Members of this genus have been identified in freshwater, wastewater, and in soils from permafrost active layers, of glacier regions, and of rhizospheres of Barbacenia macrantha and Vellozia epidendroides. ANI values among genomes representing separate species within the genus range between < 76.6% and 81.0%. AAI values among genomes representing separate species within the genus range between 65.4% and 78.8%. Genomes of this genus notably contain genes for the Entner-Doudoroff Pathway, for aerobic respiration using an NADH-quinone oxidoreductase, a ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase, and a cytochrome c oxidase, an F-type ATPase, and for biosynthesis of polyphosphate and polyhydroxybutyrate. Some members have the genetic potential to produce bacteriochlorophyll and/or carotenoid pigments. Most members encode genes for type IV tight adhesion pili, with some members further encoding genes for flagellar motility, chemotaxis, and holdfast formation, with genetic potential similar to members of the Caulobacteraceae family with obligate dimorphic lifecycles. However, most members likely have a monomorphic cell developmental program, as inferred from their lack genes for flagella, chemotaxis, and polar holdfast adhesin, as well as absence of a large number (> 20) of cell cycle regulation and polar morphogenesis genes present in related dimorphic taxa. The genus includes genomes with chemoheterotrophic, photoheterotrophic, and photoautotrophic genetic potentials. The taxon is supported as a genus-level group by phylogenomics and AAI, and corresponds to the GTDB taxonomy (R220) genus “g__Palsa-881”.
The nomenclatural type for the genus is Acaudatibacter aquilonius.