| microbe name | tweet | date |
|---|---|---|
| Acinetobacter | Acinetobacter:common soil bact. Naturally competent=can take up DNA from outside environment and maybe use it to modify genome. | 5/31/13 |
| Blochmannia | Blochmannia: bacteria w tiny genome (600 genes vs 4500 of E coli). Found only within the cells of carpenter ants (endosymbiont) | 6/1/13 |
| Candida | Candida: yeast found on human skin, mucous membranes. Normally harmless (commensal) but can cause disease if immune-suppressed | 6/2/13 |
| Deinococcus | Deinococcus: hardy bacteria highly resistant to radiation. Can withstand >1000x level of ionizing radiation lethal for humans. | 6/3/13 |
| Euglena | Euglena: photosynthetic protist. In the 1970s, NASA explored how to use Euglena for self-sufficient space stations. | 6/4/13 |
| Francisella | Francisella tularensis: pathogenic bacterium. Grows inside human cells (intracellular). CDC high priority bioterrorism agent. | 6/5/13 |
| Goniomonas | Goniomonas: single-celled eukaryote found in both marine and freshwater environments. Microscopic predator that eats bacteria. | 6/6/13 |
| Halomonas | Halomonas: halophilic (salt-loving) bacteria. Grows in high salt environs (Dead Sea). Makes ectoine used in sunscreen/skin care | 6/7/13 |
| Ishikawaella | Ishikawaella: bacterial symbiont of stinkbugs. Newly hatched stinkbugs get symbionts from capsule deposited by mom on egg mass | 6/8/13 |
| Janthinobacterium | Janthinobacterium: bacteria found in soil, water and spoiled rabbit meat. Makes violet pigment that has antitumor activity | 6/10/13 |
| Klebsormidium | Klebsormidium: filamentous algae found worldwide even Antarctic and Arctic. Highly resistant to freezing and dry conditions. | 6/12/13 |
| Listeria | Listeria: pathogenic bacteria causing foodborne illness listeriosis. In 2011, severe outbreak from contaminated cantaloupe. | 6/13/13 |
| Myxococcus | Myxococcus: bacteria. Prey on other bacteria in "wolf pack". When starved, form multicellular fruiting body to disperse spores. | 6/14/13 |
| Neoparamoeba | Neoparamoeba: marine unicellular eukaryote. Cause of gill disease in Atlantic salmon and lobster die-off in Long Island Sound | 6/15/13 |
| Ornithinimicrobium | Ornithinimicrobium: bacteria found in wastewater treatment plant, mold-covered indoor wall and Indian Himalayas. Gets around! Ornithinimicrobium, part deux: Apparently also member of scorpion intestinal microbiota !!! | 6/16/13 |
| Paratrichodorus | Paratrichodorus: nematode (roundworm). Punctures plant cells w tooth then secretes saliva, which hardens to form feeding tube | 6/18/13 |
| Quinella ovalis | Quinella ovalis: Large anaerobic bacterium found in rumen of sheep. Originally described in 1943 as "Quin's oval" | 6/20/13 |
| Rotavirus | Rotavirus: Causes severe diarrhea in kids. Infectious dose <100 particles. Globally almost every child has been infected by 5YO. | 6/21/13 |
| Shewanella benthica | Shewanella benthica: deep sea bacterium. Adapted to high pressure and extreme cold, in part due to membrane composition | 6/26/13 |
| Thiomargarita namibiensis | Thiomargarita namibiensis: "sulfur pearl of Namibia". One of largest bacteria. Visible to naked eye. http://microwavesscience.blogspot.com/2011/03/matters-of-size.html … | 6/30/13 |
| Ustilago maydis | Ustilago maydis: fungus infecting maize (corn smut). Young galls caused by fungus are common food item (huitlacoche) in Mexico | 7/1/13 |
| Volvox | Volvox: green algae. Forms hollow spherical colonies. Moves by coordinating flagella. Some cells specialized for reproduction. | 7/2/13 |
| Weeksella virosa | Weeksella virosa: bacterial member of human microbiome. Colonizes mucous membranes. Most isolates so far from urogenital tract | 7/7/13 |
| Xanthomonas | Xanthomonas: bacterial plant pathogen. Used in industrial production of xanthan gum, a food thickener and cosmetic stabilizer | 7/15/13 |
| Yaniella | Yaniella: halotolerant actinobacteria. Some species form orange colonies on plate. Isolated from coal mine, forest soil | 8/20/13 |
MicrobeABCs
Here you'll find the running tally of my microbeABCs Twitter project. Even though I have a Ph.D. in microbiology, there is A LOT that I don't know about the microbial world. Our microscopic friends (and foes) are always finding new ways to astonish me. I really enjoy using this Twitter project to explore strange new microbial worlds, to seek out new microbial life and communities. To boldly... right, you get the idea.
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