Multilocus sequence analysis of atypical Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato isolates – Description of Borrelia californiensis sp. nov., and genomospecies 1 and 2

Taxonomy of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) was recently improved by the use of multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA), a new approach to replace the cumbersome DNA–DNA hybridization method [Richter et al., 2006. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 156, 873–881]. In this study, we used this methodology to classify B. burgdorferi s.l. strains isolated both in Europe and the United States, the exact taxonomic status of which remained unclear. We conclude that MLSA can surpass the discrimination power of whole DNA–DNA hybridization, and we delineate three new North American B. burgdorferi s.l. species. In contrast, European atypical strains constituted a subgroup of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.).