Have you ever wondered what the first organism on earth was? They were much smaller than dinosaurs, plants, and cavemen, but had a bigger role that benefited their success. They are:
MICROBES
Microbes are extremely successful because they have the ability to
reproduce quickly in favorable environments and temperatures. Extremephiles are a prime example of what makes microbes prosper. Extremephiles are "organisms that lives in environmental conditions so extreme that few other species can survive there. Extremophiles include extreme halophiles ("salt lovers") and include thermophiles ("heat lovers")" (Campbell G-13).
reproduce quickly in favorable environments and temperatures. Extremephiles are a prime example of what makes microbes prosper. Extremephiles are "organisms that lives in environmental conditions so extreme that few other species can survive there. Extremophiles include extreme halophiles ("salt lovers") and include thermophiles ("heat lovers")" (Campbell G-13).
Reproduction
Another neat factor about microbes that allow them to survive is their fast reproduction rates. With fast reproduction rates, mutations are bound to happen. Although mutations are actually a major source of variation in prokaryotic populations Genetic Recombination adds more variety as well. Recombination in simplistic terms is basically bacterial sex. It's the combining of DNA from two sources, and it contributes to additional diversity.
Microbes have many different ways of reproducing such as:
Microbes have many different ways of reproducing such as:
- Conjugation
- Transduction
- Transformation
Conjugation
Conjugation is a method of transferring DNA between two prokaryotic cells (usually of the same species) that are temporarily joined. In bacteria, the DNA transfer is always one way: One cell donates the DNA, and the other receives it. |
Transduction
Transduction is the process in which phages (viruses) carry bacterial DNA from one bacterial cell to another. When these two cells are members of different species, transduction. However when these two cells are members of different species, transduction results in Horizontal Gene Transfer. |
Transformation
Transformation is a change in genotype and phenotype due to the assimilation of external DNA by a cell. When the external DNA is from a member of a different species, Horizontal Gene Transfer is also used. |
Plasmids
References
Campbell, Neil A., Jane B. Reece, Lisa A. Urry, Michael L. Cain, Steven Alexander Wasserman, Peter V. Minorsky, and Robert B. Jackson. Biology: A Global Approach. Boston: Pearson, 2014. Print.
Ishida, Masami. "Current Record Holders for Extremophiles." Current Record Holders for Extremophiles. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2016.
Transduction, Genetics at the US National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Campbell, Neil A., Jane B. Reece, Lisa A. Urry, Michael L. Cain, Steven Alexander Wasserman, Peter V. Minorsky, and Robert B. Jackson. Biology: A Global Approach. Boston: Pearson, 2014. Print.
Ishida, Masami. "Current Record Holders for Extremophiles." Current Record Holders for Extremophiles. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2016.
Transduction, Genetics at the US National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)