Evidence for bacteriophages within Gram-negative cocci - Obligate endoparasitic bacteria of Naegleria sp.

Gram-negative cocci observed as endocytobionts within the cytoplasm of a Na egleria strain isolated from a garden pond harboured small hexagonal partic les of about 70 nm identified as bacteriophages called "Neo-Ph/2". These ph ages resembled the recently described phages; strain "Neo-Ph/1" observed fo r the first time within the Chlamydia-like endocytobiont Neochlamydia hartm annellae (Parachlamydiaceae) multiplying within Hartmannella vermiformis (S chmid et al. 2001). The possible reasons for this obvious similarity are ob ject for discussion in this article.