These would be the first breeding nanobacteria identified. The nanobacteria grow on minerals Philippa Uwins has revealed that tiny filaments in sea-floor mineral samples multiplied. She was looking at a clay mineral called illite, which has submicroscopic fibres. But then a colleague noticed what appeared to be fungus growing on the samples. She went back to her slides and saw spore-like structures that reminded her of germinating bacteria.
Tests are now underway to try to get DNA out of the nanobacteria.
Dr Uwins does not like the word nanobacteria because she does not know the evolutionary development of her discoveries. The existence of nanobacteria has been suggested for over 10 years. They were one of the lines of evidence used by Nasa scientists to claim that tiny structures in a Martian rock were fossil bacteria. Nanobacteria are far smaller than any known bacteria. Indeed, many critics believe they are smaller than the minimum possible size for a living cell.