HETEROGENEITY OF THE SPECIES CAULOBACTER BACTEROIDES REVEALED BY DNA-DNA HYBRIDIZATION

DNA-DNA hybridization of 24 strains of the genus Caulobacter revealed that the species C. bacteroides includes two genospecies; each of them was represented by five strains. These genospecies include strains ea rlier identified as C. bacteroides, ''C. glutinosus,'' ''C. kusnezovii ,'' ''C. rossi,'' C. subvibrioides, and C. vibrioides. Six strains occ upied an intermediate position between the genospecies discovered. The y probably form a third genospecies related to the other two genospeci es. Three strains belonging to C. bacteroides could not be included in any of the three genospecies. The obtained data suggest that the C. b acteroides strains split into at least four groups of the species leve l.