In 2006, Carsonella ruddii was reported as the smallest of the small: this microbe contains the smallest genome identified at the time, clocking in at 159,662 base pairs encoding 182 genes. The Escherichia coli genome on the other hand contains over 4 million base pairs encoding about 4,000 genes. Unlike E. coli, Carsonella ruddii is…
In the realm of biology, we are always finding exceptions to the rule. And now, we have just added another exception to the central dogma of genetics. But first, let’s review what the central dogma is. The central dogma states that that the flow of genetic information goes from DNA to mRNA to protein. In…
Our intestine is home to three pounds of bacteria. We feed them and they feed us. They help us break down proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates from our food into nutrients that we can then absorb. Without them, we would not reap the benefits of the many foods we consume. As an example, gut microbes contain…
By Kanika Khanna In this journey called life, we are not alone. We are inhabited by around 39 trillion microbial cells that account for ~57% of all cells in our body, making us half human and half microbes. This consortium of microbial species (including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and archaea) is referred to as the ‘human…
Cultivating microorganisms in the lab has not always been what it is now. Thanks to Angelina Fanny Hesse (1850-1934), microbiologists now have a solid medium to grow microbes in the lab. Before Hesse stepped onto the scene, bacteriologists were cultivating microorganisms on an assortment of food – potato, coagulated egg whites, and meat. In 1819,…