Discovered the largest bacteria ever

Scientists have discovered an extremely large bacterium that lurks in the middle of the Grande-Terre mangrove forest in the Caribbean and can be seen with the naked eye without the aid of a microscope, reports Science. Because.

A newly discovered bacterium can grow up to 0.78 inches (2 cm) long. This image shows another type of bacteria with a long, thin shape similar to the newly discovered bacteria. (Image credit: STEVE GSCHMEISSNER via Getty Images)

According to one description, this "single-celled organism" can grow up to 0.78 inches (2 cm) long and resembles a thin wire. Bacteria carry all of their DNA inside a membrane vesicle that, unlike most bacteria, has genetic material floating, unbound, in their cells. This feature not only sets the newly found microorganism apart from other bacteria, but also distinguishes it from other prokaryotes - a group of organisms with very small, simple cellular structures. This group includes organisms found in the fields of Bacteria and Archaea.

In contrast to prokaryotes, eukaryotes, such as animals, plants, and fungi, have more complex cells containing a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles. The newly discovered giant micobe draws the line between prokaryotes and eukaryotes in that it carries its DNA in a membrane-enclosed vesicle, and it also carries a second large vesicle filled with water, which accounts for more than 70% of the total volume of the organism. cell. , Science reported.

This water-filled sac will force all the substances inside the cell to its outermost edge, which can help life-sustaining molecules diffuse into the cell more easily, while toxins more easily. excreted, Science reported.

A large, sulfur-degrading bacterium in the genus Thiomargarita carries the same type of water-filled sac, and based on this similarity, plus genetic analysis, the researchers concluded that the newly discovered bacterium has may belong to the same genus. They proposed that the giant bacteria be named T. exaggerated .

Kazuhiro Takemoto, a computational biologist at Kyushu Institute of Technology, told Science that "giant bacteria could be a missing link in the evolution of complex cells".

Chris Greening, a microbiologist at Monash University who was not involved in the study, told Science: 'Typically, bacteria are thought of as small, simple, 'unresolved' life forms - the so-called are 'bags of protein'. "But this bacterium shows that this couldn't be further from the truth."