| Range |
volume 0.026µm^3 46%: volume 0.4µm^3 82 %
|
| Organism |
bacteria |
| Reference |
Meinhard Simon, Farooq Azam, Protein content and protein synthesis rates of planktonic marine bacteria. Marine ecology progress series. Oldendorf, 1989 Vol 51 pp.201-213 p.208 left column bottom paragraph and p.209 table 6 |
| Method |
Abstract: "[Investigators] measured bacterial protein content and protein production of pelagic bacteria. Bacterial protein content was measured as amino acids by high performance liquid chromatography of cell hydrolysates of bacterial assemblages of mean diameters [note: this should probably read 'mean volumes'] from 0.026 to 0.4µm [should probably be 'from 0.026 to 0.4µm^3']." |
| Comments |
P.208 left column bottom paragraph: "Perhaps the most striking observation is that the diminutive bacteria are very 'dry', 0.026 µm^3 bacteria had only 46 % (v/v) water while 0.4 µm^3 bacteria had 82 %, a percentage comparable to cultured Escherichia coli. This phenomenon raises the question whether the water content in pelagic bacteria has significant physiological implications for their survival strategies in the sea. [Investigators’] observations hypothesize a mechanism whereby diminutive bacteria change their cell size by a disproportionately varying water content as compared to biomass, thus reducing the energetic costs." |
| Entered by |
Uri M |
| ID |
115330 |