RESUMEN
Eight independent isolates of a Gram-reaction-negative, non-motile rod, were recovered from clinical specimens of New York State patients between the years 2005 and 2013. Four of these isolates were characterized in a taxonomic study using a polyphasic approach that involved phenotypic, phylogenetic and genotypic methodologies. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and phylogenetic analysis, the closest relative type strain of the isolates is Paracoccus sphaerophysae HAMBI 3106T (97.7 â% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). Among the four isolates, the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity is 100 %. In silico genomic comparisons, including average nucleotide identity (ANI) and the genome-to-genome distance calculator (GGDC), were used as an alternative to DNA-DNA hybridization in this study to support designation of the four isolates as a novel species of the genus Paracoccus. Mass spectrometry profiles were also obtained for the novel isolates using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The predominant cellular fatty acids of the novel isolates were C18 : 1ω7c and C18 : 0. Biochemical analysis and morphological characteristics further contribute to designation of the four isolates as a novel species of the genus Paracoccus, for which the name Paracoccus sanguinis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 05503T( = DSM 29303T = LMG 28451T).