Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
We humans like to think we are at the top of the food chain, but underestimating microorganisms like bacteria is a serious mistake. Let's just remember Yersinia pestis, cause of the Black Death; Vibrio cholerae, responsible for cholera; Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the agent of tuberculosis; and Salmonella enterica, which causes typhoid fever. All of them deadly protagonists in the history of pandemics.
Although we are still alive, the Bucharest Institute of Biology of the Romanian Academy found a five-thousand-year-old super bacterium, Psychrobacter SC65A.3, capable of living in an environment as cold as an ice cave. Due to its high adaptive capacity, observing its genome is important to understand how it has survived in such an unfavorable environment.
Its ability to resist cold also seems to be reflected in the presence of antibiotics. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the environment is fundamental for transmitting resistance genes among microorganisms.
This is a natural mechanism that predates humanity, which we should understand, considering that bacteria like Psychrobacter SC65A.3 exist, capable of resisting a good portion of our antibiotics. Quoting UNEP, "prevention is part of the solution," although I prefer to say "better safe than sorry."
According to Dr. Cristina Purcarea, lead author of the research, the bacterial strain "shows resistance to multiple modern antibiotics and carries more than 100 genes related to resistance."
In total, 28 antibiotics from 10 different classes were tested, such as rifampicin, vancomycin, and ciprofloxacin, which are used to treat tuberculosis, colitis, and urinary infections.
Psychrobacter SC65A.3 appears to be resistant to trimethoprim, clindamycin, and metronidazole, common drugs used to treat infections in the lungs, skin, blood, reproductive tract, and digestive system.
In addition to identifying the 100 genes related to resistance, the researchers also discovered 11 that could have the ability to eliminate or inhibit bacteria, fungi, and even viruses. But there are still 600 genes with unknown functions. Even so, I don't think eradicating bacteria at a genetic level is a great decision.
Assuming a vaccine is created that can strip bacteria of their defenses, we could also get sick and even die. For example, the intestine needs bacteria to break down and absorb nutrients from food.
Without them, our bodies cannot function properly, which is why, many times after antibiotic treatment, we need to ingest probiotics or lactobacilli to compensate for the damage.
Beyond medical applications, we should study bacteria in greater depth to truly understand how they have managed to live for nearly four billion years.
Remembering that the Microbiology Society classifies them as the most adaptive and versatile organisms on Earth. Quoting Darwin, "It is not the strongest species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one that best adapts to change." (Text and photo: Cubadebate)
