Table 3.

Biochemical properties of A. naeslundii genospecies 1, 2 and WVA 963

Data are percentages of strains giving positive reactions. Isolates were assigned to individual genospecies on the basis of their positions in phylogenetic trees calculated using partial gene sequences of atpA and metG. All strains were positive for activity of proline, phenylalanine and leucine arylamidases in the API Rapid ID32A kit and for neuraminidase (sialidase) and α-glucosidase activity using fluorogenic substrates, and all exhibited aerobic growth. All strains were negative for arginine dihydrolase, β-galactosidase-6-phosphate, α-arabinosidase, β-glucuronidase, N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase, glutamic acid decarboxylase, α-fucosidase and for activity of arginine, leucylglycine, pyroglutamic acid, histidine, glutamylglutamic acid and serine arylamidases in the API Rapid ID32A kit and for N-acetyl-β-d-galactosaminidase and N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase activities using fluorogenic substrates, none fermented arabinose or mannitol using the previously described method (Brailsford et al., 1999) and none produced indole.

Phenotypic test	Genospecies 1 (A. naeslundii) (n=42)	Genospecies 2 (A. oris sp. nov.) (n=70)	Genospecies WVA 963 (A. johnsonii sp. nov.) (n=2)
API Rapid ID32A
Urease	0	1	50
α-Galactosidase	44	44	100
β-Galactosidase	75	67	100
α-Glucosidase	88	81	100
β-Glucosidase	83	61	100
Mannose fermentation	0	1	50
Raffinose fermentation	2	4	0
Nitrate reduction	98	96	100
Alkaline phosphatase	0	0	50
Tyrosine arylamidase	98	97	100
Alanine arylamidase	0	1	0
Glycine arylamidase	0	3	0
Other methods
Fermentation of:
Cellobiose	31	9	0
Fructose	98	99	50
Glycogen	5	40	100
Inositol	100	93	50
Lactose	71	67	100
Ribose	0	21	100
Salicin	64	23	0
Starch	2	16	50
Trehalose	50	43	50
Aesculin hydrolysis	62	13	0
Catalase production	10	70	50
β-d-Fucosidase	90	91	100
α-l-Fucosidase	12	0	100
β-Glucosidase	100	90	100
α-Galactosidase	100	96	100
α-Arabinosidase	88	93	100
β-Galactosidase	88	93	100