Thiomargarita magnifica

February 28, 2022

Scientists have discovered a bacterium that is big enough to be seen through the naked eye. It has been named Thiomargarita magnifica and is said to be the size of a fly.

Overview:

This huge string-like bacterium can grow up to 2 cm in length, about the size of a fly, and is native to Caribbean mangroves.
It’s nearly 5,000 times bigger than most other microorganisms.
The scientific name Thiomargarita magnifica has been given by an international team of researchers, including scientists from the CNRS in France, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the US.
This newly discovered bacterium is 50 times bigger than the other giant bacteria.
This discovery could be the missing link in answering how complex life developed over a billion years ago from the most primitive single-celled organisms.

Reason for Thiomargarita magnifica’s huge size

Thiomargarita magnifica’s genetic material, which is completely uncommon, could be the reason for its big size. T.Magnifica’s big genome is not free-floating inside its cell like those of other bacteria, thus it is blurring the differences between eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Its genome is wrapped in a membrane. The genome’s size surprised experts when they sequenced it with 11 million bases lined up to form 11,000 genes.

It also possesses a substantially larger membrane sac, which is filled with water and accounts for 73% of the microbe’s volume. This external sac helps the creature to grow so huge while keeping its vital organelles packed into a small space that allows molecules diffusion.

Difference between Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes

Prokaryotes include bacteria and other single-cell microorganisms known as archaea, whereas eukaryotes include multicellular organisms such as humans and trees. One of the main differences between the two is that prokaryotes have free-floating DNA, whereas eukaryotes have their genetic information packaged in a nucleus.

« Previous PostNext Post »