title: Small but Mighty: Cell Size and Bacteria.
abstract: Our view of bacteria is overwhelmingly shaped by their diminutive nature. The most ancient of organisms, their very presence was not appreciated until the 17th century with the invention of the microscope. Initially, viewed as "bags of enzymes," recent advances in imaging, molecular phylogeny, and, most recently, genomics have revealed incredible diversity within this previously invisible realm of life. Here, we review the impact of size on bacterial evolution, physiology, and morphogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130.
authors.forename: Petra Anne
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853.
authors.forename: Esther R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Angert
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D002453:Cell Cycle; D004058:Diffusion; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D023281:Genomics; D010802:Phylogeny