1932

Abstract

is the key phytoplanktonic organism of tropical gyres, large ocean regions that are depleted of the essential macronutrients needed for photosynthesis and cell growth. This cyanobacterium has adapted itself to oligotrophy by minimizing the resources necessary for life through a drastic reduction of cell and genome sizes. This rarely observed strategy in free-living organisms has conferred on a considerable advantage over other phototrophs, including its closest relative , for life in this vast yet little variable ecosystem. However, this strategy seems to reach its limits in the upper layer of the S Pacific gyre, the most oligotrophic region of the world ocean. By losing some important genes and/or functions during evolution, has seemingly become dependent on co-occurring microorganisms. In this review, we present some of the recent advances in the ecology, biology, and evolution of which because of its ecological importance and tiny genome is rapidly imposing itself as a model organism in environmental microbiology.

[Erratum, Closure]

An erratum has been published for this article:
: Advantages and Limits of Minimalism
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-marine-120308-081034
2010-01-15
2024-10-08
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-marine-120308-081034
Loading
/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-marine-120308-081034
Loading

Data & Media loading...

Supplementary Data

  • Article Type: Review Article
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error