Nanobdella

Abstract Na.no.bdel'la. Gr. masc. n. nânos , a dwarf; Gr. fem. n. bdella , a leech; N.L. fem. n. Nanobdella , a small leech, indicating a small organism attaching to the host cell surface and taking nutrients from the host. Nanobdellota / Nanobdellia / Nanobdellales / Nanobdellaceae / Nanobdella The genus Nanobdella currently includes the only monospecies, Nanobdella aerobiophila, which requires a specific host microorganism for its growth. Cells are aerotolerant and grow in coculture with their host under aerobic conditions. Thermoacidophilic. Obligately symbiotic. Cells are small cocci and occur singly or are attached to the cell surface of their aerobic hosts. The major core lipids of cell membranes are glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGT)‐3 and GDGT‐4. Cells are covered with an S‐layer. Cells possess extracellular filamentous structures on their surface. N. aerobiophila obtains essential metabolites from its host, Metallosphaera sedula strain MJ1HA, which is an obligately aerobic, thermoacidophilic archaeon. Genes for the biosynthesis of essential biomolecules are absent in the small genome of Nanobdella (0.67 Mb). The known habitats are terrestrial thermoacidic springs. DNA G + C content (mol%) : 24.9 (Genome sequence). Type species : Nanobdella aerobiophila Kato et al. 2022 VP .