International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology (2014), 64, 35843585

Opinion

DOI 10.1099/ijs.0.069179-0

ATCC 43642 replaces ATCC 23581 as the type

strain of Leptospira interrogans (Stimson 1907)
Wenyon 1926. Opinion 91.
Judicial Commission of the International Committee on Systematics of
Prokaryotes
B. J. Tindall

Correspondence
B. J. Tindall

Leibniz Institute-DSMZ Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH.,

Inhoffenstrasse 7b, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany

bti@dsmz.de

The Judicial Commission affirms that, according to information presented to it, the type strain of
Leptospira interrogans (Stimson 1907) Wenyon 1926 designated on the Approved Lists of
Bacterial Names (ATCC 23581) has been shown not to represent an authentic culture of strain
RGA (a member of the serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae) and ATCC 43642, derived from an authentic
strain of strain RGA, a member of the serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae, is designated the type strain
of Leptospira interrogans (Stimson 1907) Wenyon 1926.

Landon & Tang (2004) addressed a Request for an Opinion

to the Judicial Commission of the International Committee
on Systematics of Prokaryotes (ICSP) on the unsuitability
of ATCC 23581 as the type strain of Leptospira interrogans
(Stimson 1907) Wenyon 1926 and a proposal that ATCC
43642 should serve as the type strain.
At its meetings in 2008 at the IUMS Bacteriology and
Applied Microbiology Congress in Istanbul, the Judicial
Commission of the ICSP ruled that based on information
presented by Landon & Tang (2004) the type strain
of Leptospira interrogans (Stimson 1907) Wenyon 1926
designated on the Approved Lists of Bacterial Names
(Skerman et al., 1980, 1989) as ATCC 23581 does not
represent an authentic subculture of strain RGA, a member
of the serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae. Landon & Tang (2004)
presented evidence that an authentic subculture of strain
RGA, a member of the serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae, has
been deposited in the ATCC as ATCC 43642, derived from
an authentic culture held by the CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA
(Yasuda et al., 1987). As laid down under Rule 18g,
(Lapage et al., 1992) the Judicial Commission may take
action leading to replacement of the strain. The Judicial
Commission of the ICSP ruled that ATCC 43642 is to serve
as the type strain of Leptospira interrogans (Stimson 1907)
Wenyon 1926. This has the effect of making a correction to
the Approved Lists of Bacterial Names as indicated in Rule
23a, Note 4 (Lapage et al., 1992). Strain RGA, derived from
For the purpose of clarity technical terms that are used in the
International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria are designated in bold
type.

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an authentic culture held by the CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA,

has also been deposited in the Centre de Ressources
Biologiques de lInstitut Pasteur as CRBIP6.1220 and in the
Leibniz-Institut DSMZ-Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen as DSM 21525.
It should be noted that the ICSP Subcommittee on the
Taxonomy of Leptospiraceae has also discussed the issue of
the suitability of strain RGA serving as the type of Leptospira
interrogans (Stimson 1907) Wenyon 1926 (Levett & Smythe,
2006; 2014; Marshall, 1992; Stallman, 1987). However, no
formal approach has been made to the Judicial Commission
or action taken in response to the Request for an Opinion by
Landon & Tang (2004) so no action can be taken.
Opinion compiled on behalf of the Judicial Commission by
B. J. Tindall.
Declaration of a potential conflict of interest
The author is employed by an organization that offers commercially both taxonomic services and biological material
to the scientific community. This may be perceived as a
potential conflict of interest.

References
Landon, S. & Tang, J. (2004). Proposal to list ATCC 43642 as the type

strain of Leptospira interrogans in the Approved Lists of Bacterial

Names. Request for an opinion. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 54, 2439.
Lapage, S. P., Sneath, P. H. A., Lessel, E. F., Skerman, V. B. D.,
Seeliger, H. P. R. & Clark, W. A. (editors) (1992). International Code of

069179 G 2014 IUMS Printed in Great Britain

Opinion 91
Nomenclature of Bacteria (1990 Revision). Bacteriological Code.
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Skerman, V. B. D., McGowan, V. & Sneath, P. H. A. (1980). Approved

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