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Differentiation and identification of Enterococcus durans , E. hirae and E. villorum
Author(s) -
Devriese L.A.,
Vancanneyt M.,
Descheemaeker P.,
Baele M.,
Van Landuyt H.W.,
Gordts B.,
Butaye P.,
Swings J.,
Haesebrouck F.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 1364-5072
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2672.2002.01586.x
Subject(s) - enterococcus hirae , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , polymerase chain reaction , enterococcus , 16s ribosomal rna , enterococcus faecium , bacteria , identification (biology) , gel electrophoresis , genetics , gene , botany
Aims: To compare different tests in the identification of Enterococcus durans , E. hirae and E. villorum strains. These bacteria belong to the E. faecium species group and are phylogenetically closely related, as evidenced by 16S rRNA sequence homologies of over 98·8%. Methods and Results: Sodium dodecyl sulphate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of whole‐cell protein, tRNA interpacer polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and arbitrarily‐primed (D11344‐primed AP) ‐PCR analysis correctly identified all three species in a collection of strains from very diverse origins. In contrast, biochemical reactions only allowed the unequivocal differentiation of the three species as a group from the other enterococci. Within this group, D ‐xylose acidification can be used to differentiate E. villorum , but exceptions occur. Strains highly susceptible to clindamycin can be identified as E. durans , but many strains of this species cannot be differentiated from E. hirae and E. villorum due to acquired resistance. Conclusions: Despite their close relationship, E. durans , E. hirae and E. villorum can be differentiated by genomic methods and by whole‐cell protein analysis. Significance and Impact of the Study: Only a minority of strains of these three enterococcal species can be identified reliably by the currently available and commonly applied phenotypic tests.