Characterization of Strains of Viridans Streptococci by Deoxyribonucleic Acid Hybridization and Physiological Tests

Abstract

Relationships among selected species of viridans streptococci were studied by using deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-DNA hybridization and biochemical and serological tests. The results of hybridization experiments performed with DNA immobilized on membrane filters and index DNA made radioactive with [methyl-³H]thymidine indicated that Streptococcus intermedius ATCC 27335^T (type strain), Streptococcus constellatus ATCC 27823^T, Streptococcus mitis ATCC 9895, “Streptococcus MG-intermedius” CDC SS 899, group F strain MGH 8153, and group F strain SFGH 879 are closely related to each other genetically, even though physiological tests indicated that this is a relatively heterogeneous group of organisms. The relative binding ratios for these six strains ranged from 60 to 99%, and the majority of values were greater than 85%, indicating that these strains should be considered members of the same species. Type strain ATCC 33399 (called S. mitis) is not a typical S. mitis strain based on biochemical test results, and only moderate relatedness (41%) was observed in hybridization experiments performed with a typical S. mitis strain (strain SS 429). Streptococcus sanguis I ATCC 10556^T and S. sanguis II ATCC 10557 do not belong in the same species. A low relative binding ratio (13%) for these strains confirmed similar findings by previous investigators.