Bacteria on the water surface
How Nevskia ramosa lives
On the water surface, the bacteria are exposed to high doses of UV light. However, they are resistant to those by special repair mechanisms of DNA damages. They are feeding on simple organic molecules as lactic acid or acetic acid. Their special purpose of life on the water surface appears to be that they can collect nitrogen compounds entering the water from the air. If nitrogen compounds are added to their growth medium, they dive down and grow within the water body.
Literature
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Glöckner FO, Babenzien HD, Amann R (1998) Phylogeny and identification in situ of Nevskia ramosa. Appl Environ Microbiol 64:1895-1901
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Stürmeyer H, Overmann, J, Babenzien H-D, Cypionka H (1998) Ecophysiological and phylogenetic studies of Nevskia ramosa in pure culture. Appl Environ Microbiol 64:1890-1894
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Pladdies T, Babenzien H-D, Cypionka H (2004) Distribution of Nevskia ramosa and other rosette-forming neuston bacteria. Microbial Ecology 47:218-223
Pictures
Heribert Cypionka (1), Teresa Pladdies (2-6)
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