Streptococcus macacae sp. nov. from Dental Plaque of Monkeys (Macaca fascicularis)

Abstract

We propose the name Streptococcus macacae sp. nov. for gram-positive, catalase-negative streptococcal strains that were isolated from the dental plaque of monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). This organism is distinct from other oral streptococci in that it produces acid from mannitol and raffinose but not from inulin or dextrin. It is not able to grow in the presence of bacitracin and does not produce hydrogen peroxide or hydrolyze arginine, but esculin is hydrolyzed, and dextran is produced from sucrose. Streptococcus macacae sp. nov. possesses the serotype c antigen described by Bratthall, as do Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus ferus; however, the protein profiles of whole-cell extracts subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and differences in deoxyribonucleic acid composition demonstrate that the new isolates are distinct from the two other species that possess the serotype c antigen and from other mutans streptococci. The guanine-plus-cytosine content of S. macacae is 35 to 36 mol%. The type strain is strain 25–1 (- NCTC 11558).