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Basic microbiology concepts
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The study of microbiology is an intense endeavor, requiring students to have a great deal of focus, and sometimes a bit of imagination. When observing things under a microscope, they often look entirely different than what is seen with the naked eye. This is fascinating, yet frustrating, as trying to make associations to one's inherent knowledge becomes challenging. Hypsibius dujardini is a microscopic animal from the phylum Tardigrada that is commonly called a water bear (Mach, 2011). When viewed microscopically, this eight-legged, water dwelling animal appears to be walking slowly, like a bear that we are familiar with on a macroscopic level (Piper, 2007). Despite their cute and cuddly name, water bears, like Hypsibius dujardini are true extremophiles, surviving in some of the harshest conditions that exist (Mobjerg, et al., 2011). From temperatures near absolute zero to the vacuum of space, these astounding microorganisms are almost invincible (Mach, 2011).
The state which allows a tardigrade to withstand extreme conditions is termed cryptobiosis (Gabriel, et al., 2007). When the outside environment is unfavorable, the tardigrade willingly submits to this inactive metabolic form, and is termed a “tun (Mobjerg et al., 2011).” There are five types of cryptobiosis, all of which are in response to a particular environmental inadequacy (Wharton, 2002). Anhydrobiosis takes place when there is a lack of water, Anoxybiosis occurs when there is limited oxygen, Chemobiosis is the response to excessive environmental toxins, Cryobiosis is a result of decreased temperature, and lastly, Osmobiosis happens when an increased solute concentration occurs in the organisms environment (Wharton, 2002).
Although many organisms can enter a sing...
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... storage, without destruction, at a low temperature, which allows future observation. The Goldstein Lab at UNC Chapel Hill has certainly proven that Hypsibius dujardini is a useful laboratory species.
Although reference to tardigrades root back to Anton van Leeuwenhok, a father of microbiological studies, there is a powerful modern-day following that continues to exist today (Mach, 2011). Microbiologists around the world have grown fond of the water bear and it's amazing survival skills. Beyond that, the appearance of the microorganism captivates people's hearts. I believe that with further research by NASA and other institutions, like The Goldstein Lab, Hypsibius dujardini can make a lasting impact on our society. Whether that be by proving evolution, or providing tools for human preservation, we can certainly utilize these great microorganisms to our advantage.
Cascade High School’s (in Cascade, Idaho) research lab projects are student taught – passed down from one student to the next each year. Thermus Aquaticus (TAQ) is a research lab project focused on identifying a thermophilic bacterium found in a local hot spring, Vulcan Hot Springs. The polymerase gene in bacteria species, mainly Thermus aquaticus, has proven useful in polymerase chain reactions (PCR), an important reaction in genetic and forensic sciences. The Vulcan bacterium grows at a higher temperature than Thermus aquaticus; the polymerase gene from Vulcan may prove to be more useful than those currently available.
N fowleri has three stages of their cycle. In the amoeboid trophozoite stage, they are infectious and measure 10-35 µm long. The trophozoite transforms to a non-feeding flagellate when food sources are limited. Flagellates are motile and measure 10-20 µm in length. The amoeba or flagellate will form a cyst, the dormant stage, if the environment is too cold and not conducive to continued feeding and growth. When the organism is in the cyst stage, it has a single layered wall and only one nucleus. The cyst measures 7-1...
Gut micorbiota has been a large-scale research in recent years. It is shown that the gut microbiota coevolves with us (Ley et al, 2008). Over 100 trillion of gut microbiota are produce by the body which have an large impact on the immune system, human physiology, metabolism and nutrition (Ley et al, 2006). Disablility of the gut to harbour the community of microbial cells has been linked to gut diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompasing ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, diabetes, obesity (Zhang et al, 2009) and malnutrition (Kau et al, 2011). It is also known as the hidden metabolic 'organ'. The gut produces a variety and complex microbial community which acts an important role in human health. It has been estimated that 1000 bacterial species and 100-fold genes can be found in human gut (Ley et al, 2006). The newborn's digestive tract was sterile, gut microbiota starts to colonised rapidly after birth and continue its evolution throughout life. Enterobacter, Enterococci, Bifidobacteria, Clostridia, Streptococci are the early colonizers. The composition of gut microbiota is unique in each individual, with a small phylogenetic overlap between people. Even in twins they share less than 50% of species phelotype (Turnbaugh et al, 2010). It is shown that there is a stable core microbial colonies in an individual even though it can be influences by aging, diet, environment and health status (Qin et al, 2010).
Audesirk, Teresa, Gerald Audesirk, and Bruce E. Byers. Biology: Life on Earth with Physiology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2011. 268-69. Print.
Some call it “horror'; and some call it “the super germ';, but now, our always known “regular'; bacteria, those one-celled creatures once considered under control with antibiotics, have invaded our hospitals and headlines with a vengeance. The vengeance used against us is caused by an existing organism called necrotizing fasciitis, the so-called flesh-eating bacteria, caused by Group A streptococcus. What this organism does is progressively destroy the human body tissue all the way to the bone. This organism has amazingly outsmarted us of even our most potent drugs.
Talaro , K., & Chess, B. (2012). Foundations in microbiology. (8th ed., pp. 563-564). New York, NY:
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) is the bacterium that causes the disease tuberculosis (TB). A distinctive characteristic of the genus Mycobacteria is the presence of a thick lipid-rich cell wall and resistance to the decolourization step of the gram stain (being acid-fast). The acid-fast characteristic of the M. tuberculosis is the result of a waxy, lipid-rich cell wall. The cell envelope of the tubercle bacilli contains a layer beyond the peptidoglycan which is exceptionally rich in lipids, glycolipids and polysaccharides. The bacterium is gram positive bacillus which is an obligate aerobe, is non-motile, a non-endospore forming and is non-capsulated. The microscopic appearance of M. tuberculosis is seen as straight, slightly curved rods approximately 3 x 0.3µm in size. In liquid culture media, the bacteria usually grow as twisted rope-like pellets known as ‘serpentine cords’. M. tuberculosis is capable of growing on a wide range of enriched culture media such as Lowenstein-Jensen medium or Middlebrook medium. The optimum growth temperature of the pathogenic organsim is 35-37°C and unlike most other mycobacteria, it cannot grow at a temperature of 25°C or 41°C. M. tuberculosis is an airborne pathogen that is transmitted from person to person, usually infecting the respiratory tract through inhalation (Greenwood, et al., 2012).
Hadley, Neil F. 1975. Environmental Physiology of Desert Organisms. Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania: Dowden, Hutchinson & Ross, Inc.
When one thinks of bacteria, what comes to mind? Bacteria are single celled organisms whose main objective in life is to gather nutrient and reproduce asexually. They just grow and divide. Humans have very interesting interactions with bacteria. In our bodies we have one trillion cells that make us who we are. Outside and inside our bodies, we have 10 trillion bacterial cells that help us (dietary functions like making vitamins, creating a barrier against foreign/bad bacteria, helping our immune system, etc.). In terms of DNA, we have 30,000 genes. Bacteria in and on our bodies have about 300,000 genes. So really, we are more bacterial than human, proportionately speaking. Bonnie Bassler and her team worked to figure out just how these small organisms communicate with each other, and what they found is actually quite interesting.
In this essay, I will be explaining the unexpected signs of life that Leeuwenhoek found in a single droplet of rainwater which he described as ‘little animals’. He had witnessed bacteria and protozoa, laying the foundations for the sciences of bacteriology and protozoology. Leeuwenhoek also found ‘little animals’ in other bodies of water, including lakes, and on the surface of pepper and teeth. Additionally, with regards to the essay, I will also begin to identify the new and useful information established in Leeuwen...
Bacterial cells, like plant cells, are surrounded by a cell wall. However, bacterial cell walls are made up of polysaccharide chains linked to amino acids, while plant cell walls are made up of cellulose, which contains no amino acids. Many bacteria secrete a slimy capsule around the outside of the cell wall. The capsule provides additional protection for the cell. Many of the bacteria that cause diseases in animals are surrounded by a capsule. The capsule prevents the white blood cells and antibodies from destroying the invading bacterium. Inside the capsule and the cell wall is the cell membrane. In aerobic bacteria, the reactions of cellular respiration take place on fingerlike infoldings of the cell membrane. Ribosomes are scattered throughout the cytoplasm, and the DNA is generally found in the center of the cell. Many bacilli and spirilla have flagella, which are used for locomotion in water. A few types of bacteria that lack flagella move by gliding on a surface. However, the mechanism of this gliding motion is unknown. Most bacteria are aerobic, they require free oxygen to carry on cellular respiration. Some bacteria, called facultatibe anaerobes can live in either the presence or absence of free oxygen. They obtain energy either by aerobic respiration when oxygen is present or by fermentation when oxygen is absent. Still other bacteria cannot live in the presence of oxygen. These are called obligate anaerobes. Such bacteria obtain energy only fermentation. Through fermentation, different groups of bacteria produce a wide variety of organic compounds. Besides ethyl alcohol and lactic acid, bacterial fermentation can produce acetic acid, acetone, butyl alcohol, glycol, butyric acid, propionic acid, and methane, the main component of natural gas. Most bacteria are heterotrophic bacteria are either saprophytes or parasites. Saprophytes feed on the remains of dead plants and animals, and ordinarily do not cause disease. They release digestive enzymes onto the organic matter. The enzymes breakdown the large food molecules into smaller molecules, which are absorbed by the bacterial cells. Parasites live on or in living organisms, and may cause disease. A few types of bacteria are Autotrophic, they can synthesize the organic nutrients they require from inorganic substances. Autotrophic bacteria are either photosynthetic or Chemosynthetic. The photosynthetic bacteria contain chlorophyll that are different from the plant chlorophyll. In bacterial photosynthesis, hydrogen is obtained by the splitting of compounds other than water.
Leboffe, M. J., & Pierce, B. E. (2010). Microbiology: Laboratory Theory and Application, Third Edition 3rd Edition (3rd Ed.). Morton Publishing
Biology is the study of living organisms divided into specialized fields that cover their morphology, physiology, anatomy, behavior, origin, and distribution. One of the most important fields within biology is microbiology, a field that details the function and behavior of microorganisms that remain invisible to the human eye. Using devices like electron microscopes scientist are able to identify, characterize, and record the morphologies and behaviors of various microorganisms. One of the most essential components of all organisms including microorganisms is their genetic information. With the development of microbiology over the past century, DNA has been identified as the macromolecule that carries genetic information. Some key experimentations
Microbes are major key components in both are homes and industrial food preparation. There are number of lactic acid which is a form of bacteria which is a large group of beneficial bacteria used in certain foods while they are getting prepared such as yogurt, cheese, sour cream, butter milk and other type of fermented milk products. Things such as vinegars are produced by bacterial acetic acid fermentation. Yeast is also major use in the making of beer and wine and also for the leaving of breads. This also involves fermentations to convert corn and other vegetable carbohydrates to also make beer, wine or gasohol but also bacteria is the agents of are other foods. Other fermented foods will include things such as soy sauce, olives and cocoa. (Microbes and human life, 2013) Single cell proteins are known as dried cells of microbes which are used in protein supplement shacks. They are also called “novel food” and “minifood”. The production of this requires micro-organisms which then serve as the protein source and then the substrate which is biomass which they grow on them. There are a number of both these sources that we are able to use for the production of single cell protein (SCP). The micro-organisms used belong to the following groups of Algae, Fungi and bacteria. (Slide Share, 2012)