Roadmap for naming uncultivated Archaea and Bacteria
Alison E. Murray, John V. Freudenstein, Simonetta Gribaldo, Roland Hatzenpichler, Philip Hugenholtz, Peter Kämpfer, Konstantinos T. Konstantinidis, Christopher E. Lane, R. Thane Papke, Donovan H. Parks, Ramon Rosselló‐Móra, Matthew B. Stott, Iain C. Sutcliffe, J. Cameron Thrash, Stephanus N. Venter, William B. Whitman, Silvia G. Acinas, Rudolf Amann, Karthik Anantharaman, Jean Armengaud, Brett J. Baker, Roman A. Barco, Helge B. Bode, Eric S. Boyd, Carrie Brady, Paul Carini, Patrick Chain, Daniel R. Colman, Kristen M. DeAngelis, Maria Asuncion de los Rios, Paulina Estrada‐de los Santos, Christopher A. Dunlap, Jonathan A. Eisen, David Emerson, Thijs J. G. Ettema, Damien Eveillard, Peter R. Girguis, Ute Hentschel, James T. Hollibaugh, Laura Hug, William P. Inskeep, Elena P. Ivanova, Hans‐Peter Klenk, Wen‐Jun Li, Karen G. Lloyd, Frank E. Löffler, Thulani P. Makhalanyane, Duane P. Moser, Takuro Nunoura, Marike Palmer, Vı́ctor Parro, Carlos Pedrós‐Alió, Alexander J. Probst, Theo H. M. Smits, Andrew D. Steen, Emma T. Steenkamp, Anja Spang, Frank J. Stewart, James M. Tiedje, Peter Vandamme, Michael Wagner, Fengping Wang, Pablo Yarza, Brian P. Hedlund, Anna‐Louise Reysenbach
Abstract
The assembly of single-amplified genomes (SAGs) and metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) has led to a surge in genome-based discoveries of members affiliated with Archaea and Bacteria, bringing with it a need to develop guidelines for nomenclature of uncultivated microorganisms. The International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP) only recognizes cultures as 'type material', thereby preventing the naming of uncultivated organisms. In this Consensus Statement, we propose two potential paths to solve this nomenclatural conundrum. One option is the adoption of previously proposed modifications to the ICNP to recognize DNA sequences as acceptable type material; the other option creates a nomenclatural code for uncultivated Archaea and Bacteria that could eventually be merged with the ICNP in the future. Regardless of the path taken, we believe that action is needed now within the scientific community to develop consistent rules for nomenclature of uncultivated taxa in order to provide clarity and stability, and to effectively communicate microbial diversity.