Table of contents:
- Recognizing bacteria, living things that are invisible but exist
- What are the benefits of bacteria?
- 1. Human survival
- 2. Fermented food
- 3. Bacteria in industry and research
- Although not all, bacteria are the cause of disease
Bacteria are living things that are very small in size, even only visible with the aid of a microscope. In fact, bacteria are present everywhere, including in the body, in the body of animals, plants or in the environment. Actually, what are bacteria like? Is it certain to be the cause of disease?
Recognizing bacteria, living things that are invisible but exist
Bacteria are living things that have only one cell and are not included in groups of animals or plants. These living things exist everywhere, it is even estimated that there are more than 5 million bacteria on earth. So many, one gram of soil can contain 40 million bacterial cells and one milliliter of fresh water can accommodate as many as one million bacteria.
Some bacteria can be harmful, but most others can be beneficial to the body and the environment. Bacteria support many forms of life, both plant and animal, which are also used in industrial and medicinal processes.
There are various types of bacteria which are usually grouped based on their shape. There are three basic forms of bacteria are:
- Round (coccus).Spherical bacteria can be found in single, pair, or chain forms.
- Stems (basil). Similar to spherical bacteria, rod-shaped bacteria can also be found in singular, paired, and chained forms.
- Spiral. Bacteria in the form of a solitary living spiral do not colonize. Spiral shaped bacteria can be found in the form of commas (curved rods).
What are the benefits of bacteria?
Bacteria are often considered harmful, but they actually play a lot in everyday life.
1. Human survival
Many bacteria in the body play an important role in human survival. Bacteria in the digestive system break down nutrients, such as complex sugars, into forms that are simpler for the body to use.
2. Fermented food
Lactic acid bacteria, such as Lactobacillus and Lactococcus along with various types of mushrooms, it is used to make foods such as cheese, soy sauce, natto (fermented soybeans), vinegar, yogurt, and pickled vegetables.
Not only is fermentation useful for preserving food, but some of these foods may offer health benefits.
3. Bacteria in industry and research
Bacteria are microorganisms that can break down organic compounds. This can be useful for treating waste and cleaning up oil spills or toxic waste.
The pharmaceutical and chemical industries use bacteria in the production of certain chemicals.
Bacteria are used in molecular biology, biochemistry and genetic research, because they can grow quickly and are relatively easy to manipulate. Researchers use bacteria to study how genes and enzymes work.
Bacteria are also used in making antibiotics.Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) are bacteria that can be used in agriculture, including pesticides.
Although not all, bacteria are the cause of disease
Apart from having various benefits, several types of bacteria can cause disease in humans. Such as cholera, diphtheria, dysentery, bubonic plague, pneumonia, tuberculosis (TB), typhus, and many more.
If the human body is exposed to bacteria that the body does not recognize, the immune system attacks them. This reaction can cause symptoms of swelling, inflammation and fever.
