Discovered a centimeter-long bacterium
We usually think of bacteria as microscopic isolated cells or colonies. Sampling a mangrove swamp, Volland et al. found an unusually large, sulfur-oxidizing bacterium with a complex membrane organization and predicted life cycle (see the Perspective by Levin). Using a range of microscopy techniques, the authors observed highly polyploid cells with DNA and ribosomes compartmentalized within membranes. Single cells of the bacterium, dubbed Candidatus Thiomargarita magnifica, although thin and tubular, stretched more than a centimeter in length.
The giant bacterium, called Thiomargarita magnifica, was discovered in Guadeloupe and is visible even to the naked eye.
The scientists explained that
Without comparison, he's like a human being as tall as Everest
The Thiomargarita magnifica measures about one centimeter and has been found on the surfaces of decaying mangrove leaves in tropical swamps. Scientists from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have found it and it is up to 5,000 times larger than other bacteria. It is composed of thin white filaments, visible to the naked eye.
It was previously thought that bacteria could not grow to a size visible to the naked eye, due to the way they interact with their environment and produce energy. But Thiomargarita magnifica has an extensive network of membranes that can produce energy, so it does not have to depend on the surface alone for nutrient absorption. In addition, unlike most bacteria that have genetic material that floats freely within their single cell, it has its DNA contained in small sacks that have a membrane.
The giant bacterias grow on sediments at the bottom of sulphurous waters, where they harness the chemical energy of sulfur and use the oxygen from the surrounding water to make sugars. Scientists believe that giant bacteria, or related species, can be found in other mangroves around the world. The discovery of Thiomargarita magnifica suggests that larger and more complex bacteria could hide from our sight: but just because we haven't seen them yet doesn't mean they don't exist.
The discovery of Thiomargarita magnifica is published in the journal Science at https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abb3634
