Some need oxygen, other do not
The word metabolism refers to those biochemical reactions that are vital for life and continuously occur inside the cells of each living being. Some of these reactions can only occur if there is oxygen. Some others, instead, do not need it. Aerobic bacteria are those bacteria that, like animals, “breathe oxygen”. Anaerobic bacteria are those bacteria that can live in an environment without this gas.
Bacterial reproduction is asexual: it occurs by fission and not through the exchange of genetic material between two individuals of a different sex. Each bacterial cell divides itself to originate two identical cells that, in their turn, divide themselves into two other identical cells, and so on. A single cell is able to generate, in a short time, colonies of bacteria that are be made up of millions of cells.
Special reports
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27 September 2012
Over 7 billion people on Earth
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12 October 2020
Crispr-Cas9, the gene factory
Nobel 2020. The biochemists Emmanuelle Charpentier, French, and Jennifer A. Doudna, from the United States, were awarded the most important…
10 May 2020
A virus’s life
What are viruses Virus is a Latin word meaning poison. Viruses do not eat, breathe, move or reproduce on their…
29 February 2020
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Parasites at the edge of life Virus is a Latin word meaning poison. Viruses are pathogens (they make you ill)…
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31 October 2019
What language does science speak? 2nd part
There is an old proverb that says “the apple does not fall far from the tree ”. Apparently it seems…
1 September 2019
What language does science speak?
Do you remember the game called “Chinese whispers”? All the participants had to stand in line and the game started…
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27 September 2012
Over 7 billion people on Earth
Demographers have estimated that on 31 October 2011 world population...
12 October 2020
Crispr-Cas9, the gene factory
Nobel 2020. The biochemists Emmanuelle Charpentier, French, and Jennifer A. Doudna, from the United States, were awarded the most important…
-
10 May 2020
A virus’s life
What are viruses Virus is a Latin word meaning poison. Viruses do not eat, breathe, move or reproduce on their…
29 February 2020
Let’s find out about viruses
Parasites at the edge of life Virus is a Latin word meaning poison. Viruses are pathogens (they make you ill)…
-
27 September 2012
Over 7 billion people on Earth
Demographers have estimated that on 31 October 2011 world population...
From the Multimedia section
Facts
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Bio-luminescence
Many sea animals, including a lot of fish and molluscs that live in the dark in the ocean depths...
Down-pouring bacteria
It sounds incredible, but recent researches have found that bacteria can cause some atmospheric phenomena...
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Bacteria as Sherlock Holmes
A drop of blood, a fragment of skin or a hair found on the scene of a crime can supply…
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Who lives well with low oxygen?
<i><span style="font-style: normal; " class="Apple-style-span"><i><em>Aquandriella fermentas</em> </i>lives in stagnant waters and can stand complete anaerobiosis...</span></i>
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13 May 2011
Bio-luminescence
Many sea animals, including a lot of fish and molluscs that live in the dark in the ocean depths...
-
Down-pouring bacteria
It sounds incredible, but recent researches have found that bacteria can cause some atmospheric phenomena...
-
Bacteria as Sherlock Holmes
A drop of blood, a fragment of skin or a hair found on the scene of a crime can supply…
-
Bio-luminescence
Many sea animals, including a lot of fish and molluscs that live in the dark in the ocean depths...
-
Down-pouring bacteria
It sounds incredible, but recent researches have found that bacteria can cause some atmospheric phenomena...