Deoxyribonucleic Acid Hybridizations Among Strains of Streptococcus salivarius and Streptococcus bovis

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Abstract
The genetic relationships among 33 streptococci that were identified as Streptococcus salivarius or Streptococcus bovis and were isolated from humans were determined by deoxyribonucleic acid-deoxyribonucleic acid hybridization on membrane filters. The phenotypic characteristics of these bacteria were determined by their action on 20 substrates in a commercially prepared system, as well as by colony morphology and conventional tests. The S. salivarius strains were biochemically heterogeneous but genetically homogeneous. Although there were some phenotypic similarities between S. bovis and S. salivarius, these two species were genetically distinct. Within S. bovis there was genetic heterogeneity. Typical S. bovis strains (S. bovis biotype I) were genetically homologous with some, but not all, of the S. bovis variant strains (S. bovis biotype II). Other S. bovis biotype II strains formed a separate genetic group, the members of which were biochemically somewhat different from other S. bovis biotype II strains.