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BdellovibrioRANK: GenusTAXONOMY: Bacteria -> Proteobacteria -> delta/epsilon subdivisions -> Deltaproteobacteria -> Bdellovibrionales -> Bdellovibrionaceae -> Bdellovibrio OVERVIEW: Vibrios, 0.20–0.4 × 0.5–1.4 μm. Motile by a single, polar, sheathed flagellum. Gram negative. Prey upon Gram-negative bacteria. Have a predatory lifestyle characterized by two distinct phases, a free-living attack phase and an intraperiplasmic growth phase (Figure 1). Prey-independent mutants that have lost their requirement for prey cells occur spontaneously and can be isolated in the laboratory. Some of these prey-independent mutants retain the ability to grow predaciously and are considered to be facultative with respect to their requirement for prey cells. Aerobic, having a strictly respiratory type of metabolism with oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor. Contain cytochromes a, c, and b. Mesophilic. Oxidase positive. Catalase variable. Occur in fresh and salt water, soil, and sewage.The mol% G + C of the DNA is: 49.5–51 (Torrella et al., 1978).Type species: Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus |