Abstract
A strain of a Gram-positive, coccoid, yellow-pigmented bacterium was isolated from human blood. The bacterium was aerobic, non-encapsulated and non-motile. Phenotypically, the bacterium closely resembled Kytococcus sedentarius, but could be distinguished from this species by physiological tests and chemotaxonomic investigations. The peptidoglycan type is L-Lys--Glu(2), variation A4alpha. The predominant menaquinones are MK-8 and MK-7. The major cellular fatty acids are iso-C(17:1), iso-C(17:0), iso-C(15:0) and anteiso-C(17:0). The strain contains catalase and does not produce acid from carbohydrates. The ability to hydrolyse Tween 80 and the lack of alpha-glucosidase activity are the most characteristic features. The results of comparative 16S rDNA analysis revealed that the strain represents a novel species within the genus Kytococcus, for which the name Kytococcus schroeteri sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is strain Muenster 2000(T) (=DSM 13884(T)=CCM 4918(T)).