Neisseria leonis sp. nov. isolated from rabbits, reclassification of Uruburuella suis, Uruburuella testudinis, Kingella potus, Bergeriella denitrificans and Morococcus cerebrosus into Neisseria genus and reclassification of Neisseria shayeganii into Eikenella genus

Genome sequence-based identification of two strains (3986T and 51.81) isolated from rabbits in France in 1972 and 1981 and deposited in the Collection of Institut Pasteur (CIP) has led to the description of a novel species in the genus Neisseria . The cells of both strains were non-motile, Gram-stain-negative and diplococcobacilli. Optimal growth on trypticase soy agar was recorded at 37°C and pH 8.5 in aerobic conditions. Phylogeny based on 16S rRNA gene placed the strains close to Neisseria bacilliformis ATCC BAA-1200T (96.38%) nesting with the members of Neisseriaceae family. Furthermore, the phylogenetic analysis based on bac120 gene set from the Genome Taxonomy Database (GTDB) placed both strains within the monophyletic Neisseria clade, which also included type strains of Morococcus cerebrosus, Bergeriella denitrificans , Kingella potus, Uruburuella suis and Uruburuella testudinis . However, Neisseria shayeganii strain 871T was placed outside Neisseria clade and close to the members of Eikenella genus. Strains 3986T and 51.81 were placed in a branch distinct from all species of the genus Neisseria and exhibited the average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values below the species demarcation values. In contrast, ANI value within the two strains was 96.9% confirming that they represent same species. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain 3986T was 56.92%. Based on the phylogenetic and phenotypic data, the strains 3986T and 51.81 represent a novel species of the genus Neisseria , for which the name Neisseria leonis sp. nov. is proposed (type strain 3986T = CIP 109994T = LMG 32907T). Additionally, based on phylogenetic analysis, DUS dialect and average amino acid identity (AAI) values, we also proposed the reclassification of Morococcus cerebrosus , Bergeriella denitrificans , Kingella potus, Uruburuella suis and Uruburuella testudinis into Neisseria genus and Neisseria shayeganii into Eikenella genus. Author Notes The GenBank accession numbers for the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strains 3986T and 51.81 are respectively OQ121838.1 and OQ428162.1. The draft genome sequences have been deposited in GenBank under the accession numbers JAPQFK000000000 (strain 3986T) and JAPQFL000000000 (strain 51.81). Further explanations mentioned in the article as well as 7 supplementary tables and 7 supplementary figures are available with the online version of this article. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. * AAI : average amino acid identity ANI : average nucleotide identity ASV : Amplicon Sequence Variant CDS : coding sequences CIP : Collection of Institut Pasteur dDDH : digital DNA-DNA hybridization values DUS : DNA uptake sequence GTDB : Genome Taxonomy Database ICNP : International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes LPSN : List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature ML : maximum likelihood NJ : neighbor joining MP : maximum parsimony TEM : Transmission Electron Microscopy TSA : trypticase soy agar TSB : tryptone soy broth VFDB : virulence factor database.