Nonfiction Reading Response

Nonfiction Reading Response

New Research Suggests Bacteria Are Social Microorganisms:

September 6th 2012

Certain bacterias are found to be able to create and send out a chemical compound that can kill other bacteria's around, except for their own. Some scientists say that having a “social” class, for bacteria nay be able to keep different bacteria colonies easily in order. Then again, this new discovery dis-proves many things that scientists already know about plants and humans. And the types of bacteria that they inhabit. Scientists have also found that this strategy of a bacteria sending out a chemical compound, is usually used for self defense. Or when 2 or more different bacteria colonies are fighting for the same space to live. The creating of chemical compounds and sending them to kill other bacteria, really only works if all of the other bacteria's are closely related. This entire study brings up the question of, why doesn't the toxic chemical compound kill the releasing bacteria? If all of the bacteria are similar, what is the difference in the one bacteria that doesn't die, how is the bacteria build not affected by a potentially toxic compound?

                         I think that it is very important to answer the questions listed above because, if we don't figure these things out, the bacteria could grow stronger, and make compounds that could harm humans. For example, say a person has some sort of bacterial infection somewhere in their body. If the body sends “good” bacteria to go and fight that “bad” bacteria... The bad bacteria, could possibly have become strong enough to be able to create a chemical compound that can harm bacteria's that they aren't that closely related to. Therefore the person wouldn't have the strength to fight again a bacteria that just kills of the bodies immune system tactic. I also think that it is very interesting that the bacteria featured in this article are considered part of a “Social Class” where, there are the bigger bacteria colonies, with tons of clones, that will kill things that stand in their way. And then there's the smaller bacteria colonies with not such a great army of clones, that will easily be killed by the chemical compound created by a larger, and more powerful bacteria type. The fact that bacteria are already living, and not scientists believe that they organize themselves in social groups, just as humans do can pose a threat, as well as a wonderful opportunity to study certain bacteria's more in depth.

                          In conclusion, this topic really interests me. And I would like to do more research on bacteria, and be able to create my own hypothesis on the subject.