Plankton Genes and Extracellular Organic Substances in the Ocean

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the ocean represents about 662 billion tons of C, 200 times more than living biomass. It is produced mainly by microbial primary production. The largest fraction this DOM old (>weeks to months) and both chemically biologically recalcitrant. remainder young (seconds weeks), labile surface active. Part latter changes rheological properties bulk phase water at interfaces including sea microlayer (SML). In order abundance, consists sugars, amino acids, fatty acids nucleic often incorporated into complex polymers. molecules are genes, further modified enzymes themselves genes. its as well biogeochemical fluxes may thus be plankton These influence atmospheric climate, which return acts on biota. Viral infection furthermore modify prokaryotic eukaryotic genes their expression. Therefore, genomes climates they subject Darwinian-type selection. Research programs need integrate ecology, rheology, biogeochemistry genomics, find associations among them.