TEKS 4B and 11B
By Blake Winkler
4B- How do bacteria reproduce?
Bacteria reproduce via binary fission. Binary fission is a process where one bacteria cell divides into two daughter cells. All of it starts when the DNA of the bacteria cell, which is a single strand, divides into two perfect replicates, then the cell becomes long and splits in two. In the end, it goes from one bacteria cell, that splits into two, then two to four and so on so that it is an exponential growth.
4B- What is penicillin and what is it's effect on viruses?
11B- How can beneficial bacteria effect the environment?
Beneficial bacteria are all over the place and there's probably so many on you right now to make up roughly 5 pounds of your body weight. It's okay because they are there to help you. Many bacteria live in your stomach and help you digest things easier. They can help you to excrete regularly an the presence of these beneficial bacteria help keep you healthy. They can also compete with harmful bacteria to keep you healthy on a daily basis.
11B- Where are the endospores are located and what is the function ?
Endospores are basically tough protective structures that assist bacteria cells in survival during times of heavy environmental stress. Endospores allow bacteria cells to lay dormant in a sleep like state for very long periods of time in really harsh conditions like extreme cold or heat. Endospores form on the inside of bacteria cells, protecting the most important parts.
11B- What would the world be without viruses and bacterias?
Without bacteria we couldn't live. There actually are beneficial bacteria and a lot of them are at work in our bodies. For example there's e.coli. E.coli is at work in our guts helping us digest, but theres also a sort of bad e.coli that can make you very sick. Also, bacteria are part of our evolutionary history and without them, we probably never would have evolved to the advanced life form we our today. As for viruses, they're also important and detrimental to our health. Currently there are probably around 7,000 viruses within somebody's body and most of them are in there killing bacteria and keeping you healthy. On the other hand they can also kill you brutally, like ebola or smallpox for example.