International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, Vol 50, 1547-1551, Copyright © 2000 by Society for General Microbiology

Actinomyces canis sp. nov., isolated from dogs

L Hoyles, E Falsen, G Foster, C Pascual, C Greko and MD Collins
Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 226, Reading RG6 6AP, UK

Three strains of a previously undescribed catalase-positive Actinomyces-like bacterium were isolated from dogs. Biochemical testing and PAGE analysis of whole-cell proteins indicated that the strains were phenotypically highly related to each other but different from previously described Actinomyces and Arcanobacterium species. Sequencing of 16S rRNA showed that the unknown bacterium represents a new subline within a cluster of species which includes Actinomyces hyovaginalis, Actinomyces georgiae, Actinomyces meyeri, Actinomyces odontolyticus, Actinomyces radingae and Actinomyces turicensis. On the basis of phenotypic evidence and 16S rRNA sequence divergence levels (greater than 5% with recognized Actinomyces species) it is proposed that the unknown strains from canine sources be classified as a new species with the name Actinomyces canis sp. nov. The type strain of Actinomyces canis is CCUG 41706(T) (=CIP 106351(T)).