Name: "Proteobacteria" Gray and Herwig 1996

Category: Phylum

Proposed as: phyl. nov.

Etymology: Pro.te.o.bac.te’ri.a. Gr. masc. n. Prôteus, Greek god of the sea, capable of assuming many different shapes; N.L. neut. pl. n. bacteria, plural of bacterium; N.L. neut. pl. n. Proteobacteria, protean group of bacteria of diverse properties despite a common ancestry (not formed from a genus name)

Pronunciation, gender: pro-te-o-bak-TE-ri-a, neuter

Original publication: Gray JP, Herwig RP. Phylogenetic analysis of the bacterial communities in marine sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 1996; 62:4049-4059. 🇺🇸

Nomenclatural status: not validly published

Taxonomic status: synonym (and no standing)

Correct name: Pseudomonadota Garrity et al. 2021

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    "Proteobacteria" Garrity et al. 2005	heterotypic synonym, not validly published
    "Bdellovibrionota" Waite et al. 2020	heterotypic synonym, not validly published
    Pseudomonadota Garrity et al. 2021	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    Myxococcota Waite et al. 2021	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    "Myxococcota" Waite et al. 2020	heterotypic synonym, not validly published
    "Campylobacterota" Waite et al. 2018	heterotypic synonym, not validly published
    "Alphaproteobacteriota" Whitman et al. 2018	heterotypic synonym, not validly published
    "Epsilonbacteraeota" Waite et al. 2017	heterotypic synonym, not validly published
    "Alphaproteobacteraeota" Oren et al. 2015	heterotypic synonym, not validly published
    Campylobacterota Waite et al. 2021	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    Bdellovibrionota Waite et al. 2021	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP

• Notes:
  • 🧕 Battistuzzi and Hedges (2009) assigned this phylum to the superphylum "Hydrobacteria" Battistuzzi and Hedges 2009. Publication: Battistuzzi FU, Hedges SB. A major clade of prokaryotes with ancient adaptations to life on land. Mol Biol Evol 2009; 26:335-343. 🇺🇸
  • 🧕 Brenner et al. (2005) assigned this phylum to the domain "Bacteria" Woese et al. 1990. Publication: Garrity GM, Bell JA, Lilburn T. Phylum XIV. Proteobacteria phyl. nov. In: Brenner DJ, Krieg NR, Staley JT, Garrity GM (eds), Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, 2nd edn, vol. 2 (The Proteobacteria), part B (The Gammaproteobacteria), Springer, New York, 2005, p. 1. 🇺🇸
  • 🧕 Cavalier-Smith (1998) assigned this phylum to the superphylum "Pimelobacteria" (Cavalier-Smith 1992) Cavalier-Smith 1998. Publication: Cavalier-Smith T. A revised six-kingdom system of life. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 1998; 73:203-266. 🇬🇧
  • 🧕 Cavalier-Smith (2002) assigned this phylum to the superphylum "Exoflagellata". Publication: Cavalier-Smith T. The neomuran origin of archaebacteria, the negibacterial root of the universal tree and bacterial megaclassification. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2002; 52:7-76. 🇬🇧
  • 🧕 Cavalier-Smith (2006) assigned this phylum to the superphylum "Exoflagellata". Publication: Cavalier-Smith T. Rooting the tree of life by transition analyses. Biol Direct 2006; 1:19. 🇬🇧
  • 🧕 Cavalier-Smith and Chao (2020) assigned this phylum to the parvkingdom "Proteobacteria". Publication: Cavalier-Smith T, Chao EE. Multidomain ribosomal protein trees and the planctobacterial origin of neomura (eukaryotes, archaebacteria). Protoplasma 2020; 257:621-753. 🇬🇧
  • 🧕 Luketa (2012) assigned this phylum to the kingdom "Hydrobacterida" Luketa 2012. Publication: Luketa S. New views on the megaclassification of life. Protistology 2012; 7:218-237. 🇷🇸
  • 🧒 Boden et al. (2017) assigned the class Hydrogenophilalia Boden et al. 2017 to this phylum. Publication: Boden R, Hutt LP, Rae AW. Reclassification of Thiobacillus aquaesulis (Wood & Kelly, 1995) as Annwoodia aquaesulis gen. nov., comb. nov., transfer of Thiobacillus (Beijerinck, 1904) from the Hydrogenophilales to the Nitrosomonadales, proposal of Hydrogenophilalia class. nov. within the 'Proteobacteria', and four new families within the orders Nitrosomonadales and Rhodocyclales. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2017; 67:1191-1205. 🇬🇧
  • 🧒 Brenner et al. (2005) assigned the class Gammaproteobacteria Garrity et al. 2005 to this phylum. Publication: Garrity GM, Bell JA, Lilburn T. Class III. Gammaproteobacteria class. nov. In: Brenner DJ, Krieg NR, Staley JT, Garrity GM (eds), Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, 2nd edn, vol. 2 (The Proteobacteria), part B (The Gammaproteobacteria), Springer, New York, 2005, p. 1. 🇺🇸
  • 🧒 Brenner et al. (2005) assigned the class Alphaproteobacteria Garrity et al. 2006 to this phylum. Publication: Garrity GM, Bell JA, Lilburn T. Class III. Gammaproteobacteria class. nov. In: Brenner DJ, Krieg NR, Staley JT, Garrity GM (eds), Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, 2nd edn, vol. 2 (The Proteobacteria), part B (The Gammaproteobacteria), Springer, New York, 2005, p. 1. 🇺🇸
  • 🧒 Brenner et al. (2005) assigned the class Betaproteobacteria Garrity et al. 2006 to this phylum. Publication: Garrity GM, Bell JA, Lilburn T. Class III. Gammaproteobacteria class. nov. In: Brenner DJ, Krieg NR, Staley JT, Garrity GM (eds), Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, 2nd edn, vol. 2 (The Proteobacteria), part B (The Gammaproteobacteria), Springer, New York, 2005, p. 1. 🇺🇸
  • 🧒 Brenner et al. (2005) assigned the class Deltaproteobacteria Kuever et al. 2006 to this phylum. Publication: Garrity GM, Bell JA, Lilburn T. Class III. Gammaproteobacteria class. nov. In: Brenner DJ, Krieg NR, Staley JT, Garrity GM (eds), Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, 2nd edn, vol. 2 (The Proteobacteria), part B (The Gammaproteobacteria), Springer, New York, 2005, p. 1. 🇺🇸
  • 🧒 Brenner et al. (2005) assigned the class Epsilonproteobacteria Garrity et al. 2006 to this phylum. Publication: Garrity GM, Bell JA, Lilburn T. Class III. Gammaproteobacteria class. nov. In: Brenner DJ, Krieg NR, Staley JT, Garrity GM (eds), Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, 2nd edn, vol. 2 (The Proteobacteria), part B (The Gammaproteobacteria), Springer, New York, 2005, p. 1. 🇺🇸
  • 🧒 Cavalier-Smith (1998) assigned the subphylum "Rhodobacteria" (Cavalier-Smith 1987) Cavalier-Smith 1998 to this phylum. Publication: Cavalier-Smith T. A revised six-kingdom system of life. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 1998; 73:203-266. 🇬🇧
  • 🧒 Cavalier-Smith (1998) assigned the subphylum "Thiobacteria" Cavalier-Smith 1998 to this phylum. Publication: Cavalier-Smith T. A revised six-kingdom system of life. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 1998; 73:203-266. 🇬🇧
  • 🧒 Cavalier-Smith (2002) assigned the subphylum "Rhodobacteria" (Cavalier-Smith 1987) Cavalier-Smith 1998 to this phylum. Publication: Cavalier-Smith T. The neomuran origin of archaebacteria, the negibacterial root of the universal tree and bacterial megaclassification. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2002; 52:7-76. 🇬🇧
  • 🧒 Cavalier-Smith (2002) assigned the subphylum "Thiobacteria" Cavalier-Smith 1998 to this phylum. Publication: Cavalier-Smith T. The neomuran origin of archaebacteria, the negibacterial root of the universal tree and bacterial megaclassification. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2002; 52:7-76. 🇬🇧
  • 🧒 Cavalier-Smith (2002) assigned the subphylum "Geobacteria" to this phylum. Publication: Cavalier-Smith T. The neomuran origin of archaebacteria, the negibacterial root of the universal tree and bacterial megaclassification. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2002; 52:7-76. 🇬🇧
  • 🧒 Cavalier-Smith (2006) assigned the subphylum "Rhodobacteria" (Cavalier-Smith 1987) Cavalier-Smith 1998 to this phylum. Publication: Cavalier-Smith T. Rooting the tree of life by transition analyses. Biol Direct 2006; 1:19. 🇬🇧
  • 🧒 Cavalier-Smith (2006) assigned the subphylum "Thiobacteria" Cavalier-Smith 1998 to this phylum. Publication: Cavalier-Smith T. Rooting the tree of life by transition analyses. Biol Direct 2006; 1:19. 🇬🇧
  • 🧒 Cavalier-Smith (2006) assigned the subphylum "Geobacteria" to this phylum. Publication: Cavalier-Smith T. Rooting the tree of life by transition analyses. Biol Direct 2006; 1:19. 🇬🇧
  • 🧒 Cavalier-Smith and Chao (2020) assigned the subphylum "Rhodobacteria" (Cavalier-Smith 1987) Cavalier-Smith 1998 to this phylum. Publication: Cavalier-Smith T, Chao EE. Multidomain ribosomal protein trees and the planctobacterial origin of neomura (eukaryotes, archaebacteria). Protoplasma 2020; 257:621-753. 🇬🇧
  • 🧒 Cavalier-Smith and Chao (2020) assigned the subphylum "Acidobacteria" to this phylum. — 🧒 Cavalier-Smith and Chao (2020) assigned the subphylum "Geobacteria" to this phylum. Publication: Cavalier-Smith T, Chao EE. Multidomain ribosomal protein trees and the planctobacterial origin of neomura (eukaryotes, archaebacteria). Protoplasma 2020; 257:621-753. 🇬🇧
  • 🧒 Davila-Santiago et al. (2022) assigned the family "Candidatus Biekeibacteriaceae" Davila-Santiago et al. 2022 to this phylum. Publication: Davila-Santiago L, DeLeon-Rodriguez N, LaSanta-Pagan K, Hatt JK, Kurt Z, Massol-Deya A, Konstantinidis KT. Microbial diversity in a military impacted lagoon (Vieques, Puerto Rico) and description of "Candidatus Biekeibacterium resiliens" gen. nov., sp. nov. comprising a new bacterial family. Syst Appl Microbiol 2022; 45:126288. 🇵🇷
  • 🧒 Emerson et al. (2007) assigned the class "Candidatus Zetaproteobacteria" Emerson et al. 2007 to this phylum. Publication: Emerson D, Rentz JA, Lilburn TG, Davis RE, Aldrich H, Chan C, Moyer CL. A novel lineage of proteobacteria involved in formation of marine Fe-oxidizing microbial mat communities. PLoS One 2007; 2:e667. 🇺🇸
  • 🧒 Li et al. (2025) assigned the family "Aegicerorhabdaceae" Li et al. 2025 to this phylum. Publication: Li M, Li W, Gao M, Lan J, Gao C, Yi X. A new family of the order Alteromonadales, Aegicerorhabdaceae fam. nov. with description of two novel species Aegicerorhabdus qinzhovensis gen. nov., sp. nov., and Gallaecimonas aegicerasi sp. nov. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 2025; 118:192. 🇨🇳
  • 🧒 Ludwig et al. (2021) assigned the class "Hydrogenophylalia" to this phylum. Publication: Ludwig W, Viver T, Westram R, Francisco Gago J, Bustos-Caparros E, Knittel K, Amann R, Rossello-Mora R. Release LTP_12_2020, featuring a new ARB alignment and improved 16S rRNA tree for prokaryotic type strains. Syst Appl Microbiol 2021; 44:126218. 🇪🇸
  • 🧒 Mori et al. (2011) assigned the family Thioalkalispiraceae Mori et al. 2011 to this phylum. Publication: Mori K, Suzuki K, Urabe T, Sugihara M, Tanaka K, Hamada M, Hanada S. Thioprofundum hispidum sp. nov., an obligately chemolithoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing gammaproteobacterium isolated from the hydrothermal field on Suiyo Seamount, and proposal of Thioalkalispiraceae fam. nov. in the order Chromatiales. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2011; 61:2412-2418. 🇯🇵
  • 🧒 Nakai et al. (2014) assigned the class Oligoflexia Nakai et al. 2014 to this phylum. Publication: Nakai R, Nishijima M, Tazato N, Handa Y, Karray F, Sayadi S, Isoda H, Naganuma T. Oligoflexus tunisiensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a Gram-negative, aerobic, filamentous bacterium of a novel proteobacterial lineage, and description of Oligoflexaceae fam. nov., Oligoflexales ord. nov. and Oligoflexia classis nov. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2014; 64:3353-3359. 🇯🇵
  • 🧒 Williams and Kelly (2013) assigned the class Acidithiobacillia Williams and Kelly 2013 to this phylum. Publication: Williams KP, Kelly DP. Proposal for a new class within the phylum Proteobacteria, Acidithiobacillia classis nov., with the type order Acidithiobacillales, and emended description of the class Gammaproteobacteria. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2013; 63:2901-2906. 🇬🇧
  • 🧒 Williams and Kelly (2013) assigned the class Gammaproteobacteria Garrity et al. 2005 to this phylum. Publication: Williams KP, Kelly DP. Proposal for a new class within the phylum Proteobacteria, Acidithiobacillia classis nov., with the type order Acidithiobacillales, and emended description of the class Gammaproteobacteria. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2013; 63:2901-2906. 🇬🇧
  • 🙄 This taxon name is occasionally misprinted (or affected by an OCR error) in some sources as: "Amoebacteria"; "Boteobacteria"; "Jroleobacteria"; "Jroteobacteria"; "Pateobacteria"; "Pmteobacteria"; "Poteobacteria"; "Preoteobacteria"; "Preotobacteria"; "Proeteobacteria"; "Proetobacteria"; "Profeobacferia"; "Profeobacteria"; "Proleobacteria"; "Proreobacteria"; "Protebacteria"; "Protecbacteria"; "Protecobacteria"; "Proteinbacteria"; "Protenbacteria"; "Proteoabcteria"; "Proteobacleiia"; "Proteobacleria"; "Proteobacreria"; "Proteobacte"; "Proteobacteiia"; "Proteobactena"; "Proteobacteriae"; "Proteobacteriota"; "Proteobacterota"; "Proteobactma"; "Proteobuctena"; "Proteoobacteria"; "Proteoteobacteria"; "Proterobacteria"; "Protevbacteria"; "Prothbacteria"; "Protobacteria"; "Protrobacteria"; "Prottabacteria"; "Prottobacteria"; "Prouabacteria"; "Prouobacteria"; "Pvoteobacteria"; "Teobacteria". — 🤨 This taxon name is occasionally used in singular form as: "Proteobacter"; "Proteobacterium".
  • 😡 This taxon name is a homonym of "Proteobacteria" Garrity et al. 2005.
  • 😟 A nomenclatural type has not been designated.
  • 🧍 The formation of this name was discussed in Judicial Opinion 129. Publication: Arahal et al. Judicial Opinion No. 129. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2024; 74:6064.

Parent taxon: Pseudomonadati (Gibbons and Murray 1978) Oren and Göker 2024

Assigned by: LPSN automated production system. The following publication is only one of the sources consulted. It may or may not mention this taxon name. — Goker M, Oren A. Valid publication of names of two domains and seven kingdoms of prokaryotes. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2024; 74:6242. 🇩🇪

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Record number: 16347