[Taxonomic study of enterobacteria belonging or related to Escherichia coli species].

Phenetic (numerical analysis) and genetic (DNA-DNA hybridization) studies were carried out on strains belonging or related to the species Escherichia coli. They have shown the diversity of its phenotypes, by the presence of plasmidic characters (citrate+, urease+, H2S+, tetrathionate reductase+, raffinose+, and saccharose+). New strains related phenetically to E. coli are also individualized. They showed less than 30% DNA relatedness with E. coli. A new definition of E. coli is presented.