Abstract
MOTILE marine bacteria, like higher animals, have the capacity to detect and be attracted to organic substances1, including living microbial prey2. Mitchell et al.3 found that this chemotactic response was inhibited by low concentrations of hydrocarbons such as toluene, phenol and crude oil. The bacterial population was not killed but did lose its ability to detect non-living substrates as well as living prey, such as algae and enteric bacteria3–5. It seems that the ability of a marine bacterium to degrade a substrate is augmented by its attraction to that substance. This report describes the role of bacterial chemotaxis in organic matter decomposition in seawater and its inhibition by sublethal concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bell, W., and Mitchell, R., Biol. Bull., 143, 265 (1972).
Chet, I., Fogel, S., and Mitchell, R., J. Bact., 106, 863 (1971).
Mitchell, R., Fogel, S., and Chet, I., Water Res., 6, 1137 (1972).
Mitchell, R., Nature, 230, 257 (1971).
Walsh, F., and Mitchell, R., Nature, 249, 673 (1974).
Chet, I., and Mitchell, R., Microbial Ecol. (in the press).
Adler, J., J. gen. Microbiol., 74, 77 (1973).
Lowry, O. H., Rosebrough, N. J., Farr, A. L., and Randall, R. J., J. biol. Chem., 193, 265 (1951).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
CHET, I., MITCHELL, R. Petroleum hydrocarbons inhibit decomposition of organic matter in seawater. Nature 261, 308–309 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/261308a0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/261308a0
This article is cited by
-
Microbial response to crude oil and Corexit 9527: SEAFLUXES enclosure study
Microbial Ecology (1985)
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.