Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. fusiforme Gharbia and Shah 1992 is a later synonym of Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. vincentii Dzink et al. 1990

Curr Microbiol. 2013 Apr;66(4):414-7. doi: 10.1007/s00284-012-0289-y. Epub 2012 Dec 24.

Abstract

On the basis of the DNA-DNA hybridization patterns and phenotypic characteristics, Fusobacterium nucleatum was classified into five subspecies. Previous studies have suggested that F. nucleatum subsp. vincentii is genetically similar to F. nucleatum subsp. fusiforme. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of classifying these two subspecies into a single subspecies by phylogenetic analysis using a single sequence (24,715 bp) concatenated 22 housekeeping genes of eight F. nucleatum strains including type strains of five F. nucleatum subspecies. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that F. nucleatum subsp. vincentii and F. nucleatum subsp. fusiforme were clustered in the same group and each strain of other F. nucleatum subspecies were also separated into the same cluster. These results suggested that F. nucleatum subsp. fusiforme and F. nucleatum subsp. vincentii can be classified into a single subspecies. F. nucleatum subsp. vincentii was early published name; therefore, F. nucleatum subsp. fusiforme Gharbia and Shah 1992 can be regarded as a later synonym of F. nucleatum subsp. vincentii Dzink et al. 1990.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Cluster Analysis
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Fusobacterium nucleatum / classification*
  • Fusobacterium nucleatum / genetics
  • Phylogeny
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial