Bdellovibrio
| Bdellovibrio | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Bacteria |
| Phylum: | Proteobacteria |
| Class: | Deltaproteobacteria |
| Order: | Bdellovibrionales |
| Family: | Bdellovibrionaceae |
| Genus: | Bdellovibrio |
| Species: | B. bacteriovorus |
| Binomial name | |
|
Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus Stolp & Starr 1963 |
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Bdellovibrio is a genus of Gram-negative, obligate aerobic bacteria. One of the more notable characteristics of this genus is that members parasitize other Gram-negative bacteria by entering into their periplasmic space and feeding on the biopolymers, e.g. proteins and nucleic acids, of their hosts. After entering the periplasmic space of its host the Bdellovibrio bacterium forms a structure called a bdelloplast which modifies both predator's and prey's cells. The predator cell can remain dormant at this stage, without affecting the viability of the host. In most cases, though, Bdellovibrio devours its prey and moves on. Because of this, Bdellovibrio can be considered bacterial predators, in addition to parasites. Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus was first described by Stolp and Petzold in 1962. Two other species, Bdellovibrio starrii and Bdellovibrio stolpii, have been moved to a separate genus Bacteriovorax.
Under the microscope, a Bdellovibrio appears to be a comma-shaped motile rod that is about 0.3–0.5 by 0.5–1.4 µm in size with a barely discernible flagellum. Colonies of Bdellovibrio show up as a growing clear plaque in an E. coli lawn.
Another notable feature of Bdellovibrio is the sheath that covers its flagellum. This is a rare characteristic among bacteria. Flagellar motility stops after Bdellovibrio penetrates its prey. In some cases the flagella is shed; in others it protrudes from the outer membrane of the prey cell.
Bdellovibrio species are found in river water or soil and live an intraperiplasmic existence. Bdellovibrio is grown in the laboratory with nutrient broth diluted 1:500 (also known as NB/500) and mixed with hot soft agar. Cultures are grown with a population of E. coli at 30 °C for one week.Bdellovibrio may also be cultured using YPSC(yeast extract, peptone, sodium acetate, calcium chloride) overlays or prey lysates.
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