microorganism

These microorganisms appear to be linked with more efficient digestion and higher energy absorption.

These microorganisms consume dissolved organic matter -- often released by algae -- and in turn, produce fixed nitrogen that promotes further algal growth.

Some are so complex that only a few microorganisms can break them down.

"The more I work with more microorganisms, the more I appreciate just how robust E. coli is," he says.

To find out what that “something” was, the team turned to a set of techniques that reveals which genes are being expressed by what microorganisms.