ASSIGNMENT OF LISTERIA-GRAYI AND LISTERIA-MURRAYI TO A SINGLE SPECIES, LISTERIA-GRAYI, WITH A REVISED DESCRIPTION OF LISTERIA-GRAYI

The genomic relatedness between Listeria grayi and Listeria murrayi was reevaluated by using DNA-DNA hybridization, multilocus enzyme electrophoresis, and rRNA restriction fragment length polymorphism techniques. The high levels of similarity observed between the strains of these two species confirmed the data published since 1973 and indicated that they should be considered members of a single species. On grounds of priority, the species should be named L. grayi.