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The mitochondria is a cell organelle that is known as the "powerhouse of the cell," known to be essential to every single living eukaryote. But is it really that essential?
So far, that's unheard of.
Anna Karnkowska, an author in the study, says, "In low-oxygen environments, eukaryotes often possess a reduced form of the mitochondrion, but it was believed that some of the mitochondrial functions are so essential that these organelles are indispensable for their life. We have characterized a eukaryotic microbe which indeed possesses no mitochondrion at all."
This discovery comes after many years of researchers trying to find organisms without mitochondria. For instance, previously researchers thought they had succeeded in finding a microbe without the organelle when they found the Giardia, a human gut parasite. However, Giardia still had vestigial mitochondria.
Although Monocercomonoides sp. lacks a mitochondrion, researchers found that it had a system called an SUF, which stands for a cytosolic sulfur mobilization system, which is originally of prokaryotic origin. They believe the system essentially substitutes for a mitochondrion in the organism.
Their next steps include learning more about how Monocercomonoides sp. functions, as well as investigating how the mitochondrion was lost and the SUF system was gained in this organism.
References
Karnkowska, A., et al. A Eukaryote without a Mitochondrial Organelle. Cell. 26. 1274-1284 (2016).
Khan, A. How is this Possible? Mysterious Mitochondria is Missing Mitochondria. Sci-Tech Today (2016).
Scientists find First-Ever Microbe Without Mitochondria. Futurism (2016).
Photo Credits
Mitochondrion (via Wikimedia)
Monocercomonoides sp. (ScienceDaily, via Dr. Naoji Yubuki)
Given that bacteria are literally everywhere - and I mean, everywhere - you wouldn't think that you would ever run out or find yourself needing to "hunt" them down.
The Planetary Science and Technology through Analog Research (PSTAR) Program's Atacama Rover Astrobiology Drilling Studies (ARADS) is a brand-new Mars rover analog mission, dedicated to finding signs of life underneath the soil of the red planet. Why underneath the soil, in particular? Scientists believe that due to the extreme radiation that scorches the surface of Mars, forms of life might have retreated underground. Thus the scientists working on the project have developed a slew of tools so far, ranging from a drill, a sample transfer arm, a Signs of Life Detector (SOLID), and the Wet Chemistry Lab (WCL), to probe underneath the soil (Hrala). These tools will ultimately be combined into one robot that will roam the Martian surface. Using these technologies, they hope to investigate what lives underneath Martian soil - if anything does at all.
Right now, investigators are testing these prototypes in the Atacama desert in Chile, which is allegedly the driest non-polar desert on Earth. Due to its track record of being extremely arid and hot for the past 10-15 million years, its environment is the closest thing on Earth that resembles Mars.
"Putting life-detection instruments in a difficult, Mars-analogue environment will help us figure out the best ways of looking for past or current life on Mars, if it existed," Glass added.
References
Hrala, J. NASA's testing its new "life-detection drill" in the Atacama Desert. Science Alert (2016).
Proposal Awarded for Atacama Rover Astrobiology Drilling Studies. NASA (2015).
Waller, D. Atacama Rover Astrobiology Drilling Studies - Night Falls. NASA (2015).
Photo Credits
The Planet Mars (NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team via Wikimedia)
Valley in Atacama (via Wikimedia)
Paper money is constantly home to a variety of thriving microorganisms. To investigate what exactly types of microorganisms were found on dollar bills, scientists at the Center for Genomics and Systems Biology in New York analyzed a couple of them themselves from a bank in Manhattan. They found nearly 3,000 types of microorganisms, from various parts of the body - the skin, the mouth, and even the stomach.
The lead scientist of the study, Jane Carlton, the director of genome sequencing at the Center for Genomics and Systems Biology said, "Microbes are so important, are very ubiquitous and they surround us all the time." However, "[w]e did find certain microbes that we might be a little concerned about..."
A writer for the Wall Street Journal, Robert Hotz, wrote, "This unpublished research offers a glimpse into the international problem of dirty money...From rupees to euros, paper money is one of the most frequently passed items in the world. Hygienists have long worried that it could become a source of contagion."
Indeed, paper money could definitely transmit everyday diseases - and has the potential to even impact global health. I'll definitely be washing my hands after the next time I reach into my wallet!
References
Causes and Symptoms of Staphylococcus aureus. Minnesota Department of Health (2010).
Gonzalez, Elizabeth. Surprising Bacteria that Live on Your Money. ABC news (2014).
Paper Money Carries Thousands of Types of Bacteria. WebMD (2014).
Staphylococcal infections. MedlinePlus (2016).
Photo Credits
Banknotes with a face value of 5000 of different currencies (via Wikimedia Commons)
Staphylococcus aureus (via Wikimedia Commons)