Elusimicrobiota

Abstract E.lu.si.mi.cro.bi.o'ta. N.L. neut. n. Elusimicrobium , type genus of the phylum; N.L. neut. pl. n. suff. ‐ ota , ending to denote a phylum; N.L. neut. pl. n. Elusimicrobiota , the Elusimicrobium phylum. Elusimicrobiota belongs to the PVC superphylum and comprises at least four class‐level lineages of mostly uncultured bacteria. Only the classes Elusimicrobia and Endomicrobia each have a single cultured representative. Both isolates are strictly anaerobic ultramicrobacteria with a fermentative metabolism and an unusual cell cycle. Like their uncultured relatives in the families Elusimicrobiaceae and Endomicrobiaceae , they colonize the intestinal tracts of invertebrate and vertebrate hosts and show considerable genome reduction. All other lineages seem to consist of free‐living, strictly anaerobic bacteria that occur in a wide range of aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Members of several apical lineages possess the capacity for aerobic respiration. Type genus : Elusimicrobium Geissinger et al. 2009, VL132. The phylum Elusimicrobiota contains the classes Elusimicrobia Geissinger et al. 2009, VL132 and Endomicrobia Zheng et al. 2016, VL180.