Harmful bacteria for humans. Beneficial and not so beneficial bacteria in food How to protect beneficial bacteria from death

Bacteria appeared approximately 3.5-3.9 billion years ago, they were the first living organisms on our planet. Over time, life developed and became more complex - new, each time more complex forms of organisms appeared. Bacteria did not stand aside all this time; on the contrary, they were the most important component of the evolutionary process. They were the first to develop new forms of life support, such as respiration, fermentation, photosynthesis, catalysis... and also found effective ways to coexist with almost every living creature. Man is no exception.

But bacteria is a whole domain of organisms, with over 10,000 species. Each species is unique and has followed its own evolutionary path, and as a result has developed its own unique forms of coexistence with other organisms. Some bacteria have entered into close mutually beneficial cooperation with humans, animals and other creatures - they can be called useful. Other species have learned to exist at the expense of others, using the energy and resources of donor organisms - they are generally considered harmful or pathogenic. Still others have gone even further and become practically self-sufficient; they receive everything they need for life from the environment.

Inside humans, like inside other mammals, there live an unimaginably large number of bacteria. There are 10 times more of them in our bodies than all the cells of the body combined. Among them, the absolute majority are useful, but the paradox is that their vital activity, their presence within us is a normal state of affairs, they depend on us, we, in turn, on them, and at the same time we do not feel any signs of this cooperation. Another thing is harmful, for example, pathogenic bacteria, once inside us their presence immediately becomes noticeable, and the consequences of their activity can become very serious.

Beneficial bacteria

The vast majority of them are creatures that live in symbiotic or mutualistic relationships with donor organisms (within which they live). Typically, such bacteria take on some of the functions that the host body is not capable of. An example is bacteria that live in the human digestive tract and process part of the food that the stomach itself is not able to cope with.

Some types of beneficial bacteria:

Escherichia coli (lat. Escherichia coli)

It is an integral part of the intestinal flora of humans and most animals. Its benefits are difficult to overestimate: it breaks down indigestible monosaccharides, promoting digestion; synthesizes vitamins K; prevents the development of pathogenic and pathogenic microorganisms in the intestines.

Macro photo: colony of Escherichia coli bacteria

Lactic acid bacteria (Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, etc.)

Representatives of this order are present in milk, dairy and fermented products, and at the same time are part of the intestinal and oral microflora. They are capable of fermenting carbohydrates and in particular lactose and producing lactic acid, which is the main source of carbohydrates for humans. By maintaining a constantly acidic environment, the growth of unfavorable bacteria is inhibited.

Bifidobacteria

Bifidobacteria have the most significant effect on infants and mammals, constituting up to 90% of their intestinal microflora. By producing lactic and acetic acids, they completely prevent the development of putrefactive and pathogenic microbes in the child’s body. In addition, bifidobacteria: promote the digestion of carbohydrates; provide protection of the intestinal barrier from the penetration of microbes and toxins into the internal environment of the body; synthesize various amino acids and proteins, vitamins K and B, useful acids; promote intestinal absorption of calcium, iron and vitamin D.

Harmful (pathogenic) bacteria

Some types of pathogenic bacteria:

Salmonella typhi

This bacterium is the causative agent of a very acute intestinal infection, typhoid fever. Salmonella typhi produces toxins that are dangerous only for humans. When infected, general intoxication of the body occurs, which leads to severe fever, rash throughout the body, and in severe cases, damage to the lymphatic system and, as a result, death. Every year, 20 million cases of typhoid fever are recorded worldwide, 1% of cases lead to death.

Salmonella typhi bacteria colony

Tetanus bacillus (Clostridium tetani)

This bacterium is one of the most persistent and at the same time the most dangerous in the world. Clostridium tetani produces an extremely toxic poison, tetanus exotoxin, which leads to almost complete damage to the nervous system. People with tetanus experience terrible pain: all the muscles of the body spontaneously tense to the limit, and powerful convulsions occur. The mortality rate is extremely high - on average, about 50% of those infected die. Fortunately, a tetanus vaccine was invented back in 1890; it is given to newborns in all developed countries of the world. In underdeveloped countries, tetanus kills 60,000 people every year.

Mycobacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium leprae, etc.)

Mycobacteria are a family of bacteria, some of which are pathogenic. Various representatives of this family cause such dangerous diseases as tuberculosis, mycobacteriosis, leprosy (leprosy) - all of them are transmitted by airborne droplets. Every year, mycobacteria cause more than 5 million deaths.

Strategy of reason and success Antipov Anatoly

Beneficial microbes

Many people perceive microbes as something that only brings harm to the human body. But more than 500 species of microbes live in humans that perform a protective function. Many microorganisms live on the human skin, in the mouth, and on the mucous membranes of some internal organs, forming a kind of protective film. These microbes are the first to attack harmful substances, preventing them from entering the body.

In addition, in the human body there are microbes that produce vitamins, microbes involved in the regulation of sex hormones, and, interestingly, microbes that are directly responsible for a person’s attractiveness to people of the opposite sex.

The beneficial activities of microbes are diverse. For example, bacteria and fungi, which make up ten percent of the dry weight of the intestines (260 species of microorganisms live in the human gastrointestinal tract), are involved in chemical processes that play an important role in digestion. The normal permanent microflora in healthy people is represented by lactic acid bifidolactobacteria, Escherichia coli, bacteroides and enterococci and performs the most important biological functions necessary for the human body.

First of all, it should be noted their ability to suppress pathogenic microorganisms. It has long been known that these representatives of normal microflora prevent the proliferation of salmonella, staphylococcus, proteus, pathogenic Eschechiria and, very importantly, the most dangerous fungi of the genus Candida. In addition, microorganisms participate in digestion processes and in the metabolism of a number of substances, including those toxic to the body. They also promote the absorption of a number of vitamins, calcium and phosphorus from food consumed by humans, and carry out the synthesis of essential amino acids and many vitamins. And this is far from a complete list of the beneficial activities of bacteria and fungi living in our intestines.

But for our skin, its natural “microbial background” is no less important. About 500 microorganisms we need constantly live on our body. “Own” microflora, which forms a protective shell on the surface of the skin, stands guard: it destroys foreign microorganisms. Unfortunately, in an increasing number of people, the natural “microbial background” is disrupted due to the unreasonably frequent use of various bactericidal detergents, in particular actively advertised antibacterial soap (such types of soap destroy beneficial saprophytic microbes).

It should be noted that the use of such products is quite appropriate for cuts, abrasions and scratches. But their constant use can hardly be considered justified. A study by British scientists has shown that living in a sterile environment is dangerous to our health. In particular, it puts us at greater risk of developing all kinds of allergies. Our skin loses its natural resistance. By sterilizing the skin, we thereby open our body to more dangerous microbes. This is why antibiotic experts recommend stopping the sale of “germicidal detergents.”

Excessive concern for body cleanliness can lead to disruption of the natural microflora of the skin and thereby provoke various diseases. Here, as indeed everywhere, the old saying “Everything is good in moderation” is appropriate. Moreover, even after repeated “washing”, even on very clean hands, 100 microorganisms remain per square centimeter. By shaking someone's hand, a person brings 16 million of his bacteria into contact with the same amount on another. When you kiss on the lips, a mutual “acquaintance” of 42 million microbes occurs.

Employees of the Scripps Institute in California have found that keeping a child in excessively clean conditions can have a detrimental effect on his health and, in particular, lead to the development of diabetes. These data were obtained from experiments on mice that developed under “sterile” conditions. The immune system of such animals did not encounter bacteria and therefore attacked its own body.

Do not try to completely destroy indoor dust. As scientists have found, some of it is even beneficial. The fact is that the toxic components of bacterial cells - endotoxins contained in ordinary room dust - act as a kind of vaccine against allergies, and also increase resistance to bronchial asthma. This discovery once again confirms: “Everything is good in moderation.” Even cleanliness.

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Bacteria are the most numerous inhabitants of planet Earth. They inhabited it in ancient times and continue to exist today. Some species have even changed little since then. Bacteria, beneficial and harmful, literally surround us everywhere (and even penetrate into other organisms). With a rather primitive unicellular structure, they are probably one of the most effective forms of wildlife and stand out in a special kingdom.

Margin of safety

These microorganisms, as they say, do not drown in water and do not burn in fire. Literally: withstand temperatures up to plus 90 degrees, freezing, lack of oxygen, pressure - high and low. We can say that nature has invested a huge margin of safety in them.

Bacteria beneficial and harmful to the human body

As a rule, the bacteria that inhabit our bodies in abundance are not given due attention. After all, they are so small that they seem to have no significant significance. Those who think so are largely mistaken. Bacteria useful and harmful have long and reliably “colonized” other organisms and successfully coexist with them. Yes, they cannot be seen without the help of optics, but they can benefit or harm our body.

Who lives in the intestines?

Doctors say that if you put together just the bacteria that live in the intestines and weigh it, you get something like three kilograms! Such a huge army cannot be ignored. Many of the microorganisms continuously entered the human intestine, but only a few species find favorable conditions for living and living there. And in the process of evolution, they even formed a permanent microflora, which is designed to perform important physiological functions.

"Wise" neighbors

Bacteria have long played an important role in human life, although until very recently, people did not know about it. They help their owner with digestion and perform a number of other functions. What are these invisible neighbors?

Permanent microflora

99% of the population resides permanently in the intestines. They are ardent supporters and helpers of man.

Essential beneficial bacteria. Names: bifidobacteria and bacteroides. They are the vast majority.
Associated beneficial bacteria. Names: Escherichia coli, enterococci, lactobacilli. Their number should be 1-9% of the total.

You also need to know that under appropriate negative conditions, all these representatives of the intestinal flora (with the exception of bifidobacteria) can cause diseases.

What are they doing?

The main functions of these bacteria are to help us in the digestion process. It has been noted that dysbiosis can occur in a person with poor nutrition. The result is stagnation and poor health, constipation and other inconveniences. When a balanced diet is normalized, the disease usually recedes.

Another function of these bacteria is guard. They monitor which bacteria are beneficial. To ensure that “strangers” do not penetrate their community. If, for example, the causative agent of dysentery, Shigella Sonne, tries to penetrate the intestines, they kill it. However, it is worth noting that this only happens in the body of a relatively healthy person with good immunity. Otherwise, the risk of getting sick increases significantly.

Fickle microflora

Approximately 1% of the body of a healthy individual consists of so-called opportunistic microbes. They belong to the unstable microflora. Under normal conditions, they perform certain functions that do not harm humans and work for the benefit. But in certain situations they can manifest themselves as pests. These are mainly staphylococci and various types of fungi.

Location in the gastrointestinal tract

In fact, the entire digestive tract has a heterogeneous and unstable microflora - beneficial and harmful bacteria. The esophagus contains the same inhabitants as in the oral cavity. In the stomach there are only a few that are acid-resistant: lactobacilli, Helicobacter, streptococci, fungi. In the small intestine, the microflora is also not numerous. Most bacteria are found in the large intestine. Thus, when defecating, a person is capable of excreting over 15 trillion microorganisms per day!

The role of bacteria in nature

It is also, of course, great. There are several global functions, without which all life on the planet would probably have ceased to exist long ago. The most important is sanitary. Bacteria eat dead organisms found in nature. They, in essence, work as a kind of wipers, preventing deposits of dead cells from accumulating. Scientifically they are called saprotrophs.

Another important role of bacteria is participation in the global cycle of substances on land and sea. On planet Earth, all substances in the biosphere pass from one organism to another. Without some bacteria, this transition would simply be impossible. The role of bacteria is invaluable, for example, in the circulation and reproduction of such an important element as nitrogen. There are certain bacteria in the soil that make nitrogenous fertilizers for plants from nitrogen in the air (microorganisms live right in their roots). This symbiosis between plants and bacteria is being studied by science.

Participation in food chains

As already mentioned, bacteria are the most numerous inhabitants of the biosphere. And accordingly, they can and should participate in food chains inherent in the nature of animals and plants. Of course, for humans, for example, bacteria are not a main part of the diet (unless they can be used as a food additive). However, there are organisms that feed on bacteria. These organisms, in turn, feed on other animals.

Cyanobacteria

These blue-green algae (an outdated name for these bacteria, fundamentally incorrect from a scientific point of view) are capable of producing huge amounts of oxygen through photosynthesis. Once upon a time, it was they who began to saturate our atmosphere with oxygen. Cyanobacteria continue to do this successfully to this day, producing a certain portion of the oxygen in the modern atmosphere!

Most people view various bacterial organisms solely as harmful particles that can provoke the development of various pathological conditions. Nevertheless, according to scientists, the world of these organisms is very diverse. There are frankly dangerous bacteria that pose a danger to our body, but there are also useful ones - those that ensure the normal functioning of our organs and systems. Let's try to understand these concepts a little and consider individual types of such organisms. Let's talk about bacteria in nature that are harmful and beneficial to humans.

Beneficial bacteria

Scientists say that bacteria became the very first inhabitants of our big planet, and it is thanks to them that there is life on Earth now. Over the course of many millions of years, these organisms gradually adapted to the constantly changing conditions of existence, they changed their appearance and habitat. Bacteria were able to adapt to the surrounding space and were able to develop new and unique methods of life support, including multiple biochemical reactions - catalysis, photosynthesis and even seemingly simple respiration. Now bacteria coexist with human organisms, and such cooperation is characterized by some harmony, because such organisms are capable of bringing real benefits.

After a little person is born, bacteria immediately begin to penetrate into his body. They penetrate the respiratory tract along with the air, enter the body along with breast milk, etc. The entire body becomes saturated with various bacteria.

It is impossible to accurately calculate their number, but some scientists boldly say that the number of such cells in the body is comparable to the number of all cells. The digestive tract alone is home to four hundred different types of living bacteria. It is believed that a certain variety can grow only in a specific place. Thus, lactic acid bacteria are able to grow and multiply in the intestines, others feel optimal in the oral cavity, and some live only on the skin.

Over many years of coexistence, humans and such particles were able to recreate optimal conditions for cooperation for both groups, which can be characterized as a useful symbiosis. At the same time, bacteria and our body combine their capabilities, while each side remains in the black.

Bacteria are capable of collecting particles of various cells on their surface, which is why the immune system does not perceive them as hostile and does not attack them. However, after organs and systems are exposed to harmful viruses, beneficial bacteria rise to the defense and simply block the path of pathogens. When existing in the digestive tract, such substances also bring tangible benefits. They process leftover food, releasing a significant amount of heat. It, in turn, is transmitted to nearby organs, and is transferred throughout the body.

A deficiency of beneficial bacteria in the body or a change in their number causes the development of various pathological conditions. This situation can develop while taking antibiotics, which effectively destroy both harmful and beneficial bacteria. To correct the number of beneficial bacteria, special preparations - probiotics - can be consumed.

Harmful bacteria

However, it is worth remembering that not all bacteria are human friends. Among them, there are enough dangerous varieties that can only bring harm. Such organisms, after entering our body, become the cause of the development of various bacterial ailments. These include various colds, some types of pneumonia, and also syphilis, tetanus and other diseases, even deadly ones. There are also diseases of this type that are transmitted by airborne droplets. This is dangerous tuberculosis, whooping cough, etc.

A significant number of ailments provoked by harmful bacteria develop due to the consumption of insufficiently high-quality food, unwashed and unprocessed vegetables and fruits, raw water, and insufficiently fried meat. You can protect yourself from such diseases by observing the norms and rules of hygiene. Examples of such dangerous diseases are dysentery, typhoid fever, etc.

Manifestations of diseases that develop as a result of an attack by bacteria are the result of the pathological influence of poisons that these organisms produce or that are formed against the background of their destruction. The human body is able to get rid of them thanks to the natural defense, which is based on the process of phagocytosis of bacteria by white blood cells, as well as on the immune system, which synthesizes antibodies. The latter bind foreign proteins and carbohydrates, and then simply eliminate them from the bloodstream.

Also, harmful bacteria can be destroyed with the help of natural and synthetic medicines, the most famous of which is penicillin. All drugs of this type are antibiotics, they differ depending on the active ingredient and on the mode of action. Some of them are capable of destroying the cell membranes of bacteria, while others suspend their vital processes.

So, in nature there are a lot of bacteria that can bring benefits and harm to humans. Fortunately, the modern level of development of medicine makes it possible to cope with most pathological organisms of this kind.

Please answer: Are there beneficial bacteria?

Cadet

Most bacteria in the human body are very beneficial to it. The intestines of any person contain approximately three kilograms of bacteria. These friends of a person help him cope with all difficulties. The most beneficial bacteria are bifidobacteria. If there are 98% of them in the body, then the person is healthy. Bifidobacteria are the real guardians of the human body. As soon as any pathogenic bacteria wants to penetrate it, bifidobacteria enter into battle with it and kill it. Beneficial bacteria need to be maintained in the body, as they greatly help it. People need to consume fermented milk products, as they contain a lot of bifidobacteria.

alex bogemi

The beneficial microflora of our body provides us with the protection necessary for a healthy existence. But, unfortunately, there is no one to protect the beneficial bacteria. Even a one-time severe stress condition can lead to the destruction of all lactobacilli in the small intestine. One dose of a drug such as an antibiotic, which is forced to be used against infections, kills thousands of times more bacteria beneficial to the body than the entire population of our Planet. Often, the patient prescribes antibiotics independently and uncontrollably.

Normally, the content of bifidobacteria in the intestines should be at least 90%, lactobacilli at least 8%, and E. coli no more than 1%. In general, the intestines should contain up to 99% of beneficial bacteria and no more than 1% of pathogenic bacteria. Because of this percentage of bacteria, the likelihood of death from toxins and preservatives is much greater for beneficial bacteria.

Long-term use of antibiotics can lead to a number of unpleasant consequences, such as thrush, diarrhea, pain in the abdomen and liver, etc.
An important and difficult issue is the restoration of microflora by beneficial bacteria after antibiotics, or more precisely after their long-term use. As well as complete restoration of the body’s immunity.

For every cell in the human body there are 100 beneficial bacteria. They are located on all mucous membranes, in the space between the cells of the whole organism, and even in the skin and on the skin. Everyone knows the fact that bacteria protect against various infections, but they also perform many vital functions, thereby affecting all organs and systems of the body. Therefore, there are a large number of diseases directly or indirectly associated with them.

Olga Parkhimovich

I heard that these things are used for the production of fermented milk products, but that they are useful, then no ((((

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Help me, I need a brief description of beneficial and harmful bacteria, all of them are not covered, they are not missing, please help me

Eternity............

The danger of bacterial diseases was greatly reduced at the end of the 19th century with the invention of the vaccination method, and in the middle of the 20th century with the discovery of antibiotics.

Useful; For thousands of years, people have used lactic acid bacteria to produce cheese, yogurt, kefir, vinegar, and fermentation.

Currently, methods have been developed for the use of phytopathogenic bacteria as safe herbicides, and entomopathogenic bacteria instead of insecticides. The most widely used is Bacillus thuringiensis, which produces toxins (Cry-toxins) that affect insects. In addition to bacterial insecticides, bacterial fertilizers have found application in agriculture.

Bacteria that cause human disease are used as biological weapons.

Due to their rapid growth and reproduction, as well as the simplicity of their structure, bacteria are actively used in scientific research in molecular biology, genetics, genetic engineering and biochemistry. Escherichia coli has become the best studied bacterium. Information about bacterial metabolic processes has made it possible to produce bacterial synthesis of vitamins, hormones, enzymes, antibiotics, etc.

A promising direction is the enrichment of ores with the help of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, the purification of soils and reservoirs contaminated with oil products or xenobiotics by bacteria.

Normally, from 300 to 1000 species of bacteria with a total weight of up to 1 kg live in the human intestine, and the number of their cells is an order of magnitude greater than the number of cells in the human body. They play an important role in the digestion of carbohydrates, synthesize vitamins, and displace pathogenic bacteria. It can be figuratively said that the human microflora is an additional "organ", which is responsible for protecting the body from infections and digestion.

It's not very short here. but I think you can cut it however you like.

Bacteria have lived on planet Earth for more than 3.5 billion years. During this time they learned a lot and adapted to a lot. Now they help people. Bacteria and humans have become inseparable. The total mass of bacteria is enormous. It is about 500 billion tons.

Beneficial bacteria perform two of the most important environmental functions - they fix nitrogen and participate in the mineralization of organic residues. The role of bacteria in nature is global. They are involved in the movement, concentration and dispersion of chemical elements in the earth's biosphere.

The importance of bacteria beneficial to humans is great. They make up 99% of the entire population that inhabit his body. Thanks to them, a person lives, breathes and eats.

Important. They completely ensure his life.

Bacteria are quite simple. Scientists suggest that they were the first to appear on planet Earth.

Beneficial bacteria in the human body

The human body is inhabited by both useful and. The existing balance between the human body and bacteria has been refined over centuries.

As scientists have calculated, the human body contains from 500 to 1000 different types of bacteria or trillions of these amazing inhabitants, which amounts to up to 4 kg of total weight. Up to 3 kilograms of microbial bodies are found only in the intestines. The rest of them are found in the genitourinary tract, on the skin and other cavities of the human body. Microbes fill the body of a newborn from the first minutes of his life and finally form the composition of the intestinal microflora by the age of 10-13 years.

The intestines are inhabited by streptococci, lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, enterobacteria, fungi, intestinal viruses, and non-pathogenic protozoa. Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria make up 60% of the intestinal flora. The composition of this group is always constant; they are the most numerous and perform the main functions.

Bifidobacteria

The importance of this type of bacteria is enormous.

Thanks to them, acetate and lactic acid are produced. By acidifying the habitat, they suppress the growth of bacteria that cause rotting and fermentation.
Thanks to bifidobacteria, the risk of developing food allergies in babies is reduced.
They provide antioxidant and antitumor effects.
Bifidobacteria take part in the synthesis of vitamin C.
Bifidobacteria and lactobacilli take part in the absorption of vitamin D, calcium and iron.

Rice. 1. The photo shows bifidobacteria. Computer visualization.

coli

The importance of bacteria of this species for humans is great.

Particular attention is paid to the representative of this genus Escherichia coli M17. It is capable of producing the substance cocilin, which inhibits the growth of a number of pathogenic microbes.
With the participation of vitamins K, group B (B1, B2, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12), folic and nicotinic acids are synthesized.

Rice. 2. The photo shows E. coli (three-dimensional computer image).

The positive role of bacteria in human life

With the participation of bifido-, lacto-, and enterobacteria, vitamins K, C, group B (B1, B2, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12), folic and nicotinic acids are synthesized.
Due to the breakdown of undigested food components from the upper intestines - starch, cellulose, protein and fat fractions.
Intestinal microflora maintains water-salt metabolism and ion homeostasis.
Due to the secretion of special substances, the intestinal microflora inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria that cause putrefaction and fermentation.
Bifido-, lacto-, and enterobacteria take part in the detoxification of substances that enter from the outside and are formed inside the body itself.
The intestinal microflora plays an important role in restoring local immunity. Thanks to it, the number of lymphocytes, the activity of phagocytes and the production of immunoglobulin A increase.
Thanks to the intestinal microflora, the development of the lymphoid apparatus is stimulated.
The resistance of the intestinal epithelium to carcinogens increases.
Microflora protect the intestinal mucosa and provide energy to the intestinal epithelium.
They regulate intestinal motility.
The intestinal flora acquires the skills to capture and remove viruses from the host organism, with which it has been in symbiosis for many years.
The importance of bacteria in maintaining the body's thermal balance is great. The intestinal microflora feeds on substances that are not digested by the enzymatic system, which come from the upper gastrointestinal tract. As a result of complex biochemical reactions, a huge amount of thermal energy is produced. Heat is carried through the bloodstream throughout the body and enters all internal organs. This is why a person always freezes when fasting.
Intestinal microflora regulates the reabsorption of bile acid components (cholesterol), hormones, etc.

Rice. 3. The photo shows beneficial bacteria - lactobacilli (three-dimensional computer image).

The role of bacteria in nitrogen production

Ammonifying microbes(causing decay) with the help of a number of enzymes they have are able to decompose the remains of dead animals and plants. When proteins decompose, nitrogen and ammonia are released.

Urobacteria decompose urea, which man and all animals of the planet secrete daily. Its quantity is huge and reaches 50 million tons per year.

A certain type of bacteria is involved in the oxidation of ammonia. This process is called nitrophification.

Denitrifying microbes return molecular oxygen from the soil to the atmosphere.

Rice. 4. In the photo, beneficial bacteria are ammonifying microbes. They expose the remains of dead animals and plants to decomposition.

The role of bacteria in nature: nitrogen fixation

The importance of bacteria in the life of humans, animals, plants, fungi and bacteria is enormous. As you know, nitrogen is necessary for their normal existence. But bacteria cannot absorb nitrogen in the gaseous state. It turns out that blue-green algae can bind nitrogen and form ammonia ( Cyanobacteria), free-living nitrogen fixers and special . All these useful bacteria produce up to 90% of the bound nitrogen and involve up to 180 million tons of nitrogen in the nitrogen fund of the soil.

Nodule bacteria coexist well with leguminous plants and sea buckthorn.

Plants such as alfalfa, peas, lupins and other legumes have so-called "apartments" for nodule bacteria on their roots. These plants are planted on depleted soils to enrich them with nitrogen.

Rice. 5. The photo shows nodule bacteria on the surface of the root hair of a legume plant.

Rice. 6. Photo of the root of a leguminous plant.

Rice. 7. In the photo, beneficial bacteria are cyanobacteria.

The role of bacteria in nature: the carbon cycle

Carbon is the most important cellular substance of the animal and plant world, as well as the plant world. It makes up 50% of the dry matter of the cell.

A lot of carbon is contained in the fiber that animals eat. In their stomach, fiber decomposes under the action of microbes and then, in the form of manure, gets outside.

Decompose fiber cellulose bacteria. As a result of their work, the soil is enriched with humus, which significantly increases its fertility, and carbon dioxide is returned to the atmosphere.

Rice. 8. Intracellular symbionts are colored green, the mass of processed wood is colored yellow.

The role of bacteria in the conversion of phosphorus, iron and sulfur

Proteins and lipids contain a large amount of phosphorus, the mineralization of which is carried out You. megatherium(from a genus of putrefactive bacteria).

Iron bacteria participate in the processes of mineralization of organic compounds containing iron. As a result of their activities, a large amount of iron ore and ferromanganese deposits are formed in swamps and lakes.

Sulfur bacteria live in water and soil. There are many of them in manure. They participate in the process of mineralization of sulfur-containing substances of organic origin. During the decomposition of organic sulfur-containing substances, hydrogen sulfide gas is released, which is extremely toxic to the environment, including all living things. Sulfur bacteria, as a result of their vital activity, convert this gas into an inactive, harmless compound.

Rice. 9. Despite the apparent lifelessness, there is still life in the Rio Tinto River. These are various iron-oxidizing bacteria and many other species that can only be found in this place.

Rice. 10. Green sulfur bacteria in Winogradsky’s column.

The role of bacteria in nature: mineralization of organic residues

Bacteria that take an active part in the mineralization of organic compounds are considered cleaners (orderlies) of the planet Earth. With their help, the organic matter of dead plants and animals turns into humus, which soil microorganisms turn into mineral salts, which are so necessary for building the root, stem and leaf systems of plants.

Rice. 11. Mineralization of organic substances entering the reservoir occurs as a result of biochemical oxidation.

The role of bacteria in nature: fermentation of pectin substances

Cells of plant organisms bind to each other (cemented) with a special substance called pectin. Some types of butyric acid bacteria have the ability to ferment this substance, which, when heated, turns into a gelatinous mass (pectis). This feature is used when soaking plants containing a lot of fiber (flax, hemp).

Rice. 12. There are several ways to obtain trusts. The most common is the biological method, in which the connection between the fibrous part and surrounding tissues is destroyed under the influence of microorganisms. The process of fermentation of pectin substances in bast plants is called retting, and soaked straw is called trust.

The role of bacteria in water purification

water purifying bacteria, stabilize its acidity level. With their help, bottom sediments are reduced and the health of fish and plants living in the water improves.

Recently, a group of scientists from different countries discovered bacteria that destroy detergents found in synthetic detergents and some medications.

Rice. 13. The activity of xenobacteria is widely used to clean up soils and water bodies contaminated with oil products.

Rice. 14. Plastic domes that purify water. They contain heterotrophic bacteria that feed on carbon-containing materials, and autotrophic bacteria that feed on ammonia- and nitrogen-containing materials. A system of tubes keeps them on life support.

Use of bacteria in ore dressing

Ability thione sulfur-oxidizing bacteria used for enrichment of copper and uranium ores.

Rice. 15. The photo shows beneficial bacteria - Thiobacilli and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (electron micrograph). They are able to extract copper ions for leaching of wastes that are formed during the flotation enrichment of sulfide ores.

The role of bacteria in butyric acid fermentation

Butyric acid microbes are everywhere. There are more than 25 types of these microbes. They take part in the process of decomposition of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Butyric fermentation is caused by anaerobic spore-forming bacteria belonging to the genus Clostridium. They are able to ferment various sugars, alcohols, organic acids, starch, fiber.

Rice. 16. The photo shows butyric acid microorganisms (computer visualization).

The role of bacteria in animal life

Many species of the animal world feed on plants, which are based on fiber. To digest fiber (cellulose) animals are helped by special microbes, the residence of which is certain sections of the gastrointestinal tract.

The importance of bacteria in animal husbandry

The vital activity of animals is accompanied by the release of a huge amount of manure. From it, some microorganisms can produce methane ("marsh gas"), which is used as a fuel and raw material in organic synthesis.

Rice. 17. Methane gas as fuel for cars.

Use of bacteria in the food industry

The role of bacteria in human life is enormous. Lactic acid bacteria are widely used in the food industry:

in the production of curdled milk, cheeses, sour cream and kefir;
when fermenting cabbage and pickling cucumbers, they take part in urinating apples and pickling vegetables;
they give a special aroma to wines;
produce lactic acid, which ferments milk. This property is used for the production of curdled milk and sour cream;
when preparing cheeses and yoghurts on an industrial scale;
During the brining process, lactic acid serves as a preservative.

Lactic acid bacteria include lactic streptococci, creamy streptococci, bulgarian, acidophilic, grain thermophilic and cucumber sticks. Bacteria of the genus Streptococcus and Lactobacillus give the products a thicker consistency. As a result of their vital activity, the quality of cheeses improves. They give the cheese a certain cheesy aroma.

Rice. 18. In the photo, beneficial bacteria are lactobacilli (pink), Bulgarian stick and thermophilic streptococcus.

Rice. 19. In the photo, beneficial bacteria are kefir (Tibetan or milk) mushroom and lactic acid sticks before being directly introduced into milk.

Rice. 20. Fermented milk products.

Rice. 21. Thermophilic streptococci (Streptococcus thermophilus) are used in the preparation of mozzarella cheese.

Rice. 22. There are many varieties of mold penicillin. The velvety crust, greenish veins, unique taste and medicinal ammonia aroma of the cheeses are unique. The mushroom taste of cheeses depends on the place and duration of ripening.

Rice. 23. Bifiliz is a biological product for oral administration containing a mass of living bifidobacteria and lysozyme.

Use of yeast and fungi in the food industry

The yeast species mainly used in the food industry is Saccharomyces cerevisiae. They carry out alcoholic fermentation, which is why they are widely used in baking. The alcohol evaporates during baking, and carbon dioxide bubbles form a bread crumb.

Since 1910, yeast began to be added to sausages. Yeast of the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae is used for the production of wines, beer and kvass.

Rice. 24. Kombucha is a friendly symbiosis of a vinegar stick and yeast fungi. It appeared in our area back in the last century.

Rice. 25. Dry and wet yeast are widely used in the baking industry.

Rice. 26. View of yeast cells Saccharomyces cerevisiae under a microscope and Saccharomyces cerevisiae - “real” wine yeast.

The role of bacteria in human life: acetic acid oxidation

Pasteur also proved that special microorganisms take part in acetic acid oxidation - vinegar sticks, which are widely found in nature. They settle on plants and penetrate ripe vegetables and fruits. There are many of them in pickled vegetables and fruits, wine, beer and kvass.

The ability of vinegar sticks to oxidize ethyl alcohol to acetic acid is used today to produce vinegar, used for food purposes and in the preparation of animal feed - ensiling (canning).

Rice. 27. The process of ensiling feed. Silage is a succulent feed with high nutritional value.

The role of bacteria in human life: production of medicines

Studying the life activity of microbes has allowed scientists to use some bacteria to synthesize antibacterial drugs, vitamins, hormones and enzymes.

They help fight many infectious and viral diseases. Most antibiotics are produced actinomycetes, less often – non-micellar bacteria. Penicillin, obtained from mold fungi, destroys the cell membrane of bacteria. Streptomycetes produce streptomycin, which inactivates the ribosomes of microbial cells. Hay sticks or Bacillus subtilis acidify the environment. They inhibit the growth of putrefactive and opportunistic microorganisms due to the formation of a number of antimicrobial substances. Bacillus subtilis produces enzymes that destroy substances that are formed as a result of putrefactive tissue decay. They are involved in the synthesis of amino acids, vitamins and immunoactive compounds.

Using genetic engineering technology, today scientists have learned to use for the production of insulin and interferon.

A number of bacteria are supposed to be used to produce a special protein that can be added to livestock feed and human food.

Rice. 28. In the photo, spores of Bacillus subtilis (colored blue).

Rice. 29. Biosporin-Biopharma is a domestic drug containing apathogenic bacteria of the genus Bacillus.

Using bacteria to produce safe herbicides

Today the application technique is widely used phytobacteria for the production of safe herbicides. Toxins Bacillus thuringiensis secrete Cry-toxins that are dangerous to insects, which makes it possible to use this feature of microorganisms in the fight against plant pests.

Use of bacteria in the production of detergents

Proteases or break down the peptide bonds between the amino acids that make up proteins. Amylase breaks down starch. Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) produces proteases and amylases. Bacterial amylases are used in the production of washing powder.

Rice. 30. Studying the life activity of microbes allows scientists to use some of their properties for the benefit of humans.

The importance of bacteria in human life is enormous. Beneficial bacteria have been constant companions of man for many millennia. The task of humanity is not to disturb this delicate balance that has developed between microorganisms living inside us and in the environment. The role of bacteria in human life is enormous. Scientists are constantly discovering the beneficial properties of microorganisms, the use of which in everyday life and in production is limited only by their properties.

Articles in the section "What do we know about microbes"Most popular

The beneficial bacteria that inhabit the human body are called microbiota. They are quite vast in number - one person has millions of them. Moreover, they all regulate the health and normal functioning of each individual. Scientists say: without beneficial bacteria, or, as they are also called, mutualists, the gastrointestinal tract, skin, and respiratory tract would instantly be attacked by pathogenic microbes and would be destroyed.

What should be the balance of microbiota in the body and how it can be adjusted to avoid the development of serious diseases, AiF.ru asked General Director of the biomedical holding Sergei Musienko.

Intestinal Workers

One of the important areas where beneficial bacteria are located is the intestines. It is not without reason that it is believed that this is where the entire human immune system is founded. And if the bacterial environment is disturbed, then the body’s defenses are significantly reduced.

Beneficial intestinal bacteria create literally unbearable living conditions for pathogenic microbes - an acidic environment. In addition, beneficial microorganisms help digest plant foods, since bacteria feed on plant cells containing cellulose, but intestinal enzymes cannot cope with this alone. Also, intestinal bacteria contribute to the production of vitamins B and K, which ensure metabolism in bones and connective tissues, as well as release energy from carbohydrates and promote the synthesis of antibodies and regulation of the nervous system.

Most often, when talking about beneficial intestinal bacteria, they mean the 2 most popular types: bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. At the same time, they cannot be called the main ones, as many people think - their number is only 5-15% of the total. However, they are very important, since their positive effect on other bacteria has been proven, when such bacteria can be important factors in the well-being of an entire community: if they are fed or introduced into the body with fermented milk products - kefirs or yoghurts, they help other important bacteria to survive and reproduce . For example, it is very important to restore their population during dysbacteriosis or after a course of antibiotics. Otherwise, it will be problematic to increase the body’s defenses.

Biological shield

The bacteria that inhabit the skin and respiratory tract of humans, in fact, stand guard and reliably protect their area of responsibility from the penetration of pathogenic organisms. The main ones are micrococci, streptococci and staphylococci.

The skin microbiome has undergone changes over the past hundreds of years, as humans have moved from a natural life in contact with nature to regular washing with special products. It is believed that human skin is now inhabited by completely different bacteria that lived before. The body, with the help of the immune system, can distinguish dangerous from non-dangerous. But, on the other hand, any streptococcus can become pathogenic for a person, for example, if it gets into a cut or any other open wound on the skin. An excess of bacteria or their pathological activity on the skin and in the respiratory tract can lead to the development of various diseases and the appearance of an unpleasant odor. Today there are developments based on bacteria that oxidize ammonium. Their use makes it possible to seed the skin microbiome with completely new organisms, as a result of which not only the smell disappears (the result of the metabolism of urban flora), but also the structure of the skin changes - pores open, etc.

Saving the microworld

The microcosm of each person changes quite quickly. And this has undoubted advantages, since the number of bacteria can be updated independently.

Different bacteria feed on different substances - the more varied a person’s food is and the more it matches the season, the more choice beneficial microorganisms have. However, if food is heavily loaded with antibiotics or preservatives, bacteria will not survive, because these substances are precisely designed to destroy them. Moreover, it does not matter at all that most of the bacteria are not pathogenic. As a result, the diversity of a person’s inner world is destroyed. And after this, various diseases begin - problems with stool, skin rashes, metabolic disorders, allergic reactions, etc.

But the microbiota can be helped. Moreover, it will take only a few days for a slight correction.

There are a large number of probiotics (with live bacteria) and prebiotics (substances that support bacteria). But the main problem is that they work differently for everyone. Analysis shows that their effectiveness against dysbacteriosis is up to 70-80%, that is, one or another drug may work, or it may not. And here you should carefully monitor the progress of treatment and administration - if the remedies work, you will immediately notice improvements. If the situation remains unchanged, it is worth changing the treatment program.

Alternatively, you can undergo special testing that studies the genomes of bacteria, determines their composition and ratio. This allows you to quickly and competently select the necessary nutritional option and additional therapy, which will restore the fragile balance. Although a person does not feel slight disturbances in the balance of bacteria, they still affect health - in this case, frequent illnesses, drowsiness, and allergic manifestations can be noted. Every city resident, to one degree or another, has an imbalance in the body, and if he does not do anything specifically to restore it, then he will probably have health problems from a certain age.

Fasting, fasting, more vegetables, porridge from natural cereals in the morning - these are just a few options for eating behavior that beneficial bacteria love. But for each person, the diet should be individual in accordance with the state of his body and his lifestyle - only then can he maintain an optimal balance and always feel good.