How Did Enterobacter Evolve

Prokaryotes (2006) 6:197–214
DOI: 10.1007/0-387-30746-x_9

CHAPTER 3.3.9 eh T

su e nG re t cab re tn o E

The Genus Enterobacter
FRANCINE GRIMONT AND PATRICK A.D. GRIMONT

Introduction
The genus Enterobacter was first proposed by
Hormaeche and Edwards (1960a). However, the history of some species now placed in the genus
Enterobacter can be traced, albeit with some confusion, to the end of the 19th century. “Bacillus lactis aerogenes” was isolated by Escherich
(1885) from milk and renamed “Bacillus aerogenes” by Kruse (1896) and “Aerobacter aerogenes” by Beijerinck (1900). Until 1955, differentiation of this organism from Friedländer’s bacillus (now called Klebsiella pneumoniae) was not clear, and most authors
Enterobacter cloacae (Jordan) Hormaeche and Edwards 1960a; “Bacillus cloacae” Jordan
1890; “Aerobacter cloacae” (Jordan) Hormaeche and Edwards 1958. The type strain is strain
ATCC 13047 (= CDC 279–56, NCTC 442.68, CIP
60.85). This strain is very close by DNA hybridization to the type strain of E. dissolvens.
2. Enterobacter aerogenes (Kruse) Hormaeche and Edwards 1960a; “Bacillus aerogenes” Kruse 1896; “Aerobacter aerogenes”
(Kruse) Hormaeche and Edwards 1958; Enterobacter aerogenes (Hormaeche and Edwards
1960a 1960b); Klebsiella mobilis Bascomb et al.
1971. The type strain is strain ATCC 13048
(= CDC 819–56, NCTC 10006, CIP 60.86).
3. Enterobacter gergoviae Brenner et al. 1980;
Enterobacter sp. urease positive (Richard et al.,
1976). The type strain is strain ATCC 33028
(= CDC 604–77, CIP 76.01).
4. Enterobacter sakazakii Farmer et al. 1980; yellow-pigmented Enterobacter cloacae (Steigerwalt et al., 1976). The type strain is strain ATCC
29544 (= CDC 4562–70).
5. Enterobacter intermedium Izard, Gavini, and Leclerc 1980; Enterobacter group H1 (Gavini et al., 1976; Izard et al., 1979). The type strain is strain ATCC 33110 (= CUETM 77–130,
Adhesins are often also hemagglutinins
(HA) and may or may not be located on fimbriae. Most strains of Enterobacter amnigenus, E. cloacae, and E. sakazaki produce a mannosesensitive hemagglutinin (MS-HA) associated with type 1 fimbriae, i.e., thick, channelled fimbriae of external diameter 7 to 8 nm. These fimbriae can be coated by type 1 fimbrial antiserum against E. cloacae 035 but not by type 1 fimbrial antiserum against Klebsiella pneumoniae K55/1
(Adegbola and Old, 1983). No other hemagglutinin and fimbrial type has been observed in these species.
Seven of eight E. gergoviae strains were found to produce a mannose-resistant Klebsiella-like
HA (MR/K-HA) agglutinating tanned ox erythrocytes, and they were associated with type 3 fimbriae, i.e., thin, nonchannelled fimbriae of external diameter 4 to 5 nm. These fimbriae can be coated with type 3 fimbrial antiserum against
K. oxytoca K70/1 (Adegbola and Old, 1983). No other hemagglutinin and fimbrial type has been observed in this species.
Six of eight E. intermedium strains produced
MS-HA or MR/K-HA or both. MS-HA was associated with type 1 fimbriae that could not