Vagococcus proximus sp. nov. and Vagococcus intermedius sp. nov., originating from modified atmosphere packaged broiler meat

During our studies on spoilage microbiomes of modified atmosphere packaged broiler meat, we isolated three strains (PNs007 T , STAA11 T and STAA25) of unknown identity. In this present polyphasic taxonomy study, including genome-based analyses, we discovered that these isolates represent two novel species belonging to the genus Vagococcus . In all phylogenetic analyses, PNs007 T was positioned very close to Vagococcus fessus but both the average nucleotide identity (ANI; 89.5 %) and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH; 38.3 %) values distinguished it as a novel vagococcal species. STAA11 T and STAA25 were genetically highly similar (16S rRNA, ANI and dDDH 100 %). The phylogenetic position of STAA11 T was adjacent to but out of the cluster containing V. fessus , Vagococcus coleopterorum and PNs007 T . According to the ANI (76.2–76.4 %) and dDDH (<22.6 %) values it also represented a novel vagococcal species. Phenotypic characteristics and chemotaxonomic properties of both novel species were typical for vagococci and they contained C 16 : 0 (25.5–30.1 %) and C 18 : 1 ω9 c (67.3–73.0 %) as the major cellular fatty acids. The streptomycin-resistant genotype of STAA11 T and STAA25 allowing the growth on streptomycin thallous acetate actidione medium was considered to result from a modification in codon 104 of the rpsL gene leading to P104A substitution. The ability of STAA11 T and STAA25 to produce ammonia from arginine separated them from PNs007 T , which did not show arginine deiminase activity. We propose the names Vagococcus proximus sp. nov. (type strain PNs007 T =DSM 115185 T =CCUG 76696 T ) and Vagococcus intermedius sp. nov. (type strain STAA11 T =DSM 115183 T =CCUG 76697 T ) for these novel species.