A model of how free-living microbes use extracellular enzymes

What is it about?

Measuring bacterial activities on the single-cell level is still a huge challenge. This work investigate natural marine bacteria and how they, at the single-cell level, deploy extracellular enzymes and how that benefit them in their constant quest for resources.

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Why is it important?

Our results suggest that specific dissolved organic compounds in the ocean persist in the ocean below a threshold concentration impervious to biological utilization. This could explain the persistence and apparent refractory state of oceanic dissolved organic matter (DOM). Microbial extracellular enzyme strategies, therefore, have important implications for larger-scale processes, such as controlling the role of DOM in ocean carbon sequestration.