I have been experimenting with this organism, a gram negative pathogen
of other gram negative bacteria and have noted a significant increase in
the selectivity it has in plaquing after repeated exposure to a single
host. The sam Bdellos when presented with a new host show a greatly
inhibited ability to invade the new host. My next avenue to determine the
reason for this host selectivity is DNA study of the apical surface
proteins where contact initially occurs to determine if there is a
genotypical/phenotypical variation from Bdellovibrio grown on a different
host substrate.
My research has yet to go to print.
Has anyone else seen similar host-parasite interaction with Bdellovibrio
(109J, BB4, or BB5) ?
