![]() ![]() Some have even evolved to eat plastic or metal that have been discarded in the ocean. In oxygen-free habitats, bacteria continuously find alternative sources of energy. Known as metagenomics, this field of genetics commonly studies bacterial populations. Scientists can profile the diversity of species living in a habitat by extracting DNA from an environmental sample. Researchers everyday are using them to study new environments, create new drug therapies, and even build new materials. ‘Bact’ to the Futureĭespite their microscopic size, the contributions bacteria make to our daily lives are enormous. halocryophillus thrives in permafrost in the High Arctic where temperatures can drop below -25☌/-12☏. Most living things cease to survive in cold temperatures, but P. Known for causing stomach ulcers, this spiral-shaped species has also been associated with many cancers that impact the lymphoid tissue. It survives eating minerals in the surrounding rock. Desulforudis audaxviatorĭown in the depths of a South African gold mine, this species thrives without oxygen, sunlight, or friends-it is the only living species in its ecosystem. Escherichia coliĭespite being known famously for poisoning food and agriculture spaces from time to time, not all E.coli species are dangerous. radiodurans is a coccus-shaped species that can withstand 1,500 times the dose of radiation that a human can. They are also incredible picky, living only within the guts of sturgeon, a type of large fish. This species is unusually large, ranging from 200-700 micrometers in length. The following are some interesting bacterial species, some of which you may be familiar with: Epulopiscium spp You might be familiar with some of these: In minutes, populations can double rapidly, eventually forming a community of genetically identical microbes called a colony.Ĭolonies can be visible to the human eye and can take on a variety of different shapes, textures, sizes, colors, and behaviors. Instead, they reproduce on their own.īacteria undergo a process called binary fission, where any one cell divides into two identical cells, and so on. For example, bacteria do not reproduce sexually. This impacts how their genes are encoded, how proteins are synthesized, and how they reproduce. However, while all Eukarya have nuclear membranes that store genetic material, bacteria do not.īacteria have their genetic material free-floating within their cellular bodies. Bacteria are similar to its single-celled members because all bacteria are also unicellular. All life shares its earliest ancestor with this group of microbes, alongside two other domains: the Archaea and the Eukarya.Īrchaea are very similar to bacteria, but have different contents making up their cell walls.Įukarya largely consists of complex, multicellular life, like fungi, plants, and animals. ![]() ![]() Though bacteria may look similar to other microorganisms like fungi or plankton, they are entirely unique on a microscopic and genetic level.īacteria make up one of the three main domains of life. Here, we illustrate how researchers classify these creatures on the basis of appearance, giving you a glimpse into this microscopic world. The incredible diversity of bacteria goes underappreciated simply because they are invisible to the naked eye. ![]() As a result, bacteria exhibit a wide variety of appearances, behaviors, and applications similar to the lifeforms we see in our everyday lives. They make up the second most abundant lifeform, only outweighed by plants.Īnd most interesting of all: they exist in practically every environment on our planet, including areas where no other lifeforms can survive. They were the first form of life to appear on Earth almost 3.8 billion years ago. Invisible Diversity: The Many Shapes of Bacteria ![]()
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