Scientists have announced the discovery of a giant bacterium.
Scientists have stated about the discovery of a giant bacterium. It is eyelash length and is unlike anything we have seen before.
According to Science Alerta giant bacterium has been found in mangrove swamps in the Caribbean.
This type of bacteria is Thiomargarita magnifica. It is 5000 times larger than most bacteria and 50 times larger than all other known giant bacteria.
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The centimetric T. magnifica was reportedly discovered on one of Guadeloupe’s lush green islands back in 2009. Then marine biology professor Olivier Grosz was looking for bacteria that used sulfur to generate energy. However, he saw something very strange when he tipped a sample of marsh water into a petri dish. Thin, vermicelli-like threads floated above the leaves and dirt, visible to the naked eye.
Since then, the unusual organism has been examined using fluorescence, X-rays, electron microscopy and genome sequencing so scientists can confirm it is actually a giant, single-celled bacterium.
T. magnifica reportedly has internal membranes for storing DNA and ribosomes, unlike other bacteria.
Another feature of most bacteria is that they must double in size in order to split in half in order to reproduce. The found T. magnifica simply separates a small part of itself to create a daughter cell.
Recall that scientists have previously found Where did the plague come to Europe in the 14th century?.
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