Characterization of a Rothia-like organism from a mouse: description of Rothia nasimurium sp nov and reclassification of Stomatococcus mucilaginosus as Rothia mucilaginosa comb. nov.

An unknown, Gram-positive, ovoid-shaped bacterium isolated from the nose of a mouse was subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic analysis. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequuencing demonstrated that the unknown organism was a member o f the family Micrococcaceae and possessed a specific phylogenetic associati on with Rothia dentocariosa and Stomatococcus mucilaginosus. Phenotypically , the bacterium closely resembled R. dentocariosa and S. mucilaginosus but could be distinguished from these species by biochemical tests and electrop horetic analysis of whole-cell proteins. Based on both phylogenetic and phe notypic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown bacterium be classified i n the genus Rothia, as Rothia nasimurium sp. nov. In addition, it is propos ed that S. mucilaginosus be reclassified in the genus Rothia, as Rothia muc ilaginosa comb. nov.