Lesson plan
Bacillati
Bacillati, is a kingdom containing approximately two-thirds of prokaryote species, including those in the gram positive phyla (Actinomycetota and Bacillota) as well as the phyla Cyanobacteriota and Chloroflexota. It was originally proposed under the name "Terrabacteria", referring to the commonalities of its members: the possession of important adaptations to life on land such as resistance to environmental hazards (e.g., desiccation, ultraviolet radiation, and high salinity) and oxygenic photosynthesis. The unique properties of the cell wall in gram-positive taxa, which likely evolved in response to terrestrial conditions, have also contributed toward pathogenicity in many species. This suggests that terrestrial adaptations may have played a larger role in prokaryote evolution than currently understood. The closest relatives of the Bacillati are the Pseudomonadati ("Hydrobacteria"), originally named in reference to the moist environment inferred for the common ancestor of those species. Bacillati and Pseudomonadati were inferred to have diverged approximately 3 billion years ago, suggesting that land (continents) had been colonized by prokaryotes at that time. Together, Bacillati and Pseudomonadati form a large clade containing 97% of prokaryotes and 99% of all species of Bacteria known by 2009.
Article summary
Bacillati, is a kingdom containing approximately two-thirds of prokaryote species, including those in the gram positive phyla (Actinomycetota and Bacillota) as well as the phyla Cyanobacteriota and Chloroflexota. It was originally proposed under the name "Terrabacteria", referring to the commonalities of its members: the possession of important adaptations to life on land such as resistance to environmental hazards (e.g., desiccation, ultraviolet radiation, and high salinity) and oxygenic photosynthesis. The unique properties of the cell wall in gram-positive taxa, which likely evolved in response to terrestrial conditions, have also contributed toward pathogenicity in many species. This suggests that terrestrial adaptations may have played a larger role in prokaryote evolution than currently understood. The closest relatives of the Bacillati are the Pseudomonadati ("Hydrobacteria"), originally named in reference to the moist environment inferred for the common ancestor of those species. Bacillati and Pseudomonadati were inferred to have diverged approximately 3 billion years ago, suggesting that land (continents) had been colonized by prokaryotes at that time. Together, Bacillati and Pseudomonadati form a large clade containing 97% of prokaryotes and 99% of all species of Bacteria known by 2009.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.