Sunday, May 1, 2011

Which are the smallest organisms? [Part 1]



Virus: - The Porcine circovirus 2 is a single stranded DNA virus having a capsid diameter of 17 nm.

Nanobe:- Nanobes are thought by some to be the smallest known organism, about one tenth the size of the smallest known bacteria.

Mycoplasma genitalium:- a parasitic bacterium which lives in the primate genital and respiratory tracts, is thought to be the smallest known organism capable of independent growth and reproduction. With a size of approximately 200 to 300 nm.