Abstract
Ba.be.lo'ta. N.L. fem. n.
Babela
, a
Candidatus
genus name; L. neut. pl. n. suff. ‐
ota
, ending to denote a phylum; N.L. neut. pl. n.
Babelota
, the
Candidatus
Babela phylum.
Candidatus
Babelota is a phylum of strictly intracellular bacteria, currently divided into two class‐level groups and at least five orders based on 16S rRNA sequence analyses. However, all known biological isolates to date belong to the same order of the Babelales, within the Babelia class. Presently, four isolates representing three families have been described and maintained in laboratory cultures through the cultivation of their hosts, which are known to be amoeboid and flagellated protists. Genomic analysis of
Ca
. Babelota consistently reveals a profound reduction in metabolic capabilities, suggesting a phylum‐wide, conserved parasitic lifestyle. To date, all lineages covered by genomic data indicate that parasitism is a defining trait of this phylum.
Ca
. Babelota exhibits a cosmopolitan environmental distribution, with sequences detected across a spectrum of habitats including soil, freshwater, and saline or hypersaline water bodies.