The effect of environmental haemin on the physiology and biochemistry of Prevotella intermedia R78 grown in batch culture was assessed. Extent and rate of growth increased as the environmental haemin concentration was raised. In addition, cell morphology was predominantly cocco-bacillary when cultured in high haemin environments, while bacillary forms were prevalent in low haemin conditions (< 2.5 mumol l-1). Cells harvested from low haemin environments produced greater numbers of extracellular vesicles and greater amounts of peptidolytic activity, haemagglutinating potential and haemin binding activity when compared with cells harvested from high haemin conditions. The results of the present study indicate that aspects of the biochemistry and physiology of P. intermedia are influenced by changes in environmental haemin levels.