Ocean's most abundant organisms have clear daily cycles
Friday, July 11, 2014 - 20:31
in Biology & Nature
In every drop of ocean water, hundreds of types of bacteria can be found. Now scientists have discovered that communities of these ocean microbes have their own daily cycles -- not unlike the residents of a bustling city who tend to wake up, commute, work, and eat at the same times. What's more, it's not all about the sun. These bacteria have been observed turning on diel cycling genes at slightly different times -— suggesting a wave of transcriptional activity that passes through the microbial community each day.