Alphaproteobacteria or α-proteobacteria, also called α-Purple bacteria in earlier literature, is a class of bacteria in the phylum Pseudomonadota (also called "Proteobacteria"). The Magnetococcales and Mariprofundales are considered basal or sister to the Alphaproteobacteria. The Alphaproteobacteria are highly diverse and possess few commonalities, but nevertheless share a common ancestor. Like all proteobacteria, its members are gram-negative, although some of its intracellular parasitic members lack peptidoglycan and are consequently gram variable.

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