And so, #14DaysofMicrobiologyPoems continues.
I reached out to the science Twitterverse earlier this month in search of 14 microbes worthy of poems.
Here is Poem Seven, requested by @Mostlymicrobia.
Streptomyces coelicolor: earthy, filamentous, and bearer of antibiotics
It lives in the soil,
Where it breaks down organic material,
And brings us the earthy smell of soil.
It’s not a microbe of disease,
Humans, plants, or animals.
It’s a biotechnology powerhouse,
Producing most of our natural antibiotics,
Immunosuppressants,
And anti-tumor agents.
It takes on many different appearances.
From the blue/green pigments in alkali conditions,
To the red pigment in acidic conditions.
Even one of the antibiotics it produces is blue.
And it has a life cycle reminiscent of fungi.
Beginning with the germination of spores,
It branches out forming mycelium.
Thin branches like thread,
That soon become substrate to aerial mycelium.
These become spores that bursts forth,
Finding new ground,
Where the cycle can begin again.
The microbe? You may ask,
Is Streptomyces coelicolor.
Further reading:
