Nitrogen Fixation

.    The symbiotic association of cyanobacteria with fungi (lichen), cyanobacteria with bryophytes (Anthoceros), with pteridophytes, (Azolla) with gymnospermes (coralloid root of cycas) and bacteria (Rhizobium, Bradyrhizobiun, zorhizobium, sinorhizobium and mesohizobium etc.) With leguminous plants are under mutual beneficial relationship (symbiosis) in which both the host and bacteria are benefitted. There are number of other angiosperms [...]

Bacteria Cause Old Buildings To Feel Off-color

The assumption that time, weather, and pollution are what cause buildings to decline is only partly true. Bacteria are also responsible for the ageing of buildings and monuments – a process known as biodeterioration, where organisms change the properties of materials through their vital activities. Leonila Laiz from the Institute for Natural Resources and Agrobiology [...]

Discovery of Agar as a Solidifying Agent

The earliest culture media were liquid, which made the isolation of bacteria to prepare pure cultures extremely difficult. In practice,a mixture of bacteria was diluted successively until only one organism, as an average, was present in a culture vessel. If everything went well, the individual bacterium thus isolateb would reproduce to give a pure culture. [...]

Evolution of Eucaryotic Cell

The profound differences between eucaryotic and procaryotic cells have stimulated much discussion about how the more complex eucaryotic cell arose. Some biologists believe the original ‘protoeucaryote’ was a large, aerobic archaeon or bacterium that formed mitochondria, chloroplasts, and nuclei when it plasma membrane invaginated and enclosed genetic material in a double membrane. The organelles could [...]

Life at High Temperatures – Thermophiles

Earlier, the highest temperature reported for Prokaryotic growth was only 105 degree C. But now, the existence of Thermophiles is well known. Thermophiles grow in sulfide chimneys or black smokers located along ocean floor. These chimneys have temperatures as high as 450 degree C. Facts say that Microbes can live at temperatures near 120 – [...]