COSEE Ocean Systems: News
Undersea warfare: Viruses hijack deep-sea bacteria at hydrothermal vents
Description: More than a mile beneath the ocean's surface, as dark clouds of mineral-rich water billow from seafloor hot springs called hydrothermal vents, unseen armies of viruses and bacteria wage war. Like pirates boarding a treasure-laden ship, the viruses infect bacterial cells to get the loot: tiny globules of elemental sulfur stored inside the bacterial cells. Instead of absconding with their prize, the viruses force the bacteria to burn their valuable sulfur reserves, then use the unleashed energy to replicate. [Source: National Science Foundation]
URL: http://nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=131247&org=NSF&from=news
Availability: Full Text
Source: National Science Foundation
Publish Date: 5/1/2014
Reading Level: Basic
Page Length:  

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