Pelagibacter ubique

I was reading in the news paper this morning how the Gulf of Mexico is going to be open to Red Snapper fishing this Fall, when typically it is restricted. However, because the BP oil spill prevented much fishing this summer, Red Snapper fishing will be allowed.

This got me thinking about other fish and specifically microorganisms in the ocean. I wondered what kind of effect the oil in the ocean had on the most abundant microorganisim in the ocean, that being Pelagibacter ubique, a species of bacteria. After some internet research, I didn't find anything. I was just curious about the effects the oil had on the bacteria itself.

I remember one of my professors once saying that Peilagibacter ubique is so abundant, that if you take its dry weight, and compare it to the dry weight of all the animals in the ocean, the Pelagibacter ubiue would weight more. That just always fascinated me. And if not for learning that bit of knowledge, I may of never remembered Pelagibacter ubique even exists.