Author:
Zinser Erik R.,Martiny Adam C.
Abstract
AbstractPro.chlor.o.coc.cus. Gr. prep.pro, before, primitive; Gr. masc. adj. chlôros green; Gr. masc. n.kokkos, grain or kernel; N.L. masc. n.Prochlorococcus, primitive green kernel (cell).Cyanobacteriota / Cyanophyceae / “Synechococcales” / Synechococcaceae / ProchlorococcusThe genusProchlorococcuscurrently includes the speciesProchlorococcus marinus. Cells are oxygenic photoautotrophs that lack phycobilisomes.Prochlorococcusis prototrophic, requiring no organic substrates for growth, although some strains can import several types of organic carbon. Cells do not fix dinitrogen. Cells are small non‐motile cocci that possess no known extracellular appendages. The major core lipids of cell membranes are sulfolipids and glycolipids.Prochlorococcusis strictly marine and numerically dominates the phytoplankton community in the oligotrophic region of the ocean.DNA G + C content (mol%): 31–51.Type species:Prochlorococcus marinusChisholm et al. 1992, VL79.