Single cell analyses reveal contrasting life strategies of the two main nitrifiers in the ocean

oleh: Katharina Kitzinger, Hannah K. Marchant, Laura A. Bristow, Craig W. Herbold, Cory C. Padilla, Abiel T. Kidane, Sten Littmann, Holger Daims, Petra Pjevac, Frank J. Stewart, Michael Wagner, Marcel M. M. Kuypers

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Nature Portfolio 2020-02-01

Deskripsi

Ammonia oxidizing archaea and Nitrospinae are the main known nitrifiers in the ocean, but the much greater abundance of the former is puzzling. Here, the authors show that differences in mortality, rather than thermodynamics, cell size or biomass yield, explain the discrepancy, without the need to invoke yet undiscovered, abundant nitrite oxidizers.