Comparison of Predatory Phenotypes and Genotypes Between Bdellovibrio sp. BIS2 and Bacteriovorax sp. HI3 Isolated From the Same Freshwater Environment.

ABSTRACT: Bdellovibrio and like organisms (BALOs) are predatory bacteria, which play crucial roles in shaping community structure and maintaining diversity in microbial ecosystems. However, functional and genetic variation among coexisting BALOs remains largely unexplored. Here, we characterised Bdellovibrio sp. BIS2 and Bacteriovorax sp. HI3, which were isolated from the same freshwater environment at different time points. Predation assays and a functional genomic analysis revealed that the predators have distinct prey ranges and predatory behaviours with associated genotypic differences, which may contribute to niche partitioning in the shared habitat. BIS2 possessed an extensive set of flagellar genes, likely contributing to its higher motility and rapid spatial exploration. However, cell debris

SUBMITTER: Sugiyama T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12827227 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature