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- Jun 12, 2018
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Attack of the slimy stuff
We have been trying to kill bacteria we don't like for a while now. Unfortunately bacteria are used to being hunted down and killed by viruses called phages. Each type of bacteria has it's own type of phage hunting it down, as a unique key unlocks a unique door. Half the world's bacteria gets killed every other day. It could be called forced sacrifice. If that didn't happen like clockwork we would be swimming in slime from time to time.
The phages have two modes of attack. The first is the alien face hugger attack. The phage lands on the outer surface of the bacteria, drills inside, deposits it's genome, and after the little guys get big enough, they secrete a substance that cause the bacteria's outer cell wall to blow apart. The second method is the joy ride attack. Once the phage genome is injected into the bacteria, it becomes part of the bacteria's DNA and drives the bacteria around for an extended joyride until it feels threatened. Then it secretes the substance that blasts the bacteria's cell wall apart, fleeing into the world looking for more bacteria to hunt down. While on the joyride, the bacteria will reproduce naturally with a copy of the phages genome in each one.
Bacteria have been steadily getting stronger to resisting our efforts to eradicate them. Yeast has been on the back burner for awhile now but has made the news again. There is a variety of it that is antibiotic resistant not because it was treated with antibiotics but because it became stronger from constant exposure to fungicides in efforts to contain it.
When this yeast gets a real foothold in floor tiles and ceiling tiles in a hospital room, those tiles have to be removed. Just a wipe with a rag soaked with anti-microbials isn't enough to get rid of it.
www.livescience.com
Yeast is curious stuff. Only around 1200 varieties have been identified. Either no one cared about studying it, except for bakers and brewers, or there aren't that many varieties. The number is probably low because we just haven't been looking for it. Yeast came from a multicellular existence, then went on to become a single cell creature. It could be an evolutionary advancement, going from an organism needing assistance from multiple types of cells to a single celled self contained organism. Lives everywhere, including fresh water, salt water, or both. It is a chemotroph, that is it eats chemicals for lunch, it doesn't need sun light.
First it was the bacteria, then the yeast species (form of fungus) started resisting standard efforts to get rid of it. Mold is also a form of fungus, so we should expect that molds will also become, if they aren't already becoming resistant to our efforts to control them.
I wonder what Lovecraft would think about all this unseen stuff creeping up on us.
We have been trying to kill bacteria we don't like for a while now. Unfortunately bacteria are used to being hunted down and killed by viruses called phages. Each type of bacteria has it's own type of phage hunting it down, as a unique key unlocks a unique door. Half the world's bacteria gets killed every other day. It could be called forced sacrifice. If that didn't happen like clockwork we would be swimming in slime from time to time.
The phages have two modes of attack. The first is the alien face hugger attack. The phage lands on the outer surface of the bacteria, drills inside, deposits it's genome, and after the little guys get big enough, they secrete a substance that cause the bacteria's outer cell wall to blow apart. The second method is the joy ride attack. Once the phage genome is injected into the bacteria, it becomes part of the bacteria's DNA and drives the bacteria around for an extended joyride until it feels threatened. Then it secretes the substance that blasts the bacteria's cell wall apart, fleeing into the world looking for more bacteria to hunt down. While on the joyride, the bacteria will reproduce naturally with a copy of the phages genome in each one.
Bacteria have been steadily getting stronger to resisting our efforts to eradicate them. Yeast has been on the back burner for awhile now but has made the news again. There is a variety of it that is antibiotic resistant not because it was treated with antibiotics but because it became stronger from constant exposure to fungicides in efforts to contain it.
When this yeast gets a real foothold in floor tiles and ceiling tiles in a hospital room, those tiles have to be removed. Just a wipe with a rag soaked with anti-microbials isn't enough to get rid of it.
Deadly Fungal 'Superbug' Spreads Worldwide, Alarming Scientists
The drug-resistant fungus C. auris is infecting people around the world, and doctors aren't sure how to stop the spread.
www.livescience.com
Yeast is curious stuff. Only around 1200 varieties have been identified. Either no one cared about studying it, except for bakers and brewers, or there aren't that many varieties. The number is probably low because we just haven't been looking for it. Yeast came from a multicellular existence, then went on to become a single cell creature. It could be an evolutionary advancement, going from an organism needing assistance from multiple types of cells to a single celled self contained organism. Lives everywhere, including fresh water, salt water, or both. It is a chemotroph, that is it eats chemicals for lunch, it doesn't need sun light.
First it was the bacteria, then the yeast species (form of fungus) started resisting standard efforts to get rid of it. Mold is also a form of fungus, so we should expect that molds will also become, if they aren't already becoming resistant to our efforts to control them.
I wonder what Lovecraft would think about all this unseen stuff creeping up on us.
