The dynamic expansion of the taxonomic knowledge base is fundamental to further developments in biotechnology and sustainable conservation strategies. The vast array of software tools for numerical taxonomy and probabilistic identification, in conjunction with automated systems for data generation are allowing the construction of large computerised strain databases. New techniques available for the generation of chemical and molecular data, associated with new software tools for data analysis, are leading to a quantum leap in bacterial systematics. The easy exchange of data through an interactive and highly distributed global computer network, such as the Internet, is facilitating the dissemination of taxonomic data. Relevant information for comparative sequence analysis, ribotyping, protein and DNA electrophoretic pattern analysis is available on-line through computerised networks. Several software packages are available for the analysis of molecular data. Nomenclatural and taxonomic 'Authority Files' are available from different sources together with strain specific information. The increasing availability of public domain software, is leading to the establishment and integration of public domain databases all over the world, and promoting co-operative research projects on a scale never seen before.
