A new bacterial species is described, for which the name Streptomyces
turgidiscabies is proposed. This organism causes potato (Solanum tuber
osum) scab in eastern Hokkaido, Japan; the lesions caused are distinct
ly erumpent. In culture, S. turgidiscabies is distinct from other scab
-causing Streptomyces species, having flexuous spore chains and grey m
ass colour. The spores of this organism are cylindrical and smooth. It
s cell walls contain the LL-diaminopimelic acid isomer, and its DNA GC content is 71 mol%. S. turgidiscabies does not produce melanin or ot
her diffusible pigments, does not grow on agar media at ph 4.0 or 37 d
egrees C, is positive for utilization of raffinose and inulin as a car
bon source, and is sensitive to streptomycin (20 mu g ml(-1)), penicil
lin G (10 IU ml(-1)), polymyxin B (15 mu g ml(-1)), and thallium aceta
te (10 pg ml(-1)). The levels of DNA relatedness within S. turgidiscab
ies strains are high but relatedness between strains of this species a
nd strains of S. acidiscabies, S. scabies, S. caviscabies, S. griseus,
S. setonii and S. tendae are low. The type strain is SY9113(T) (= ATC
C 700248(T) = IFO 16080(T)).