Prokaryotic (bacterial or archaeal) species are now generally defined by genomic methods such as average nucleotide identity (ANI). A genomospecies is a species that can be differentiated from other species using genotypic means, or more precisely, a genomic method. A genomospecies can be a formally recognized species if it meets the following conditions:
- It shows differential characteristics that separate it from other species.
- Its description is published in a scientific journal.
- A pure culture that serves as the type strain is available without any restriction.
- The designated type strain is deposited into two different culture collections in two different countries.
If a species cannot meet any of the above conditions, we can call it genomospecies (=genospecies). In other words, a genomospecies is a tentatively novel species that is supported by genomic evidence such as ANI.
* Note that the genome sequences of CP014326_s and CP012646_s are labeled as Streptococcus mitis in NCBI database (CP014326, CP012646). However, ANI values between the type strain of Streptococcus mitis and these strains are <95%, the cutoff for the species boundary (Chun et al., 2018).
Last edited April 23, 2018
