Microbiology

Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, 2nd ed (BMSB-­‐2). The purpose of this manual is to help in the identification of procaryotes. The second edition of the BMSB categorizes the majority of the genera by their 16S rRNA gene sequences. This second edition is composed of five volumes. 

 

V.1: The archaea and the deeply branching and phototrophic bacteria.
V.2: The Proteobacteria.
        Part A: Introductory essays. Part B: the gammaproteobacteria. 
Part C: The alpha-, beta-, delta-, and epsilonproteobacteria.
V.3: The firmicutes.
V.4: The bacteroidetes, spirochaetes, tenericutes (mollicutes), acidobacteria,
fibrobacters, fusobacteria, dictyoglomi, gemmatimonadetes, lentisphaerae,
verrucomicrobia, chlamydiae, and planctomycetes.
V.5: The actinobacteria.

 

How to use the manual

"The Road Map to the Manual" is in volume one (p.119). Table 2: Phenotypic Grouping of the Prokaryotic Phyla indicates in which volume you can find information on the genera, in addition to information on the phylum, class, and group (BMBD-9).  A "Taxonomic Outline of the Archaea and Bacteria" (March 2000) follows Table 2.

 

1. Determine the phylogenetic tree for the bacterium of interest.
2. Go to the Contents pages at the beginning of the volume and look for "Class, Order, Family."
3. Under each Family you will find a list of the Genera that belong to the Family of the bacterium of interest.
4. It is important to read the material that appears under both the genus and the species. Information about the genus does not usually repeat on the species description.

   Example: PhylumXIII. Firmicutes............................................................19
                              Class II. "Clostridia"..................................................736
                                       Order I. Clostridiales.........................................736
                                                Family I. Clostridiaceae............................736
                                                               Genus I. Clostridium..................738
                                                               Genus II. Alkaliphilus.................828
                                                               Genus III. Anaerobacter.............830
                                                                        Etc.

 

Alternatively, you can search Table 2 of the "Road Map to the Manual" and check if the genus of your bacterium is listed. If listed, see in which volume the information about your bacterium is found. Then go to the "Index of Scientific Names of Archaea and Bacteria" (at the back of the volume) and select the page in bold type.

 

Example:

 

Genus                    Phylum                Class              Volume            BMBD9

 

Anaerobacter     Firmicutes       "Clostridia"            3               Group-18

 

             Anaerobacter, 6, 736, 737, 802, 830, 847

 

Note: It is useful to read the "On Using the Manual" found at the beginning of each volume.

 

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*Garrity GM, editor. 2001. Bergey's manual of systematic bacteriology. 2nd ed. New York (NY): Springer. 

 

Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, 1st ed. (BMSB-1)

 

The purpose of the first edition of the BMSB is to help in the identification of bacteria. It is arranged according to phenotypic characteristics of bacteria and is composed of four volumes that are subdivided into 33 sections.

 

V.1: Gram-negative bacteria of general, medical, or industrial importance.
V.2: Gram-positive bacteria other than actinomycetes.
V.3: Archaeobacteria, cyanobacteria, and remaining gram-negative bacteria.
V.4: Actinomycetes.

How to use the manual

1. Look up the name of your bacterium or its genus in the "Cumulative Index (Volumes 1-4) of Scientific Names of Bacteria" located at the back of Volume 4. The page in bold type is where the information of interest, specific to your bacterium, can be found. The other page numbers indicate where it is mentioned.
2. It is important to read the material that appears under both the genus and the species. Information abut the genus does not usually repeat on the species description.

 Example:      Micrococcus, 3, 31, 305...1004...2394
                              agilis, 1003-1005, 1006...1040
                              amylovorus, 471
                                       Etc.

Note: It is useful to read the "On Using the Manual" found at the beginning of each volume.

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*Holt JG, editor. 1984. Bergey's manual of systematic bacteriology. Baltimore (MD): Williams & Wilkins.