Reclassification of Catabacter hongkongensis as Christensenella hongkongensis comb. nov. based on whole genome analysis

The genera (family ' ') and (family ) are close relatives within the phylum . Members of these genera are strictly anaerobic, non-spore-forming and short straight rods with diverse phenotypes. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes suggest that splits into a polyphyletic clade. In an effort to ensure that family/genus names represent monophyletic clades, we performed a whole-genome based analysis of the genomes available for the cultured representatives of these genera: four species of and two strains of . A concatenated alignment of 135 shared protein sequences of single-copy core genes present in the included strains indicates that is indeed nested within the clade. Based on their evolutionary relationship, we propose the transfer of to the genus as comb. nov.