Beschreibung:
<jats:p>A study was performed on three isolates (LU2006-1<jats:sup>T</jats:sup>, LU2006-2 and LU2006-3), which were sampled independently from cheese in western Switzerland in 2006, as well as a fourth isolate (A11-3426), which was detected in 2011, using a polyphasic approach. The isolates could all be assigned to the genus <jats:named-content xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" content-type="genus" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1601/nm.5095" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:italic>Listeria</jats:italic>
</jats:ext-link>
</jats:named-content> but not to any known species. Phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data were compatible with the genus <jats:named-content xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" content-type="genus" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1601/nm.5095" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:italic>Listeria</jats:italic>
</jats:ext-link>
</jats:named-content> and phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences confirmed that the closest relationships were with members of this genus. However, DNA–DNA hybridization demonstrated that the isolates did not belong to any currently described species. Cell-wall-binding domains of <jats:named-content xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" content-type="species" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1601/nm.5096" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:italic>Listeria monocytogenes</jats:italic>
</jats:ext-link>
</jats:named-content> bacteriophage endolysins were able to attach to the isolates, confirming their tight relatedness to the genus <jats:named-content xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" content-type="genus" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1601/nm.5095" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:italic>Listeria</jats:italic>
</jats:ext-link>
</jats:named-content>. Although PCR targeting the central portion of the flagellin gene <jats:italic>flaA</jats:italic> was positive, motility was not observed. The four isolates could not be discriminated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy or pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. This suggests that they represent a single species, which seems to be adapted to the environment in a cheese-ripening cellar as it was re-isolated from the same type of Swiss cheese after more than 5 years. Conjugation experiments demonstrated that the isolates harbour a transferable resistance to clindamycin. The isolates did not exhibit haemolysis or show any indication of human pathogenicity or virulence. The four isolates are affiliated with the genus <jats:named-content xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" content-type="genus" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1601/nm.5095" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:italic>Listeria</jats:italic>
</jats:ext-link>
</jats:named-content> but can be differentiated from all described members of the genus <jats:named-content xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" content-type="genus" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1601/nm.5095" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:italic>Listeria</jats:italic>
</jats:ext-link>
</jats:named-content> and therefore they merit being classified as representatives of a novel species, for which we propose the name <jats:italic>Listeria fleischmannii</jats:italic> sp. nov.; the type strain is LU2006-1<jats:sup>T</jats:sup> ( = DSM 24998<jats:sup>T</jats:sup> = LMG 26584<jats:sup>T</jats:sup>).</jats:p>