Streptococcus henryi sp. nov. and Streptococcus caballi sp. nov., isolated from the hindgut of horses with oligofructuose-induced laminitis

Abstract

Four Gram-positive, catalase-negative, coccoid-shaped isolates were obtained from the caecum and rectum of horses with oligofructose-induced equine laminitis. Phenotypic and phylogenetic studies were performed on these isolates. Initial biochemical profiling assigned two of the isolates to Streptococcus bovis. The other two isolates, however, could not be assigned conclusively on the basis of their biochemical profiles. Gene sequence analysis demonstrated that the four new isolates were related most closely to Streptococcus suis based on the 16S rRNA gene and to Streptococcus orisratti based on the manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase gene (sodA). Sequence divergence values from recognized Streptococcus species based on these two genes were >3 and >13 %, respectively, for all four isolates. Phylogenetic and phenotypic analyses demonstrated that the four isolates formed two distinct clonal groups that are suggested to represent two novel species of the genus Streptococcus. The names proposed for these organisms are Streptococcus henryi sp. nov. (type strain 126T =ATCC BAA-1484T =DSM 19005T) and Streptococcus caballi sp. nov. (type strain 151T =ATCC BAA-1485T =DSM 19004T).