much smaller than that of the other two prochlorophyte genera, and

in the evolution of this prochlorophyte. Many of the known genetic

prochlorophyte genera, the largest intramembrane particles were found in

In all three prochlorophyte genera, the cell wall is multilayered,

respect, the prochlorophyte carboxysomes differ from those of

That places it in a rare phylum of single-celled plants known as prochlorophytes, which were discovered 10 years ago and include only two other known forms.

Prochlorophytes have sparkled interest among biologists because they seem remarkably similar to the organelles, called chloroplasts, that hold all the photosynthetic machinery in complex plants.

Phytoplankton is dominated by small sized individuals (cyanobacteria Synechococcus spp., prochlorophytes, pico and nano eukaryotes, small naked flagellates etc.,) in offshore waters (Li et al., 1993; Yacobi et al., 1995; Ignatiades, 1998; Psarra et al., 2005).

Contribution of prochlorophytes (DIV-a) to the prokaryotic picoplankton pool in coastal waters remained at negligible levels from April 2009 to October 2011 (except November 2010).

In the oligotrophic offshore waters of the bay, the pico (47%) and nanoplanktonic (43%) forms (cyanobacteria, prochlorophytes and prymnesiophytes especially the coccolithophorid Emiliana huxleyi) dominated the bulk of algae pool during the study period.

Prokaryotic picoplankton (cyanobacteria and prochlorophytes) and prymnesiophytes were dominant in offshore waters in dry summer-autumn seasons when the warmer surface mixed layer were depleted in nitrate and SRP, yielding lower N/P ratios.

However, in the oligotrophic offshore waters, prokaryotic picoplankton (cyanobacteria and prochlorophytes) dominated the bulk algae biomass, followed again by prymnesiophytes in oligotrophic offshore areas in northeastern Mediterranean.

Prochlorophytes, like other cyanobacteria, contain chlorophyll a, a pigment important in photosynthesis.

Microbiologists speculated excitedly that prochlorophytes were on the same evolutionary pathway that led directly to chloroplasts in modern green plants.

Phylogenetic studies showed that the three known prochlorophytes (Prochloron, Prochlorothrix, and Prochlorococcus) evolved separately from within the cyanobacteria, and none was on the same line of descent leading to higher-plant chloroplasts.