D. Nickens et al., BIOTYPE OF THE PURPLE NONSULFUR PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIUM, RHODOSPIRILLUM-CENTENUM, Archives of microbiology, 165(2), 1996, pp. 91-96
Rhodospirillum centenum exhibited a number of general properties typic
ally observed in nonsulfur purple bacteria, but also displayed a numbe
r of unusual characteristics that include: (1) conversion of the vibri
oid/spiral cells to thick-walled cysts under certain growth conditions
; (2) absence of O-2 repression of photopigment synthesis; (3) synthes
is of ''R-bodies''; and (4) swarming motility on agar surfaces that al
lows macroscopic observation of colony phototaxis. The unusual charact
eristics indicate that Rsp.centenum will prove to be a valuable experi
mental system for investigating various basic problems, especially in
connection with photosensory phenomena and the regulation of photopigm
ent synthesis by dioxygen and light. The present comparative study of
13 strains was undertaken to further define the Rsp. centenum biotype.