Rearrangement of the Species and Genera of the Phototrophic "Purple Nonsulfur Bacteria"

Abstract

A rearrangement of the species of the “purple nonsulfur bacteria” (Rhodospirillaceae) is proposed. The species with vesicular intracytoplasmic membranes are removed from the genus Rhodopseudomonas and are placed in the new genera Rhodobacter and Rhodopila as Rhodobacter capsulatus (type species), Rhodobacter sphaeroides, Rhodobacter sulfidophilus, Rhodobacter adriaticus, and Rhodopila globiformis (type species). Rhodopseudomonas gelatinosa and Rhodospirillum tenue are united with Rhodocyclus purpureus (type species) in the genus Rhodocyclus as Rhodocyclus gelatinosus and Rhodocyclus tenuis. The decisions for this rearrangement were based mainly upon morphological and physiological properties; supporting arguments were based on structural similarities of macromolecular cell constituents.