The Genus Beijerinckia

Abstract

Analysis of rRNA cistrons of Beijerinckia species (De Smedt et al., 1980) and rRNA cistron similarities as observed in DNA-rRNA hybridization experiments (De Vos et al., 1985) has demonstrated that the genus Beijerinckia is not phylogenetically related to the family of Azotobacteraceae (genera Azotobacter and Azomonas), but that it belongs to the alpha subclass of the purple bacteria (Stackebrandt et al., 1988) or the fourth rRNA superfamily of De Ley (De Smedt et al., 1980). Its closest relatives appear to be Xanthomonas autotrophicus, Mycobacterium flavum, a number of Pseudomonas species (P. azotocolligans and P. diminuta), and some authentic rhodopseudomonads. Furthermore, within the same subclasses as Beijerinckia are also found the genera Azospirillum, Agrobacterium, Rhizobium, Acetobacter, Gluconobacter, and Zymomonas.