Spiroplasma taiwanense sp. nov. from Culex tritaeniorhynchus Mosquitoes Collected in Taiwan

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Abstract
Spiroplasma isolates recovered from female mosquitoes (Culex tritaeniorhynchus) collected in Taiwan were found to be similar in their serological properties. Strain CT-1T (T = type strain) proved to be serologically unrelated to all currently recognized spiroplasma groups and subgroups. Strain CT-1T was studied by using criteria proposed by the International Committee on Systematic Bacteriology Subcommittee on Taxonomy of Mollicutes for the description of new mollicute species. The organisms were shown to belong to the class Mollicutes by the ultrastructure of their limiting membrane, their colonial morphology, and their filtration patterns and to the family Spiroplasmataceae by their helical morphology and motility. Growth in SP-4, M1A, and M1D media occurred at 22 to 30°C. Cholesterol was required for growth. Glucose was fermented, but arginine was not hydrolyzed. The base composition (guanine-plus-cytosine content) of the deoxyribonucleic acid of strain CT-1T was found to be 25 ± 1 mol%. On the basis of these findings, we propose that spiroplasma strains with these characteristics should be recognized as a new species, Spiroplasma taiwanense. Strain CT-1T has been deposited in the American Type Culture Collection as strain ATCC 43302T.