Bits about microbes again
John E. Peterson, Special to the Gazette
Thursday, March 19, 2009
I HAVE written about microbes before. I suspect I would do so periodically, if I had my way. That, of course, is because microbiology was much of my life. I do not actually do it anymore, but I read, read, read about it. Hence, I can write about some of the things I read.
A current stimulus for my writing about microbes is the extensive publicity given to the Salmonella bacterium being in peanut butter products. That moves me to think that now is time to talk about microbes. Not about Salmonella, though. You read and hear enough about that already.
First, permit me to share a general bit of information about microbes. Most are prokaryotes, but some are eukaryotes. What does that mean? Prokaryotes means “before nucleus.” They are microbes without nuclei. Their genetic material is scattered in the protoplasm. Bacteria and viruses are prokaryotes.
Eukaryotes are those which have their genetic material in nuclei. The word means “true nucleus.” Fungi are eukaryotes and so are microscopic worms, protozoa and other microbes.
I include the above because a recent article in “Microbe” caught my eye. It was titled “Microbial Eukaryote Diversity and Biogeography.” It was about recent studies which show that microbes of various types are essential participants in all the biogeochemical processes on our earth. The point is that microbes are very important in all our world systems.
In my last column on microbes, I pointed out that it had been discovered that the hands of women have more bacteria than those of man. That cause a bit of comment from some women. Permit me, therefore, to attempt to be somewhat equal. The following, again, comes from a MICROBE.
It appears that men pick their noses more than women. This very much spreads respiratory pathogens. There has been no actual study on this, but the writer of the article has been making observations on the subject for decades. I would believe these microbial differences in men and women, if I had my way.
Although microbes do not think, they definitely do sensible things related to each other. Here are some of these relationships, some symbiotics, some not, from recent “Science” and “Scientific American” journals.
There are symbiotic relationships between some beetles and certain fungi. It is essential to the existence of both. Then, recently, it has been found that certain bacteria are involved in protecting this relationship, in preventing other microbes from disrupting it.
The bacterium which causes malaria resides in insects, usually mosquitos. A strain of this bacterium, which tends to shorten the life of the insect, has now been found by Australian scientists. If it can be regularly put into the insect, they will die before they can spread the malaria. That would be a very good microbial action.
You probably did not know this but microbes have stress, too, just like we humans. It has been discovered that microbes, when it is needed, can turn on a gene system which represses an oncoming stress situation. That is quite outstanding, in my view. If I could, I would do that too, if I had my way.
The title, “How to Infect a Minivirus,” in a “Science” article caught my eye. Why? Because I had not heard of a minivirus and did not know what it was. I found out it is a giant-size virus full of genetic material. It is so big that it has been mistaken for a bacterium. The point of the article was simply that there is a regular virus which can infect, and therefore, destroy the big virus. Viruses with virus diseases. Wow!
Speaking of viruses moves me to mention this information. It is from another “Microbe” journal. That title is, “Candidate Antiviral Products Show Promising Activities.” It simply points out that a number of antiviral drugs have been developed. They seem to be working. That is good news!
I mentioned earlier how important microbes are in our world’s ecosystems. Another “Microbe” article is about how important those microbes in the Yellowstone National Park hot springs and geysers are. Imagine microbial life in those tough environment. Well, they are there and they are being studied. Their importance in keeping such parts of our world going is outstanding!
Enough about microbes for now. I do not want to bore you with my ramblings about them, but I shall keep doing so periodically, if I have my way.
I hope that I give you some idea of how important microbes are to our world. They give us problems, too, but they, indeed, are important. I find them very exciting. Some of you would also, if I had my way.
Happiness09 (anonymous) says...
Too many microbes, nuceli, and fungi for me. Thanks anyway. I think I'll get back to my cement work.
March 19, 2009 at 5:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
profvrr (anonymous) says...
If you are really interested in learning about viruses in a clear and systematic way - from someone who has researched them for over 30 years - I suggest my virology blog (www.virology.ws) and podcast (This Week in Virology, www.twiv.tv). Mimiviruses and viruses of the sea were recently covered.
March 20, 2009 at 9:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
prof, thanks for the more clear explanation than the above article which rambled on so much it was difficult to read. For example, it was never made clear to me why women's hands are dirtier if men are the ones who pick their noses more often. I think I'll go back to my basil farm.
March 20, 2009 at 11:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )