Prochlorococcus and Climate Change: Difference between revisions

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==What are <i>Prochlorococcus</i>?==
==What are <i>Prochlorococcus</i>?==
Prochlorococcus is a gram negative, coccus bacteria species in the genus cyanobacteria. Prochlorococcus is an aquatic autotroph, found throughout the planet's oceans. <ref name=ab>[https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro3378]</ref> Earth’s oxygen-rich atmosphere is the result of Cyanobacteria and their mass amounts of photosynthesis. Specifically, Prochlorococcus is one of the most abundant autotrophic bacteria in the planet’s oceans (Biller et al. 2015). Prochlorococcus can number up to 70,000 cells in a milliliter of ocean water (Campbell et al. 1998). These vast quantities produce a significant percentage of Earth’s entire photosynthetic output and up to 79 percent of the North Atlantic Ocean’s entire primary production (Biller et al. 2015) (Li 1994). As a result of their large photosynthetic potential, they are a key organism in the fight against climate change and the sequestration of atmospheric carbon. Prochlorococcus uptake more carbon dioxide to undergo photosynthesis than they use up in respiration, creating a stock of carbon inside each organism (Li 1994). When Prochlorococcus dies, it sinks to the bottom of the ocean and is buried, eventually forming oil in what is known as the ocean biological pump (Resplandy et al. 2019). In this way, Prochlorococcus serve as a sink for atmospheric carbon and have an impact on climate change.
Prochlorococcus is a gram negative, coccus bacteria species in the genus cyanobacteria. Prochlorococcus is an aquatic autotroph, found throughout the planet's oceans (Biller et al. 2015). Earth’s oxygen-rich atmosphere is the result of Cyanobacteria and their mass amounts of photosynthesis. Specifically, Prochlorococcus is one of the most abundant autotrophic bacteria in the planet’s oceans (Biller et al. 2015). Prochlorococcus can number up to 70,000 cells in a milliliter of ocean water (Campbell et al. 1998). These vast quantities produce a significant percentage of Earth’s entire photosynthetic output and up to 79 percent of the North Atlantic Ocean’s entire primary production (Biller et al. 2015) (Li 1994). As a result of their large photosynthetic potential, they are a key organism in the fight against climate change and the sequestration of atmospheric carbon. Prochlorococcus uptake more carbon dioxide to undergo photosynthesis than they use up in respiration, creating a stock of carbon inside each organism (Li 1994). When Prochlorococcus dies, it sinks to the bottom of the ocean and is buried, eventually forming oil in what is known as the ocean biological pump (Resplandy et al. 2019). In this way, Prochlorococcus serve as a sink for atmospheric carbon and have an impact on climate change.


==The Effect of Climate Change on <i>Prochlorococcus</i>==
==The Effect of Climate Change on <i>Prochlorococcus</i>==

Revision as of 18:19, 15 April 2023

This image depicts a Transmission Electron Microscopy image of Prochlorococcus marinus with green coloring. The photo credit for this image belongs to Luke Thompson from Chisholm Lab and Nikki Watson from Whitehead, MIT (2007).


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What are Prochlorococcus?

Prochlorococcus is a gram negative, coccus bacteria species in the genus cyanobacteria. Prochlorococcus is an aquatic autotroph, found throughout the planet's oceans (Biller et al. 2015). Earth’s oxygen-rich atmosphere is the result of Cyanobacteria and their mass amounts of photosynthesis. Specifically, Prochlorococcus is one of the most abundant autotrophic bacteria in the planet’s oceans (Biller et al. 2015). Prochlorococcus can number up to 70,000 cells in a milliliter of ocean water (Campbell et al. 1998). These vast quantities produce a significant percentage of Earth’s entire photosynthetic output and up to 79 percent of the North Atlantic Ocean’s entire primary production (Biller et al. 2015) (Li 1994). As a result of their large photosynthetic potential, they are a key organism in the fight against climate change and the sequestration of atmospheric carbon. Prochlorococcus uptake more carbon dioxide to undergo photosynthesis than they use up in respiration, creating a stock of carbon inside each organism (Li 1994). When Prochlorococcus dies, it sinks to the bottom of the ocean and is buried, eventually forming oil in what is known as the ocean biological pump (Resplandy et al. 2019). In this way, Prochlorococcus serve as a sink for atmospheric carbon and have an impact on climate change.

The Effect of Climate Change on Prochlorococcus

How does climate change influence the number and efficacy of Prochlorococcus microbes throughout the planet's oceans?

Include some current research, with at least one figure showing data.

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Prochlororcoccus’ Impact on the Oceans

How does Prochlorococcus’ large scale photosynthetic processes affect ocean ecosystems?

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Prochlororcoccus’ Effect on the Changing Planet

Does Prochlorococcus have a direct impact on the planet’s atmosphere and the process of climate change?

Include some current research, with at least one figure showing data.

Conclusion

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hodgkin, J. and Partridge, F.A. "Caenorhabditis elegans meets microsporidia: the nematode killers from Paris." 2008. PLoS Biology 6:2634-2637.
  2. ↑ Bartlett et al.: Oncolytic viruses as therapeutic cancer vaccines. Molecular Cancer 2013 12:103.



Authored for BIOL 238 Microbiology, taught by Joan Slonczewski, 2023, Kenyon College

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