MBIO 302 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Colonoscopy, Autotroph, Cytophaga
5 Mar 2020
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Document Summary
Prokaryotes are ubiquitous they can be found everywhere on earth. Prokaryotes (especially bacteria) are abundant on and within the human body. In the body: mouth, nasal cavity, throat, ears, gi tract, vagina. On the body: lots in moist areas, fewer in dryer areas. Existence of prokaryotes is important for stability of ecosystems . 1 gram of soil contains up to 10b microorganisms (mostly prokaryotes) Many prokaryotes are metabolically flexible can switch from one energy source to another, d availability. Prokaryotes capture and fix elements like carbon and nitrogen, make usable forms for other. Nitrogen fixing bacteria convert n2 into ammonia (nh3) Humans have been able to use some bacteria to degrade toxic chemicals that pollute water. Some are human pathogens (less than 1%) and cause illness or infection of the body. Impact on climate change metabolizing trapped carbon in there permafrost, which is releasin into the environment. Prokaryotic microorganisms can associate with plants and animals results in unique relations organisms.
