The taxonomic position of Enterobacter dissolvens was re-evaluated based on the analysis of the type strain ATCC
23373T and three clinical isolates. The strains were assigned to the genetic cluster of the species by phylogenetic
sequence analysis in the frame of a recent population genetic study. The relatedness of E. dissolves to the other species
of the E. cloacae complex was analyzed by DNA–DNA hybridization studies based on melting profiles in microplates.
The genetic cluster of E. dissolvens fell into the same DNA-relatedness group like E. cloacae with mean DTm-values of
3.9 1C confirming the hybridization results of three former studies. Phenotypic analysis of the E. cloacae and
E. dissolvens strains,respectively,based on 115 biochemical reactions yielded the esculin test as the only one
differentiating between them by being positive for E. dissolvens and negative for E. cloacae strains. The name
E. cloacae subsp. dissolvens comb. nov. is proposed for the group of organisms formerly referred to as E. dissolvens,
and the name E. cloacae subsp. cloacae comb. nov. for the group of organisms formerly referred to as E. cloacae. The
species descriptions of Enterobacter kobei and Enterobacter asburiae were emended based on the data collected on 17
and 15 strains,respectively. The strains were assigned to the respective species by a combination of phylogenetic
sequence analyzes and DNA–DNA hybridizations. Phenotypic analyzes of 115 reactions gave detailed species profiles
with new differentiating phenotypic properties.
r 2004 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.