16S rRNA-, GroEL- and MucZ-based assessment of the taxonomic position of 'Rickettsiella melolonthae' and its implications for the organization of the genus Rickettsiella

• DOI: 10.1099/ijs.0.65359-0
• Publication Date: 2008-04-08T23:03:27Z
• Authors: A. Leclerque; R. G. Kleespies
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Molecular Sequence Data; Coxiellaceae; Chaperonin 60; RNA, Bacterial; 03 medical and health sciences; Bacterial Proteins; Species Specificity; Genes, Bacterial; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Terminology as Topic; Gammaproteobacteria; Phylogeny; Alphaproteobacteria

'Rickettsiella melolonthae' is an intracellularly multiplying bacterial pathogen of European cockchafers, Melolontha melolontha (Linnaeus, 1758) and hippocastani (Fabricius, 1801) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). We report the first determination nucleotide sequences from this organism, i.e. 16S rRNA encoding rrs gene, chaperonin groEL gene mucZ orthologue a capsule synthesis-inducing factor Coxiella burnetii. Within genus Rickettsiella, pathotype currently classified as synonym nomenclatural type species Rickettsiella popilliae. Previous sequencing different species, grylli, has motivated transfer entire alphaproteobacterial order Rickettsiales to gammaproteobacterial Legionellales, family Coxiellaceae. investigated validity taxonomic reorganization beyond grylli by reconstructing organismal phylogeny comparisons GroEL MucZ protein selected set alpha- gammaproteobacteria well pathogens Chlamydiales. Our analysis strongly supported but not its classification in one recognized families present order. Furthermore, our results substantiated inconsistencies internal organization genus. In particular, accepted delineation claimed synonymy with popilliae are simultaneously consistent findings.