Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Scientific Correspondence
  • Published:

Niche adaptation in ocean cyanobacteria

Nature volume 396, pages 226–228 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

Small unicellular cyanobacteria (Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus ) are the most abundant photosynthetic microorganisms in the world's oceans, yet we know little of the genetic structure of these populations. Here we show that distinct clades of Prochlorococcus, and possibly of Synechococcus, are adapted to their specific surface and deep oceanic niches.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: The relationships between cyanobacteria from different environments.

References

  1. Moore, L. R., Rocap, G. & Chisholm, S. W. Nature 393, 464–467 (1998).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Urbach, E., Scanlan, D. J., Distel, D. L., Waterbury, J. B. & Chisholm, S. W. J. Mol. Evol. 46, 188–201 (1998).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Scanlan, D. J., Hess, W. R., Partensky, F. P., Newman, J. & Vaulot, D. Eur. J. Phycol. 31, 1–9 (1996).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Moore, L. R., Goericke, R. & Chisholm, S. W. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 116, 259–275 (1995).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Partensky, F. et al. Plant Physiol. 101, 285–296 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Campbell, L. & Vaulot, D. Deep-Sea Res. I 40, 2043–2060 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Goericke, R. & Repeta, D. J. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 101, 307–313 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Ferris, M. J., Ruff-Roberts, A. L., Kopczynski, E. D., Bateson, M. M. & Ward, D. M. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 62, 1045–1050 (1996).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Palenik, B. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 60, 3212–3219 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Campbell, L. & Vaulot, D. Limnol. Oceanogr. 39, 954–961 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, 92093-0202, California, USA

    Michael J. Ferris & Brian Palenik

Authors
  1. Michael J. Ferris
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Brian Palenik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ferris, M., Palenik, B. Niche adaptation in ocean cyanobacteria. Nature 396, 226–228 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/24297

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/24297

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing