THE MICROBIOLOGY OF LIFE. Until 1999, the definition of bacteria had always carried the ‘microscopic’ content and had always been thought as invisible to the unaided eyes but thanks to the exploits of Heide Schulz and other who found the change to the once thought inexpungible ‘microscopic’ from what a bacterium is. Thiomargarita namibiensis , albeit discovered in 1997 was not fully reported and documented until 1999. The giant bacterium as it is called by scientists was found off the coast of Namibia, West Africa, hence the species nomenclature of ‘namibiensis’. ‘Thio’, whenever used in microbiology has something to do with sulfur, little wonder the meaning of Thiomargarita was given as ‘sulfur pearl’. It is a gram negative coccoid bacterium with an incredible size of 0.1-0.3mm (100µm-300µm) and sometimes attaining a size of about 750µm (0.75mm). Those for the science freaks, non-science bloods may begin to imagine the irony of gigantism with a dot-sized thing. Never mind, it’s a big deal to those involved. Life itself emanated from something considered microscopic, the spermatozoa are not visible to the unaided eyes but with seemingly slow but consistent growth and development, unseen became seen- a baby, still small but not considered microscopic even with critical critics. Who knows for how many years ‘Goliath Thiomargarita’ must have been residing in its abode before it was stumbled upon. As usual, many arguments came on as to its classification; some called it a ‘protist’, others, a form of eukaryote but was finally proven to be a bacterium. The same thing applies to man, even from conception, the signs are known as sickness which the medics term as early morning sickness. The woman is subjected to a battery of tests to douse all false appearances before finally concluding, it’s pregnancy. The struggle begins with the first cry to Mother Earth, challenges are faced and overcome and then comes those life changing ideas. When an idea comes to one’s mind, the same had registered in minds of many others and the competition to develop begins with the fastest gaining ground and the most innovative gaining superiority. How do you see or categorized an idea? Personifying it, I would call it ‘microscopic’, or can you visualize it? Neither have we seen a microscope that can read the heart of men. Even the Bible accords to this fact, Jeremiah 17:9. This idea can be a life changing one depending on how we allow it to evolve into something in its visible state. A dormant idea can die. The sperm cells in their millions in the semen can be debilitated by a single careless handling and mismanagement of the body. If allowed and nurtured, the idea grows into something big and while after attaining the macroscopic structure, gigantism has its challenges, bacteria obtain their nutrients by simple diffusion across their cell membrane, thanks to their minute sizes, and they have a high ratio of surface area to volume unlike the giant ‘Thio’. Nevertheless this wonderful bacterium possesses large vacuoles that can be filled up with life supporting nitrates which it uses as its terminal electron acceptor. Ideas also have their challenges even after evolving to something visible seen with the unaided eyes. Just as ‘Thio’ has been provided with an escape route, there’re always ways out to overcome challenges, two of which are discipline and commitment. The beauty of it all is to see Thiomargarita namibiensis scatter incident light which gives the organism a pearly lustre due to the presence of sulfur granules in its cytoplasm which is the product of the oxidation of hydrogen sulphide. When a whole heart is committed to the actualization and success of a thing, the challenges becomes the beauty of it in the past and the story of how it began becomes an encouragement and motivation to those coming behind. On a final note, one must know that no king reign forever except the Creator. In as much as there are times for one’s dominion, yet there is time wide enough to reign only if one is fit for the task. Then we should take hold of it and reign bearing in mind that it is ephemeral. Almost a decade before Thiomargarita namibiensis, another bacterium Epulopiscium fishelsoni, a cigar-shaped bacterium had been discovered, this eluded scientist for a very long time until it was finally accepted as a bacterium. It dominated though short-lived because of the controversy as to its classification before the latter was discovered. There is a time for everything and a season for all things under the heavens. When it is your time, reign like a king because there will definitely be another king tomorrow. Even at your death, your name will be immortalized and will never be forgotten on the lips of men. Such is the Microbiology of life! °°°•••↑Hapi sunday↓•••°°°
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 13:10:49 +0000
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