Bacteria are the simplest microorganisms. Most often they have only one cell. In nature, there are both useful and harmful microorganisms for humans and the environment. One way or another, all of them are united by a primitive structure and small size. By reading this article, you can find out how bacteria eat, reproduce, and breathe.
General information about bacteria
Bacteria is the kingdom of prokaryotic microorganisms. Today, more than five thousand of its representatives are known. Scientists say that there are actually many more microscopic creatures. Bacteriology is a branch of science that studies the simplest microorganisms.
Their average size is 0.5-5 microns. All of them are divided into two subgroups - unicellular and multicellular. The former carry out absolutely all the processes that are inherent in a living organism. It is worth noting that most bacteria are motile.
The term "bacteria" as an independent unit arose in the late 70s of the last century. Previously hewas synonymous with prokaryotes. As a result of research in 1977, it was found that they are divided into two subgroups. The concept of "bacteria" is applied to one of them.
The process of respiration in bacteria
To reproduce the process of respiration, many microorganisms, like humans, need oxygen. Such representatives are called aerobes. However, there are those protozoan bacteria that do not need air. Oxygen for such microscopic creatures is a kind of poison. Their scientific name is anaerobes.
They live in the upper, as well as loose layers of soil, in food and water. They carry out their vital activity at great depths in the soil, water bodies, and also directly in the silt. It is worth noting that the respiration of aerobic bacteria is impossible where anaerobes live.
It's no secret that the vital activity of microorganisms can cause fermentation. Bacterial respiration is a kind of provocateur of this process. The most striking example is yeast. As a result of their fermentation, carbon dioxide and water are formed.
Nutrition of the simplest microorganisms. Parasitism
How do bacteria feed and what is parasitism? These questions are often of interest not only to biologists, but also to simply inquisitive people. You can find answers to them in our article.
Microorganisms that feed on organic matter are divided into two groups - saprotrophs and parasites. The former consume rotten food remnants, while the latter live off other animals. Today, parasitism is a fairly common phenomenon. He meets asmicroorganisms themselves, as well as in humans, as well as in animals. Often it is parasitism that can cause a serious illness.
It is known that microorganisms have two ways of feeding. Heterotrophic organisms are microscopic creatures that use ready-made organic substances for their development. The second group includes autotrophs - microorganisms that provide themselves with food. These are cyanobacteria, iron bacteria, and sulfur bacteria. The former play an important role in the process of photosynthesis. It is cyanobacteria that create organic substances from inorganic substances.
Heterotrophic organisms can be divided into three groups: parasites, saprophytes and symbionts. As a rule, parasitic bacteria carry out their vital activity in the body of animals, birds, fish or people. They can also live on the surface of the skin. Bacteria can often parasitize plants. It should be noted that heterotrophic bacteria cannot carry out their vital activity on a he althy representative of the flora. This can only happen if there are fresh wounds on its surface. Often seeds and bulbs become infected. In this case, the infection is transmitted vegetatively. The cause of a bacterial disease can be rain or artificial irrigation. Most often, the infection is spread by insects, ticks and birds. In humans, parasitism can cause tuberculosis, influenza, diarrhea, cholera and plague.
Saprophytes and symbionts
Saprophytes are bacteria that feed ondead organic matter. They extract micronutrients from non-living material and then leave their enzymes there. They absorb solutes.
Symbionts are bacteria that not only live together with other organisms, but also bring them invaluable benefits. For example, such microscopic creatures live in the tubers of legumes. They absorb nitrogen, which is a fertilizer for the plant. Symbionts are also present in the human and animal body. They allow you to process the food received with the highest quality, and also release vitamins that are invaluable for he alth.
Useful properties of bacteria
Surprisingly, the total weight of microorganisms that fill our body is about two kilograms. The beneficial bacteria that inhabit the body of a living being is called the microbiota. There are more than a million of them in every body. The microbiota is responsible for good he alth. Good bacteria protect the body from pathogens.
The most important area of microbiota distribution is the gut. Beneficial bacteria create an acidic environment there that pathogens cannot tolerate.
Natural Protection
The properties of bacteria that are in the respiratory tract of a person and on the surface of his skin include protecting their habitat. The most dangerous pathogens that attack these areas are streptococcus, staphylococcus and micrococcus.
Over the lastFor several centuries, the natural protection of human skin has undergone many significant changes. This is due to the fact that society has moved from a close relationship with nature to constant contact with chemicals. Scientists have proven that the set of microbiota that is on the surface of the skin today is significantly different from that which existed before.
Restoration of the microworld
It is known that the microbiota of an organism is updated quite quickly. Nutrition of bacteria directly depends on the diet of their carrier. The most dangerous for microorganisms are products that contain antibiotics, preservatives and artificial colors. These substances destroy the natural human microcosm. A wide variety of he alth problems can be associated with this in the future.
It is important enough to understand that the microcosm requires careful attention. It is strongly recommended to periodically restore the microbiota to prevent a number of diseases. To do this, you need to use a course of probiotics. To maintain your own microworld, you will need to eat more vegetables, do fasting days and have breakfast with natural porridge.
Many are interested in the question of how the bacteria that are in our body eat. We found that beneficial microorganisms consume the same as their carrier. It is for this reason that in order to maintain strong immunity, it is first necessary to review your diet.
Enzymes for general he alth
Perhaps each of us is familiar with the situation when, after overeatingthe general state of he alth deteriorates markedly. In this case, bacterial enzymes will be indispensable. Where can they be found and how exactly do they affect the human body?
Many say that after the holiday excesses they feel bad for several days. They complain of dysbacteriosis, weakness and lack of appetite. All these symptoms indicate that harmful bacteria are trying to crowd out he althy ones. To cope with this process and restore good he alth, it is necessary to include in the diet products that contain bacterial enzymes. These include cottage cheese, hard cheese, kefir, matsoni, fermented baked milk and other fermented milk foods. Experts also recommend taking preparations that contain probiotics. Before starting treatment, we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor.
Sensational discovery. Bacteria that feed on plastic
The structure and activity of bacteria is of interest to biologists from all over the world. They believe that microorganisms are not as primitive as they seem. This is confirmed by the discovery made by a group of Chinese biochemists and microbiologists. Two years ago, they discovered bacteria that feed on plastic. According to scientists, this will save the planet from an ecological catastrophe.
The discovery was made quite by accident. The leader of the group notes that his house is always a slight mess. One day he noticed that in a plastic bag with the remnants of cereals there isa huge number of small larvae that eat disposable packaging. This case led the researcher to the idea that this could help save the planet from global pollution.
After a number of experiments, the team leader learned that the larvae not only eat plastic and polyethylene, but also digest it. It turned out that this is due to the fact that in the intestines of the caterpillar there are a number of bacteria. It is they who digest toxic substances. A group of scientists placed experimental larvae on the surface of polyethylene. Surprisingly, within a month they were examining the package under a microscope. The nutrition of bacteria allows you not to send plastic for recycling, but to destroy it as soon as possible.
Habitat for harmful bacteria
There are both beneficial and parasitic bacteria. The latter can cause a number of he alth problems. To protect your body from harmful bacteria as much as possible, you need to know exactly where they live.
- The dirtiest item in the house that dangerous bacteria likes to be on is a dish sponge. After a week of use, it urgently needs to be replaced. A wet sponge with food particles on it is a favorable environment for the development of parasitic microorganisms.
- Another thing that microscopic creatures love so much is the toothbrush. A rare replacement of such an accessory can lead to the development of a variety of infectious diseases, such as SARS.
- Few peoplethinks about it, but the TV remote control is an object on which a huge number of bacteria dangerous to human life lives. To protect yourself from their effects, you must treat the item with a disinfectant at least once a week. If someone in the family has an infectious disease, this must be done daily.
To protect yourself from a range of harmful bacteria, you need to wash your hands as often as possible. For best results, always use a disinfectant.
Reproduction of microorganisms
For those who wish to learn more about simple microorganisms, it is important not only how bacteria eat, but also how they reproduce. This information is of interest to many beginner microbiologists. Most bacteria reproduce by dividing the cell into two parts. If the microorganism has an oval shape, then it can only split across. There are also species that reproduce by budding. The sexual process is extremely rare and, as a rule, only in Escherichia coli.
The process of reproduction in bacteria is quite fast. However, division can only take place under certain circumstances. Under adverse conditions, some subspecies of bacteria can form spores. Surprisingly, several billion individuals can appear from one cell. Most of the young offspring die as a result of exposure to adverse environmental conditions.
Summing up
Bacteria are the simplest organisms thatsurround us everywhere. They can have both positive and negative impacts on the environment and human he alth. Many microbiologists believe that bacteria are not as simple as they seem. Microorganisms are already known today that can help to cope with an environmental catastrophe around the world. In our article, you can find out not only how bacteria eat, but also how they reproduce and breathe.
