[4][8] Aureabacteria Planctomycetota Omnitrophica Chlamydiota Kiritimatiellota Lentisphaerota Verrucomicrobiota Planctomycetota, Verrucomicrobiota, and Chlamydiota in the traditional molecular phylogeny view are considered as phyla and also cluster together in the PVC superphylum, along with the candidate phyla Omnitrophica[12] (previously OP3) and the Poribacteria.

[13] An important molecular marker in the form of a conserved signature protein has been found to be consistently shared by PVC members, with the exception of Poribacteria.

The conserved signature protein may be a marker that represents a synapomorphic quality and a means to distinguish this bacterial group.

[15][16] Conserved signature indels (CSIs) have also been found specific for the Planctomycetota, Verrucomicrobiota, and Chlamydiota that distinguish each respective phylum from one another, and from other bacteria.

[15][17] A three-amino-acid insert in the RNA polymerase protein RpoB has been found that is shared by all sequenced Verrucomicrobia, Chlamydiae, and Lentisphaerae species.