<i>Prochlorococcus</i> Exudate Stimulates Heterotrophic Bacterial Competition with Rival Phytoplankton for Available Nitrogen

Abstract

In nutrient-poor habitats, competition for limited resources is thought to select for organisms with an enhanced ability to scavenge nutrients and utilize them efficiently. Such adaptations characterize the cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus , the most abundant photosynthetic organism in the nutrient-limited open ocean.