L. mayottensis

Abstract:

A group of strains representing species of the genus Leptospira, isolated from patients with leptospirosis in Mayotte (Indian Ocean), were previously found to be considerably divergent from other known species of the genus Leptospira. This was inferred from sequence analysis of rrs (16S rRNA) and other genetic loci and suggests that they belong to a novel species. Two strains from each serogroup currently identified within this novel species were studied. Spirochaete, aerobic, motile, helix-shaped strains grew well at 30-37 °C, but not at 13 °C or in the presence of 8-azaguanine. Draft genomes of the strains were also analysed to study the DNA relatedness with other species of the genus Leptospira. The new isolates formed a distinct clade, which was most closely related to Leptospira borgpetersenii, in multilocus sequence analysis using concatenated sequences of the genes rpoB, recA, fusA, gyrB, leuS and sucA. Analysis of average nucleotide identity and genome-to-genome distances, which have recently been proposed as reliable substitutes for classical DNA-DNA hybridization, further confirmed that these isolates should be classified as representatives of a novel species. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 39.5 mol%. These isolates are considered to represent a novel species, for which the name Leptospira mayottensis sp. nov. is proposed, with 200901116(T) ( = CIP 110703(T) = DSM 28999(T)) as the type strain.

 

*Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2014 Dec;64(Pt 12):4061-7. doi: 10.1099/ijs.0.066597-0. Epub 2014 Sep 23.

Leptospira mayottensis sp. nov., a pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira isolated from humans.

Bourhy PCollet LBrisse SPicardeau M.

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Conventionally, Leptospira were separated into two valid species, Leptospira interrogans for pathogenic leptospires and Leptospira biflexa for saprophytic ones (Brenner et al., 1999). 
Current Leptospira speciation is based on DNA heterogeneity as determined by hybridization experiments.
The first of such studies was by Yasuda et al., 1987 followed by Ramadass et al., 1992.
The most complete study, also summarizing the observation of the previous two studies is by Brenner et al., 1999. Brenner and co-workers described 17 DNA hybridization groups (species), representing the 12 previously describes species and five new ‘genomospecies’, including Leptospira alexanderi. 
Smythe et al., 2012 re-named the four remaining ‘genomospecies’ 1, 3, 4 and 5 later on to Leptospira alstonii, L. vanthielii , L. terpstrae and L. yanagawae, respectively. 
To date, speciation is increasingly based on other molecular techniques, mainly DNA sequences of the rrs gene or multilocus sequence genotyping, which likely will completely replace the DNA hybridization method.


* Yasuda PH, Steigerwalt AG, Sulzer KR, Kaufmann AF, Rogers F, Brenner DJ. Deoxyribonucleic acid relatedness between serogroups and serovars in the family Leptospiroceae with proposals for seven Leptospira species. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1987, 37, 407-415

* Ramadass P, Jarvis BDW, Corner RJ, Penny D, Marshall RB. Genetic characterization of pathogenic Leptospira species by DNA hybridization. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1992, 42, 215-219

* Brenner DJ, Kaufmann AF, Sulzer KR, Steigerwalt AG, Rogers F, Weyant RS. Further determination of DNA relatedness between serogroups and serovars in the family Leptospiroceae with a proposal for Leptospira alexanderi sp. nov. and four new Leptospira genomospecies. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1999, 49, 839-858

* Smythe L, Adler B, Hartskeerl RA, Galloway RL, Turenne CY, Levett PN. Classification of Leptospira genomospecies 1, genomospecies 3, genomospecies 4 and genomospecies 5 as Leptospira alstonii sp. nov., Leptospira vanthielii sp. nov., Leptospira terpstrae sp. nov., Leptospira yanagawae sp. nov., respectively. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2012;

Recommended literature

* Ahmed A, Grobusch MP, Klatser P, Hartskeerl RA. Molecular Approaches in the Detection and Characterization of Leptospira. J Bacteriol Parasitol 2012, 3:2 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2155-9597.1000133

* Adler, B., & de la Peña Moctezuma, A. (2010). Leptospira and leptospirosis. Veterinary microbiology 140, 287-296.

* Cerqueira, G.M. & Picardeau, M. (2009). A century of Leptospira strain typing. Infection, Genetics and Evolution 9, 760-768.

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