16S rRNA analysis and the phylogenetic position of<i>Wolinella succinogenes</i>

Abstract

The 16S ribosomal RNA of Wolinella succinogenes ATCC29543 was analyzed by the RNase T1 oligonucleotide cataloguing approach. In contrast to its present classification, W. succinogenes is related neither to members of the genus Bacteroides nor to any other genus of the family Bacteroidaceae. As derived from the similarity coefficients (SAB values) calculated on the basis of more than 350 eubacterial species, W. succinogenes appears to be a distantly related member of the division of purple photosynthetic bacteria and their relatives; however, SAB values do not indicate that this species is preferentially related to any representative of the 4 subdivisions.