The Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia, Chlamydiae and sister phyla comprise a superphylum with biotechnological and medical relevance

Author(s)
Michael Wagner, Matthias Horn
Abstract

In the rRNA-based tree of life four bacterial phyla, comprising the Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia, Chlamydiae and Lentisphaerae, form together with the candidate phyla Poribacteria and OP3 a monophyletic group referred to as the PVC superphylum. This assemblage contains organisms that possess dramatically different lifestyles and which colonize sharply contrasting habitats. Some members of this group are among the most successful human pathogens, others are abundant soil microbes, and others still are of major importance for the marine nitrogen cycle and hold much promise for sustainable wastewater treatment. Recent comparative genomic and metagenomic analyses of a few representatives of this group revealed many unusual features and generated unexpected hypotheses regarding their physiology, some of which have already been confirmed experimentally. Furthermore, the availability of these genome sequences offered new insights into the evolutionary history of this peculiar group of microbes with major medical, ecological and biotechnological relevance. Π2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organisation(s)
Journal
Current Opinion in Biotechnology
Volume
17
Pages
241-249
No. of pages
9
ISSN
0958-1669
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2006.05.005
Publication date
05-2006
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
1060 Biology
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 14 - Life Below Water
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/the-planctomycetes-verrucomicrobia-chlamydiae-and-sister-phyla-comprise-a-superphylum-with-biotechnological-and-medical-relevance(51d99fdc-560f-44cb-9cde-cf5b661be3c4).html