Defining the Rhizobium Leguminosarum Species Complex

• DOI: 10.20944/preprints202012.0297.v1
• Publication Date: 2020-12-14T08:36:44Z
• Authors: J. Peter W. Young; Sara Moeskjær; Alexey Afonin; Praveen Rahi; Marta Maluk; Euan K. James; Maria Izabel A. C...; M. Harun-or Rashid; Aregu Amsalu Aserse; Benjamin J. Perry; En Tao Wang; Encarna Velázquez; Evgeny E. Andronov; Anastasia Tampakaki; José David Flores...; Raúl Rivas González; Sameh H. Youseif; Marc Lepetit; Stéphane Boivin; Beatriz Jorrin; Gregory J. Kenicer; Álvaro Peix; Michael F. Hynes; Martha Helena Ram...; Arvind Gulati; Chang-Fu Tian
• Keywords: Rhizobium leguminosarum; Housekeeping gene; Sister group

Bacteria currently included in Rhizobium leguminosarum are too diverse to be considered a single species, so we can refer this as species complex (the Rlc). We have found 429 publicly available genome sequences that fall within the Rlc and these show is distinct entity, well separated from other genus. Its sister taxon R. anhuiense. constructed phylogeny based on concatenated of 120 universal (core) genes, calculated pairwise average nucleotide identity (ANI) between all genomes. From analyses, concluded includes 18 genospecies, plus 7 unique strains not placed genospecies. Each genospecies by gap ANI values, usually at around 96% ANI, implying it 'natural' unit. Five include type named species: laguerreae, sophorae, ruizarguesonis, "R. indicum" itself. The 16S ribosomal RNA sequence remarkably Rlc, but does distinguish Partial housekeeping which frequently been used characterise isolate collections, mostly assigned unambiguously alleles do always form clade, genes reliable guide true strains. conclude access large number powerful tool for characterising diversity bacteria, taxonomic conclusions should sequences, just those