Nanobacterium
"Nanobacterium" | |
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Domain: | |
Phylum: | |
Class: | |
Order: | [not assigned]
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Family: | [not assigned]
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Genus: | "Nanobacterium" Ciftcioglu et al. 1997[1]
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Species
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Nanobacterium (
Research tends to agree that these structures exist, and appear to replicate in some way.[8] However, the idea that they are living entities has now largely been discarded, and the particles are instead thought to be nonliving crystallizations of minerals and organic molecules.[9]
1981–2000
In 1981 Francisco Torella and Richard Y. Morita described very small cells called ultramicrobacteria.[10] Defined as being smaller than 300 nm, by 1982 MacDonell and Hood found that some could pass through a 200 nm membrane[citation needed]. Early in 1989, geologist Robert L. Folk found what he later identified as nannobacteria (written with double "n"), that is, nanoparticles isolated from geological specimens[11] in travertine from hot springs of Viterbo, Italy. Initially searching for a bacterial cause for travertine deposition, scanning electron microscope examination of the mineral where no bacteria were detectable revealed extremely small objects which appeared to be biological. His first oral presentation elicited what he called "mostly a stony silence", at the 1992 Geological Society of America's annual convention.[12] He proposed that nanobacteria are the principal agents of precipitation of all minerals and crystals on Earth formed in liquid water, that they also cause all oxidation of metals, and that they are abundant in many biological specimens.[12]
In 1996, NASA scientist
Nanobacterium sanguineum was proposed in 1998 as an explanation of certain kinds of pathologic
A paper published in 2000 by a team led by NIH scientist John Cisar further tested these ideas. It stated that what had previously been described as "self-replication" was a form of crystalline growth. The only DNA detected in his specimens was identified as coming from the bacteria Phyllobacterium myrsinacearum, which is a common contaminant in PCR reactions.[5]
2001–present
In 2004, a
In 2005, Ciftcioglu and her research team at NASA used a rotating cell culture flask, which simulates some aspects of low-gravity conditions, to culture nanobacteria suspected of rapidly forming kidney stones in astronauts. In this environment, they were found to multiply five times faster than in normal Earth gravity. The study concluded that nanobacteria potentially have a role in forming kidney stones and may need to be screened for in crews pre-flight.[17]
An article published to the Public Library of Science Pathogens (PLOS Pathogens) in February 2008 focused on the comprehensive characterization of nanobacteria. The authors claim that their results rule out the existence of nanobacteria as living entities and that they are instead a unique self-propagating entity, namely self-propagating mineral-fetuin complexes.[18]
An article published to the
Further work on the importance of nanobacteria in geology by R. L. Folk and co-workers includes study of
See also
- Protocell
- Mycoplasma — smallest known bacteria (300 nm)
- Nanoarchaeum— smallest known archaeum (400 nm)
- Nanobe — possible smallest lifeforms (20 nm)
- Parvovirus— smallest known viruses (18-28 nm)
- Prion — smallest known infectious agent (≈10 nm)
- Ultramicrobacteria — possible dormant forms of larger cells (200 nm)
References
- ISBN 0-87969-516-1.
- S2CID 20169194.
- S2CID 35400477.
- ^ PMID 15142839.
- ^ PMID 11027350.
- ^ PMID 18385376.
- ^ Jack Maniloff, quoted in "The Rise and Fall of Nanobacteria", Young and Martel, Scientific American, January 2010
- PMID 18282102.
- ^ "The Rise and Fall of Nanobacteria", Young and Martel, Scientific American, January 2010
- PMID 16345721.
- ^ A convention has been adopted between researchers to name -or spell- the nanoparticles isolated from geological specimens as nannobacteria, and those from biological specimens as nanobacteria.
- ^ a b Folk, Robert L. (March 4, 1997). "Nanobacteria: surely not figments, but what under heaven are they?". naturalSCIENCE. Archived from the original on December 9, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
- S2CID 40690489.
- PMID 9653177.
- S2CID 26068331.
- PMID 16196199.
- PMID 15673296.
- PMID 18282102.
- S2CID 11977001. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2012-03-01. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- ^ Folk, RL and Lynch. FL (2001) Organic matter, putative nanobacteria and the formation of oolites and hard grounds, Sedimentology, 48:215-229.
- ^ Folk, RL and Lynch, FL, (1997) The possible role of nanobacteria (dwarf bacteria) in clay-mineral diagenesis, Journal of Sedimentary Research, 67:583-589.
- ^ Folk, RL (2005) nanobacteria and the formation of framboidal pyrite, Journal Earth System Science, 114:369-374
- ^ Folk, RL and Carlin J (2006) Adventures in an iron birdbath: nanostructure of iron oxide and the nanobacteria connection, Geological Society of America, Abstracts with programs, v. 38 (3), p. 6.
- ^ Kirkland, B and Lynch, FL (2005) nanobacteria, Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster—what are you supposed to believe?, Geological Society of America, abs. with progr., v. 37:253.
- ^ Folk, RL and Kirkland, B, (2007) On the smallness of life: new TEM evidence from biofilm in hot springs, Viterbo, Italy, Geological Society of America, abs. with proper., v. 39 (6) 421.
- ^ Folk, RL and Taylor, L (2002) nanobacterial alteration of pyroxenes in Martian meteorite ALH84001, Meteorology and Planetary Science, v. 37:1057-1070.
External links
- Nanobacteria: Facts or Fancies?
- From Scum, Perhaps the Tiniest Form of Life, NY Times December 23, 2006
- Are Nanobacteria Making Us Ill?, Wired News, Mar. 14, 2005
- Claim made for new form of life, BBC News, May 19, 2004
- Infectious Microorganism Linked to Kidney Stones and other Diseases, February 2005
- Nannobacteria Research Page of the Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University
- New Scientist article about nanobacteria
- The Calcium Bomb — The Nanobacteria Link to Heart Disease and Cancer
- Taylor, Michael (1999). Dark Life. New York, NY: Scribner. ISBN 0-684-84191-6.
- The Time Travelers Academy, a science fiction novel; it tells a story about the nanobacteria found in Martian meteorites.
- [1] Selected publications of Robert L. Folk on nanobacteria
- "First detailed microscopy evidence of 'nanobacteria' at the lower size limit of life". Kurzweil AI. March 9, 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015.