Bacteroides heparinolyticus sp. nov. Isolated from Humans with Periodontitis

We describe a new species of nonpigmented, saccharolytic Bacteroides, Bacteroides heparinolyticus, which is frequently isolated from human periodontitis lesions. This species produces an enzyme that hydrolyzes heparin. The major product from glucose is succinic acid. B . heparinolyticus strains have membranes typical of gram-negative cells and external surface structures that stain with ruthenium red and glutaraldehyde-osmium. The guanine-plus-cytosine content of the deoxyribonucleic acid is 47 to 49 mol%. Strains of this species have negligible deoxyribonucleic acid homology with other Bacteroides species described previously. Strain HEP (=ATCC 35895) is the type strain. B . heparinolyticus strains are serologically distinct from other Bacteroides species on the basis of cell agglutination and gel diffusion tests.