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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #363149
Research Project: Genome-Based Strategies and Physiological Biomarkers for Detection and Identification of plant Pathogenic Phytoplasmas and Spiroplasmas

Location: Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory

Title: Recommended rejection of the recently proposed sweeping changes to nomenclature of members of the Mycoplasmatales

Author
item BALISH, MITCHELL - Miami University - Ohio
item BERTACCINI, ASSUNTA - University Of Bologna, Italy
item BLANCHARD, ALAIN - University Of Bordeaux
item BROWN, DANIEL - University Of Florida
item BROWNING, GLENN - University Of Melbourne
item CHALKER, VICTORIA - Public Health England (PHE)
item FREY, JOACHIM - University Of Berne
item GASPARICH, GAIL - Salem State University
item HOELZLE, LUDWIG - Stuttgart University
item Zhao, Yan

Submitted to: International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/16/2019
Publication Date: 11/1/2019
Citation: Balish, M., Bertaccini, A., Blanchard, A., Brown, D., Browning, G., Chalker, V., Frey, J., Gasparich, G., Hoelzle, L., Zhao, Y. 2019. Recommended rejection of the recently proposed sweeping changes to nomenclature of members of the Mycoplasmatales. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 69/3650-3653. https://doi.org/10.1099/ijsem.0.003632.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1099/ijsem.0.003632

Interpretive Summary: Mycoplasmas and mycoplasma-like organisms are a large group of small bacteria that lack a cell wall. Many such bacteria are pathogens of agricultural and medical importance. Naming and taxonomic grouping of mycoplasma species are governed by the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (the Code). Consistent adoption of correct nomenclature is crucial to disease diagnosis, pathogen identification, and quarantine implementation. Recently, a proposal was put forward to rename about 40 extant species and to introduce 11 new taxa to accommodate them. In response to the proposal, the authors of the present report conducted an in-depth examination of the proposal and found that the suggested nomenclatural revisions are inconsistent with the Code on multiple essential points and are impractical. This report represents a consensus opinion of the members of the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes' Subcommittee on the taxonomy of Mollicutes. This report will be of interest to scientists studying genetic diversity and taxonomy of bacterial pathogens, and will be of interest to agricultural and medical researchers who are involved disease diagnosis and pathogen identification. The report is also important to regulatory agencies for implementing regulations and preventing exotic pathogens from being introduced into the U.S.

Technical Abstract: The consensus of the members of the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes' Subcommittee on the taxonomy of Mollicutes is that recently proposed sweeping changes to nomenclature of members of the Mycoplasmatales, specifically involving introduction of the names Malacoplasma gen. nov., Mesomycoplasma gen. nov., Metamycoplasma gen. nov., Metamycoplasmataceae fam. nov., Mycoplasmoidaceae fam. nov., Mycoplasmoidales ord. nov., Mycoplasmoides gen. nov., Mycoplasmopsis gen. nov., and all proposed species or subspecies comb. nov. placed therein, should be rejected because they violate one or more essential points of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes.