Vampirococcus

Vampirococcus
Scientific classification
Domain:
Bacteria
Phylum:
"Patescibacteria"
Class:
"Absconditabacteria"
Order:
"Absconditabacterales"
Family:
"Absconditicoccaceae"
Genus:
"Ca. "Vampirococcus"

Guerrero et al. 1986
Type species
"Ca. Vampirococcus lugosii"
Moreira et al. 2021
Species
  • "Ca. V. lugosii"

Vampirococcus is an informally described genus of ovoid Gram-negative bacteria, but the exact phylogeny remains to be determined.[1][2] This predatory prokaryote was first described in 1983 by Esteve et al. as small, anaerobic microbe about 0.6 μm wide before being given the name of Vampirococcus in 1986 by Guerrero et al.[2][3] This prokaryote is a freshwater obligate predator that preys specifically on various species of the photosynthetic purple sulfur bacterium, Chromatium.[2][3] As an epibiont, Vampirococcus attaches to the cell surface of their prey and "sucks" out the cytoplasm using a specialized cytoplasmic bridge.[2] They are commonly mentioned as an example of epibionts when discussing strategies employed by bacterial predators. This microbe still has yet to be classified based on genomic sequencing or 16S rRNA because it cannot be sustained long enough outside its natural environment to isolate a pure culture.[2]

  1. ^ Jurkevitch, Edouard; Davidov, Yaacov (2007). "Phylogenetic diversity and evolution of predatory prokaryotes". Predatory Prokaryotes. Microbiology Monographs. Vol. 4. Berlin: Springer. pp. 11–56. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-38582-0. ISBN 978-3-540-38577-6.
  2. ^ a b c d e Guerrero, Ricardo; Pedrós-Alió, Carlos; Esteve, Isabel; Mas, Jordi; Chase, David; Margulis, Lynn (April 1986). "Predatory prokaryotes: Predation and primary consumption evolved in bacteria". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 83 (7): 2138–2142. Bibcode:1986PNAS...83.2138G. doi:10.1073/pnas.83.7.2138. PMC 323246. PMID 11542073.
  3. ^ a b Esteve, I.; Guerrero, R.; Montesinos, E.; Abellà, C. (1983-04-01). "Electron microscope study of the interaction of epibiontic bacteria with Chromatium minus in natural habitats". Microbial Ecology. 9 (1): 57–64. doi:10.1007/BF02011580. PMID 24221616. S2CID 32501475.