Definition of Term

Bdellovibrio

(English) A genus of aerobic gram-negative bacteria which are characteristically predatory on other bacteria (cf. vampirovibrio). They occur worldwide in soil and sewage, and in freshwater and marine habitats. On primary isolation, all strains are obligately parasitic on certain gram-negative bacteria, including Aquaspirillum serpens, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp. and Rhodospirillum rubrum, the range of prey species varying with the strain of Bdellovibrio. Prey-independent, cultivable strains can develop from strictly predatory strains, and some strains are facultatively predatory. The predatory strains exhibit a biphasic life cycle: the predatory phase (in which the non-growing cells search for prey) alternating with a phase of growth and reproduction in the periplasmic space of a host cell. Al strains are chemoorganotrophs. Growth occurs optimally at 28-30°C, and metabolism is respiratory (oxidative).

Other Search Engines