Rothia aerolata

Rothia aerolata is a species of Gram-positive, aerobic, non-spore-forming bacteria in the genus Rothia. It was first isolated from exhaust air in a pig barn in Germany and formally described as a new species in 2016.

Etymology

The species name aerolata is derived from the Greek noun aer and the Latin participle lata, together meaning "airborne," referencing the bacterium’s isolation from air samples.

Morphology and physiology

Cells of R. aerolata are coccoid to short rods, Gram-positive, catalase-positive, and oxidase-negative. Colonies on tryptic soy agar are creamy-whitish to beige, non-translucent, and 1–2 mm in diameter. Growth occurs at 15–36 °C and in pH ranges from 6.5 to 9.5, with weak growth at 42 °C and pH 5.5. No growth occurs at 10 °C or 50 °C or at ≥9% NaCl.

Ecology

Rothia aerolata was initially isolated from air in a pig barn and has also been recovered from the tonsils of pigs.