अमूर्त

The categorization of bacillus strains in the molecular genetic historical period

Richard Smith*

Despite its obvious practical importance for identification, diagnosis, quarantine, and diversity surveys, the concept of bacterial species remains a challenging topic to develop. Genomics now provides new insights into intra-species variety as well as the possibility of the emergence of a more firmly founded system. A uniform modification to the definition is premature because existing understanding is based on too few phylogenetic groups and too few natural population samples. However, our research of five significant bacterial groups implies that more severe species definitions may be justified once a good understanding of gene content and ecological distinctiveness is established. The concept of physiologically significant clusters of diversity that applies to most eukaryotes may not be uniformly applicable in the microbial world, or if such clusters exist, they may be found at other levels of distinction.