Verrucomicrobia

Taxobox
color = lightgrey
name = Verrucomicrobia
regnum = Bacteria
phylum = Verrucomicrobia
ordo = Verrucomicrobiales
familia = Verrucomicrobiaceae
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = "Methylacidiphilum"
"Verrucomicrobium"
"Prosthecobacter"
"Akkermansia"

Verrucomicrobia is a recently described phylum of bacteria. This phylum contains only a few described species ("Verrucomicrobia spinosum", is an example, the phylum is named after this). The species identified have been isolated from fresh water and soil environments and human feces. A number of as-yet uncultivated species have been identified in association with eukaryotic hosts including extrusive explosive ectosymbionts of protists and endosymbionts of nematodes residing in their gametes.It is the cause of verucae on the feet and hands.

Evidence suggests that verrucomicrobia are abundant within the environment, and important (especially to soil cultures). This phylum is considered to have two sister phyla: Chlamydiae and Lentisphaerae. [cite journal | author = Cho J, Vergin K, Morris R, Giovannoni S | title = Lentisphaera araneosa gen. nov., sp. nov, a transparent exopolymer producing marine bacterium, and the description of a novel bacterial phylum, Lentisphaerae | journal = Environ Microbiol | volume = 6 | issue = 6 | pages = 611–21 | year = 2004 | pmid = 15142250 | doi = 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2004.00614.x]

Cavalier-Smith has postulated that the Verrucomicrobia belong in the clade Planctobacteria in the larger clade Gracilicutes. 16S rRNA data corroborate that view. [Wagner M, Horn M: The Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia, Chlamydiae and sister phyla comprise a superphylum with biotechnological and medical relevance. "Curr Opin Biotechnol" 2006, 17(3):241-249] Recently the whole genome of "Methylacidiphilum infernorum" was sequenced (2.3 Mbp). On the single circular chromosome, 2473 predicted proteins were found, 731 of which had no detectable homologs. Many homologies with Proteobacteria became also apparent. [S.Hou et al. Complete genome sequence of the extremely acidophilic methanotroph isolate V4, Methylacidiphilum infernorum, a representative of the bacterial phylum Verrucomicrobia. "Biology Direct" 2008, 3:26]

References