Size (diameter) of most abundant cyanobacteria

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Value 0.6 µm Range: 0.5-0.7 µm
Organism Prochlorococcus
Reference Partensky F, Hess WR, Vaulot D. Prochlorococcus, a marine photosynthetic prokaryote of global significance. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. 1999 Mar63(1):106-27. p.106 left column 2nd paragraphPubMed ID10066832
Primary Source Morel, A., Y.-W. Ahn, F. Partensky, D. Vaulot, and H. Claustre. 1993. Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus: a comparative study of their size, pigmentation and related optical properties. J. Mar. Res. 51:617-649.
Comments Marine cyanobacteria are to date the smallest known photosynthetic organisms: Prochlorococcus is the smallest. The best estimates made on cultures give a range of 0.5 to 0.8µm for length and 0.4 to 0.6µm for width (DOI: 10.1111/j.0022-3646.1995.00934.x, DOI: 10.1357/0022240933223963).
Entered by Ron Milo - Admin
ID 101520