UC San Diego

Colloidal particles constitute a substantial fraction of organic matter in the global ocean and an abundant component of the organic matter interacting with bacterial surfaces. Using E. coli ribosomes as model colloidal particles, we applied high-resolution atomic force microscopy to probe bacterial surface interactions with organic colloids to investigate particle attachment and relevant surface features. We observed the formation of ribosome films associating with marine bacteria isolates and natural seawater assemblages, and that bacteria readily utilized the added ribosomes as growth substrate. In exposure experiments ribosomes directly attached onto bacterial surfaces as 40-200 nm clusters and patches of individual particles. We found that certain bacterial cells expressed surface corrugations that range from 50-100 nm in size, and 20 nm deep. Furthermore, our AFM studies revealed surface pits in select bacteria that range between 50-300 nm in width, and 10-50 nm in depth. Our findings suggest novel adaptive strategies of pelagic marine bacteria for colloid capture and utilization as nutrients, as well as storage as nanoscale hotspots of DOM.