Ocean Bacteria's Nanotube Networks: A Revolutionary Discovery of Microbial Interconnectivity
2025-01-27
A groundbreaking discovery reveals complex networks of bacterial nanotubes connecting the most abundant photosynthetic bacteria in the ocean, Prochlorococcus. These nanotubes act as tiny bridges, linking the inner spaces of bacterial cells and facilitating the exchange of nutrients and information. This challenges the traditional view of bacteria as isolated individuals, demonstrating a far more interconnected microbial world than previously imagined. This interconnectivity may have profound implications for Earth's oxygen and carbon cycles.