Microbes Around Us
By: Mohd Firdaus Abdul-Wahab
Dr. Abdul-Wahab is a Senior Lecturer at
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Skudai, Johor. He obtained his BSc in
Chemistry and MSc in Biosciences from UTM, and PhD in Chemical Biology from
Imperial College London. Currently, his research involves the use of microbes
for degradation of pollutants, and for generation of environmentally-friendly
fuels.
What
are microbes?
Microbes, also
known as “microorganisms” or “microscopic organisms,” are living things too
small to be seen with the naked eye. Microbes can be divided into “bacteria”,
“archaea”, “fungi”, “protists”, “viruses”, and “microscopic animals and plants”.
“Bacteria” are single-celled organisms that have no nucleus (the part where DNA
is stored), and their cell wall are made of sugar molecules called
peptidoglycan. They are the early colonisers on earth, since 3.5 billion years
ago. The most famous bacteria known to us is probably E. coli.
“Archaea” are
similar to bacteria, except that their cells are covered with a type of lipid
(or fat molecules), instead of peptidoglycan. They like to live in very extreme
environments, like the hot springs and hydrothermal vents in deep oceans. “Fungi”
have cells larger than bacteria and archaea, and they have nucleus. Mushrooms
that we love to eat also fall under this group. “Protists” are either single
celled or multi-cellular, and the most famous protists are probably amoeba and
paramecium. “Viruses” as known to us
are disease-causing microbes. Viruses can infect all types of organisms, and
this infection is needed as a mean for them to reproduce. Some scientists do
not classify them as living, because they cannot reproduce themselves.
Nonetheless, viruses are an important part of the ecosystems. Mites and and
algae are examples of “microscopis animals and plants”.
Why
are microbes important for us?
The
human body hosts a large number of microbes to keep us healthy. For example,
microbes in the gut help in digestion and nutrient absorption, while skin
microbes prevents the attack of dangerous pathogens. So, no matter how scary
some microbes are, they are very important for us.
Useful
links to learn more about our micro-buddy:
The Human Microbiome, University of Utah. http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/microbiome/
Giant Microbes (for amazing soft toy-microbe
gift ideas, good for learning too!)
