CHLAMYDOPHILA

'''Chlamydophila''' is a bacterial genus belonging to the family Chlamydiaceae, order Chlamydiales, class/phylum Chlamydiae. '''Chlamydophila''' was recognized in 1999, with six species in '''Chlamydophila''' and three in the original genus, ''Chlamydia''. All Chlamydiae have a biphasic developmental lifecycle that depends on obligately intracellular growth in eukaryotic host cells.
Prior to 1999, criteria for chlamydial species were not exclusive. For example, at that time genus Chlamydia = family Chlamydiaceae; ''C. psittaci'' were distinguished from ''C. trachomatis'' by sulfadiazine resistance, although not all ''C. psittaci'' were resistant; ''C. pneumoniae'' was classified by its appearance under electron microscopy (EM) and its ability to infect humans, although the EM appearance was found to differ from one research group to the next, and all of these species infected humans.
The systematic taxonomy established for Chlamydiae in 1999 uses up-to-date, prevailing criteria for bacterial classification, including DNA-DNA reassociation, 16S and 23S ribosomal RNA gene similarity, sequence similarity clustering of protein coding genes, and genome size. Supporting criteria such as antigen detection, glycogen staining, host association, and EM morphology are also employed, depending on applicability and availability. In 1999, many ''Chlamydia'' strains were reorganized into the genus ''Chlamydophila''.

Contents

''Chlamydophila'' differentiation

References

''Chlamydophila'' differentiation

The mean DNA-DNA reassociation similarity distinguishing ''Chlamydophila'' from ''Chlamydia'' is 10.1% (95% confidence interval = 6.8 through 13.5), an accepted value for genus separation.
Divergence of ''Chlamydophila'' from ''Chlamydia'' is indicated by sequence similarity clustering of protein coding and ribosomal RNA genes. The 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences of ''Chlamydophila'' and ''Chlamydia'' are close to 95% identical. However, 95% is not a cutoff for separating Chlamydiaceae genera but is a guideline for establishing new genera in chlamydial families. The full-length 23S rRNA genes of ''Chlamydophila'' and ''Chlamydia'' species are less than 95% identical.

Some Molecular Criteria Distinguishing Chlamydiaceae Genera

Genus	Genome Size	Detectable Glycogen	Number of Ribosomal Operons
Chlamydophila	1.2 (approx.)	No	1
Chlamydia	1.0 (approx.)	Yes	2

Note that Genome Size is in million DNA base pairs.
Distinctions such as EM morphology, antibiotic resistance, and extrachromosomal plasmid are typically species-specific characteristics.
Species in ''Chlamydophila'' include:

★ Chlamydophila pneumoniae

★ Chlamydophila pecorum

★ Chlamydophila psittaci

★ Chlamydophila abortus

★ Chlamydophila felis

★ Chlamydophila caviae

References

★ Bush RM, and Everett KDE. 2001. Molecular evolution of the Chlamydiaceae. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 51:203-220.

★ Everett KDE, Bush RM, and Andersen AA. 1999. Emended description of the order Chlamydiales, proposal of Parachlamydiaceae fam. nov. and Simkaniaceae fam. nov., each containing one monotypic genus, revised taxonomy of the family Chlamydiaceae, including a new genus and five new species, and standards for the identification of organisms. Int J Syst Bacteriol. 49:415-440.

★ Taxonomic Outline of the Procaryotes, Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, Second Edition Release 1.0, April 2001. [1]