Cell volume to cell carbon conversion factors for a bacterivorous Monas sp. enriched from seawater

A bacterivorous Monas sp. was enriched from seawater. Particulate carbon of the enrichment cultures was measured together with flagellate and bacterial number and volume. The volume of flagellates was measured on living and on preserved cells using several different preservation and microscopy procedures and Coulter Counter. The specific carbon content of the living flagellates was found to be 100 fgC μm⁻³. For preserved cells measured in the epifluorescence microscope after staining with DAPI, we suggest a volume to carbon conversion factor of 220 fg C μm⁻³.