Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Microbes Infect. 2011 Dec;13(14-15):1232-41. doi: 10.1016/j.micinf.2011.07.003. Epub 2011 Jul 26.
Originally, the Chlamydiales order was represented by a single family, the Chlamydiaceae, composed of several pathogens, such as Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Chlamydia psittaci and Chlamydia abortus. Recently, 6 new families of Chlamydia-related bacteria have been added to the Chlamydiales order. Most of these obligate intracellular bacteria are able to replicate in free-living amoebae. Amoebal co-culture may be used to selectively isolate amoeba-resisting bacteria. This method allowed in a previous work to discover strain CRIB 30, from an environmental water sample. Based on its 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Criblamydia sequanensis, strain CRIB 30 was considered as a new member of the Criblamydiaceae family. In the present work, phylogenetic analyses of the genes gyrA, gyrB, rpoA, rpoB, secY, topA and 23S rRNA as well as MALDI-TOF MS confirmed the taxonomic classification of strain CRIB 30. Morphological examination revealed peculiar star-shaped elementary bodies (EBs) similar to those of C. sequanensis. Therefore, this new strain was called "Estrella lausannensis". Finally, E. lausannensis showed a large amoebal host range and a very efficient replication rate in Acanthamoeba species. Furthermore, E. lausannensis is the first member of the Chlamydiales order to grow successfully in the genetically tractable Dictyostelium discoideum, which opens new perspectives in the study of chlamydial biology.
起初，Chlamydiales 目仅由一个单一家族，即衣原体科（Chlamydiaceae）组成，其中包含几种病原体，如沙眼衣原体（Chlamydia trachomatis）、肺炎衣原体（Chlamydia pneumoniae）、鹦鹉热衣原体（Chlamydia psittaci）和流产衣原体（Chlamydia abortus）。最近，Chlamydiales 目中又添加了 6 个新的衣原体相关细菌家族。这些专性细胞内细菌大多数能够在自由生活的变形虫中复制。变形虫共培养可用于选择性分离抗变形虫细菌。在之前的一项工作中，这种方法允许从环境水样中发现CRIB 30 株。根据其 16S rRNA 基因序列与 Criblamydia sequanensis 的相似性，CRIB 30 株被认为是 Criblamydiaceae 科的一个新成员。在本研究中，gyrA、gyrB、rpoA、rpoB、secY、topA 和 23S rRNA 基因以及 MALDI-TOF MS 的系统发育分析证实了 CRIB 30 株的分类地位。形态学检查显示出与 C. sequanensis 相似的奇特星形始体（EBs）。因此，该新菌株被命名为“Estrella lausannensis”。最后，E. lausannensis 显示出广泛的阿米巴宿主范围和在棘阿米巴属物种中非常高的复制效率。此外，E. lausannensis 是第一个成功在遗传上可操作的双盘豆（Dictyostelium discoideum）中生长的 Chlamydiales 目成员，这为衣原体生物学的研究开辟了新的前景。
