To complete our genetic analysis, the DNA G+C content of H63T was determined through HPLC analysis performed by the Identification Service of the DSMZ. The DNA G+C content of H63T was 41.8 mol%, within the range of values reported for its neighbours (39.0–52.0 mol%; Table 1).
Using the slide agglutination test as described previously , antigen from H63T did not react with antisera generated previously against the type strains of Legionella species, including sera raised against all of the nearest neighbours in the 16S rRNA gene tree as well as the type strains of L. jamestowniensis and L. hackeliae (Table S1).
Initially, we determined the phenotype of strain H63T by examining a set of 13 physiological traits that are standards for Legionella (Table 2) . Like most members of the genus Legionella , including its nearest neighbours, H63T grew well at 37 uC on buffered charcoal yeast extract (BCYE) agar or in buffered yeast extract (BYE) broth and required supplementary cysteine for growth. Colonies of strain H63T on BCYE agar did not autofluoresce under UV light, distinguishing the strain from its neighbours L. erythra, L. dresdenensis, L. rubrilucens and L. birminghamensis (Table 2). The strain, like many other legionellae but unlike L. dresdenensis and L. birminghamensis, secreted a brown pigment upon entering stationary phase (Table 2)
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L. nautarum ATCC 49506
L. fairfieldensis ATCC 49588T
T L. feeleii ATCC 35072