Corynebacterium capitovis sp nov., from a sheep

An unknown Gram-positive rod-shaped bacterium was isolated from skin scrapi ngs from the infected head of a sheep and subjected to a polyphasic taxonom ic analysis. Chemical analysis revealed the presence of straight-chain and monounsaturated fatty acids and short-chain (C-32-C-36) mycolic acids consi stent with the genus Corynebacterium, Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing confirmed that the unknown rod was a member of the genus Corynebacterium, w ith the organism forming a distinct sub-line and displaying greater than 3% sequence divergence with established species. The unknown Corynebacterium isolate was readily distinguished from recognized species of the genus by b iochemical tests and electrophoretic analysis of whole-cell proteins. Based on phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown b acterium from a sheep be classified in the genus Corynebacterium, as Coryne bacterium capitovis sp, nov. The type strain of Corynebacterium capitovis i s CCUG 39779(T) (= CIP 106739(T)).