Phylogenetic analysis of the genera Thiobacillus and Thiomicrospira by 5S rRNA sequences

5S rRNA nucleotide sequences from Thiobacillus neapolitanus, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, Thiobacillus thiooxidans, Thiobacillus intermedius, Thiobacillus perometabolis, Thiobacillus thioparus, Thiobacillus versutus, Thiobacillus novellus, Thiobacillus acidophilus, Thiomicrospira pelophila, Thiomicrospira sp. strain L-12, and Acidiphilium cryptum were determined. A phylogenetic tree, based upon comparison of these and other related 5S rRNA sequences, is presented. The results place the thiobacilli, Thiomicrospira spp., and Acidiphilium spp. in the "purple photosynthetic" bacterial grouping which also includes the enteric, vibrio, pseudomonad, and other familiar eubacterial groups in addition to the purple photosynthetic bacteria. The genus Thiobacillus is not an evolutionarily coherent grouping but rather spans the full breadth of the purple photosynthetic bacteria.