Phenotypic and phylogenetic characterization of some unknown coryneform bacteria isolated from bovine blood and milk: description of Sanguibacter gen.nov.

16S rRNA gene sequencing studies were performed on some Gram-positive coryneform bacteria of unknown taxonomic position isolated from blood and milk of healthy cows. Comparative sequence analysis demonstrated that the milk isolates corresponded to Oerskovia xanthineolytica whereas those from blood consisted of two distinct, albeit highly related species, within the family Cellulomonadaceae. Based on the phylogenetic and phenotypic distinctiveness of the blood isolates, it is proposed that they be classified in a new genus Sanguibacter.