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Acidophile Bacteria

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Acidophile Bacteria
Acidophillic Extremophile: Lactobacillus acidophilus
Imagine a harsh winter with winds roaring outside and the shutters banging fiercely against the side of the house. Now imagine walking along a dessert as the sun beats down from above, and the glare from the sand is almost unbearable. Humans have adapted to these types of environments through technology and simplicities. Yet a microorganism calls places like these “home”. These microbes are called extremophiles, prospering in extreme environments where humans can’t. Barren or poisonous environments that other organisms would perish in tend to be the extremophile’s hot spots (Rothschild, 2001). They reach their full potential within these environments. Without these environments, lifecycles like reproduction wouldn’t take place at all. Extremophiles are wide spread and well diverse microorganisms. Lactobacillus acidophilus is only one of the many microorganisms that exist under conditions inadaptable to other life forms. Lactobacillus acidophilus was discovered by pediatrician, Ernst Moro. He researched gastrointestinal disorders that infected his patients which consisted mainly of infants because the mortality rate nearly exceeded 25%. He soon presented his first characterization of Latobacillus acidophilus and received permission to continue his work on the infantile intestines. It was soon after this, that he became the Head of a Children’s Hospital. He was famous and loved by the public for his discovery and his continuing acknowledgement and research of infant’s neurological development. With these honors he was promoted to Chair of Pediatrics, which marked the beginning of a blossoming period to how this information could be used in the future (Weirich, 2005). This discovery gave way to understanding these species abilities and the positive effects it has on humans and other existing mammals. Acidophillic extremophiles exist as two types of broad categories: Archaea and Bacteria. Lactobacillus



Cited: Baker-Austin, C., and M. Dopson. 2007. Life in acid: pH homeostasis in acidophiles. Science Direct 15:165-171. Buttris, J. 1997. Nutritional properties of fermented milk products. International Journal of Dairy Technology 50:21-27 Kullen, M.J., and T.R. Klaenhammer. 2000. Genetic modification of intestinal Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria. Molecular Biology 2:41-50. Madigan, M.T., and B.L Marrs. 1997. Extremophiles. Scientific American 82-87. Nakano, Y. 2007. Effects of effective microorganisms on the growth of Brassica rapa. Effective Microorganisms: 1-9. Reid, G. 1999. The scientific basis for probiotic strains of Lactobacillus. Applied and Environmental Mimcrobiology 65:3763-3766. Richlen, Mindy. (n.d.). Microbial Life in Acidic Environments. Retrieved October 4, 2012, serc.carlenton.edu/microbelife/extreme/acidic/index.html Rothschild, L.J., and R.L. Mancinelli. (2001). Life in extreme environments. Nature 409:1092-1101. Santos, A., M. San Mauro, A. Sanchez, J.M. Torres, and D. Marquina. 2003. The antimicrobial properties of different strains of Lactobacillus spp Weirich, A., and G.F. Hoffmann. 2005. Ernst Moro (1874-1951) – a great pediatric career started at the rise of university – based pediatric research but was curtailed in the shadows of Nazi laws

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