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science Friday 24 June 2022
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World’s biggest bacterium found in Caribbean HEALTH

mangrove swamp DOCTOR ON DUTY
Oranjestad

Hospital 7:00 pm / 10:00pm
derestimate bacteria.” said Manuel Campos, a Tel. 527 4000
Gros also found the bac- biologist at the French Na- San Nicolas
terium attached to oyster tional Center for Scientific Imsan 24 hours
shells, rocks and glass bot- Research, who was not in- Tel.524 8833
tles in the swamp. volved in the study. Women in Difficulties
Scientists have not yet been The researchers said they PHARMACY ON DUTY
able to grow it in lab cul- aren’t certain why the
ture, but the researchers’ bacterium is so large, but Oranjestad:
say the cell has a structure co-author Volland hypoth- Eagle Tel. 587 9011
San Nicolas:
that’s unusual for bacteria. esized it may be an ad- San nicolas Tel. 584 5712
One key difference: It has aptation to help it avoid Women in Difficulties
a large central compart- being eaten by smaller OTHER
ment, or vacuole, that al- organisms.q Dental Clinic 587 9850
lows some cell functions to Blood Bank Aruba 587 0002
happen in that controlled Urgent Care 586 0448
This photo provided by the Lawrence Berkeley National Labora- environment instead of Walk-In Doctor’s Clinic
tory in June 2022 shows mangroves in the Guadeloupe archi- +297 588 0539
pelago in the French Caribbean where the Thiomargarita mag- throughout the cell. Women in Difficulties
nifica bacteria were discovered. “The acquisition of this EMERGENCY
Associated Press large central vacuole defi-
nitely helps a cell to bypass Police 100
By CHRISTINA LARSON this bacterium — named physical limitations ... on Oranjestad 527 3140
AP Science Writer Thiomargarita magnifi- how big a cell can be,” Noord 527 3200
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sci- ca, or “magnificent sulfur Sta. Cruz 527 2900
entists have discovered the pearl” — clinging to sunken For Sale by Owner San Nicolas 584 5000
world’s largest bacterium mangrove leaves in the ar- Caribbean Palm Village Resort Police Tipline 11141
911
Ambulancia
in a Caribbean mangrove chipelago of Guadeloupe Wks 20 and 21 – F101 aB /2 Fire Dept. 115
swamp. Most bacteria are in 2009. But he didn’t imme- Br/ 2 Bath Red Cross 582 2219
microscopic, but this one is diately know it was a bac- Ground Floor, Pool View
so big it can be seen with terium because of its sur- $900 each TAXI SERVICES
Taxi Tas
587 5900
the naked eye. prisingly large size -- these Contact: josflak@hotmail.com Prof. Taxi 588 0035
The thin white filament, bacteria, on average, Taxi D.T.S. 587 2300
approximately the size of reach a length of a third of ________________________________215435 Taxi Serv. Aruba 583 3232
a human eyelash, is “by an inch (0.9 centimeters). A1 Taxi Serv. 280 2828
far the largest bacterium Only later genetic analysis Women in Difficulties
known to date,” said Jean- revealed the organism to TRAVEL INFO
Marie Volland, a marine be a single bacterial cell.
biologist at the Lawrence “It’s an amazing discov- Aruba Airport 524 2424
American Airlines 582 2700
Berkeley National Labora- ery,” said Petra Levin, a Avianca 588 0059
tory and co-author of a microbiologist at Washing- Jet Blue 588 2244
paper announcing the dis- ton University in St Louis, Surinam 582 7896
covery Thursday in the jour- who was not involved in Women in Difficulties
nal Science. Olivier Gros, a the study. “It opens up the AID FOUNDATIONS
co-author and biologist at question of how many of
the University of the French these giant bacteria are FAVI- Visually Impaired
West Indies and Guiana, out there — and reminds us Tel. 582 5051
found the first example of we should never, ever un- Alcoholics Anonymous
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