MYCOBACTERIUM NOVOCASTRENSE SP. NOV., A RAPIDLY GROWING PHOTOCHROMOGENIC MYCOBACTERIUM

A strain isolated from a biopsy sample taken from a slowly spreading s kin granulation on a child's hand was found to have properties consist ent with its classification in the genus Mycobacterium. An almost comp lete gene sequence of the 16S rRNA of the strain was determined follow ing the cloning and sequencing of the amplified gene, The sequence was aligned with those available for mycobacteria, and phylogenetic trees were inferred with four tree-making algorithms. The organism, which f ormed a distinct phyletic line within the evolutionary radiation occup ied by rapidly growing mycobacteria, was readily distinguished from me mbers of validly described species of rapidly growing mycobacteria on the basis of its mycolic acid pattern and a number of other phenotypic features, notably its ability to form yellow pigmented colonies when incubated in the light, The name proposed for this new species is Myco bacterium novocastrense. The type strain is DSM 44203.