Abstract
A coryneform bacterium isolated from a cow with a profound ulceration was characterized by using phenotypic and molecular taxonomic methods. Chemotaxonomic investigations revealed the presence of cell-wall chemotype IV and short-chain mycolic acids consistent with the genus Corynebacterium. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that the organism formed a hitherto unknown subline within the genus Corynebacterium. Sequence divergence values of greater than 3.6 % from recognized Corynebacterium species, together with phenotypic differences, showed that the unidentified bacterium represents a new member of this genus. On the basis of phenotypic and phylogenetic considerations, it is proposed that the novel bacterium be classified as representing a novel species of the genus Corynebacterium, with the name Corynebacterium ulceribovis sp. nov. The type strain is IMMIB L-1395T (=DSM 45146T=CCUG 55727T).