lecture earth as microbial planet 6 jan 2016 vs5 handouts

7-1-2016

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www.anaerobic-microbiology.eu

The Earth as Microbial Planet

MSc course Philosophy of Microbiology

MIKE JETTEN

GRAVITATION CENTER OF EXCELLENCE

SOEHNGEN INSTITUTE OF ANAEROBIC MICROBIOLOGY

(SIAM)


-4Gy -3Gy -2Gy -1Gy 0

Bacteria

Plants

Animals

Small in size: 100 nm – 2 mm

Large in numbers: 1030 microbial cells on Earth (50% of biomass)

OXYGEN

. Humans

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“The Earth is a microbial planet, on which macro-organisms are recent

additions, highly interesting and extremely complex, but in the final analysis

relatively unimportant in a global context.”

Wheelis et al. (1998) PNAS 95:11043-11046


Life would not long

remain possible in

the absences of

microbes

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TABLE of CONTENT

Earth as Microbial Planet

1. Introduction

2. N

3. O

4. W

5. G

6. H

7. M

8. Conclusions


TABLE of CONTENT


1. Introduction

2. Nitrogen Fixation & Crop Protection

3. Healthy Air & Oxygen

4. Clean Environment & Wastewater

5. GHG Production & Mitigation

6. Human Microbiome

7. Source of New Medicines & Bioproducts

8. Conclusions

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TABLE of CONTENT


1. Introduction

2. Healthy Air & Oxygen

3. Nitrogen Fixation & Crop Protection

4. Clean Environment & Wastewater

5. GHG Production & Mitigation

6. Human Microbiome

7. Source of New Medicines & Bioproducts

8. Conclusions

http://www.techinsider.io/what-would-

happen-if-bacteria-disappeared-2015-12


Life would not long

remain possible in

the absences of

microbes

Gnotobiotic mice

Life in a bubble

Less bowel movement

Reduced immune system

Reduced organs

Severe Nutritional requirements

Sudden exposure to pathogens would be lethal

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Nitrogen Fixation & Crop Protection

w/o N2 fixation 50% of crops would fail

Compensate by Increased fertilizer production/use

Massive increase CO2 and global warming

What would happen w/o N2 fixation?

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Nitrogen Fixation & Crop Protection

The rhizosphere microbiome: significance of plant beneficial microorganisms

Mendes et al DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1574-6976.12028



Healthy Air & Oxygen:

50% O2 production by cyanobacteria

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1574-6976.12028

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1574-6976.12028

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1574-6976.12028

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1574-6976.12028

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w/o cyanobacteria

How long would aerobes continue to thrive?

100-1000y



Healthy Air

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Clean Environment & wastewater

www.anaerobic-microbiology.eu 16

w/o bacteria

No Sanitation & hygiene

No Wastewater treatment

No Clean Drinking water

w/o bacteria

No recycling of organic matter

No biogeochemical cycles

Depletion of P

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John Dalton (1766-1844)

collecting marsh gas (methane) with

youngsters near Manchester

Kunstwerk Marc Ruygrok ter viering van 50-jarig

jubileum 1ste aardgas vondst (Foto: Reinier Treur)


Greenhouse gas production & mitigation



Greenhouse gas production & mitigation

Wetlands are important sources for methane

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Manchester_Murals

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa3M4ou3kvw

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3CH4 + 8NO2- + 8H+ 4N2 + 3CO2 + 6H2O

Methane sinks

-250

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

-100 0 100 200 300 400 500

NO3-

NH4+

CH4

de

pth

[cm

]

concentration[µmol/L]

ERC AG 2013

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Human Microbiome



Human Microbiome

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Human Microbiome



Human Microbiome

Stomach

(pH 2, 104

cells/g)

Small intestine

(pH 4–5, up to

108 cells/g)

Large intestine

(pH 7, about

1011 cells/g)

Gut microbiome essential for digestion, protection against pathogens,

and supply of vitamins and nutrients

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http://news.discovery.com/videos/why-we-cant-live-without-bacteria.htm


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Our brain contains more 30 bacterial metabolites


Humans as BioEngineers

New medicines & bioproducts

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"When I woke up just after dawn on September 28, 1928, I

certainly didn't plan to revolutionize all medicine by discovering

the world's first antibiotic, or bacteria killer,“ Alexander Fleming

Penicillium chrysogenum

Most important discoveries in science

don't start with "Eureka!" but with

"hmmm, that's funny...."

Discovery of Penicilline

http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/nov2003.html

http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/nov2003.html

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New medicines & bioproducts



Re creative microbial life

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Conclusions

Life w/o microbes is possible but not very agreeable

1. No pathogens

2. No Nitrogen Fixation no Crops

3. w/o Oxygen enough supply for 1000y

4. Piling of Waste

5. No biogeochemical cycles

6. No food production


Conclusions

Human Microbiome

1. Essential

Bio engineers

1. New antibiotics

2. New medicines

3. Synthetic vaccines

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Anammox, Comammox, Moxyfera, AAA and other new

(an)aerobic microbes could save the world

Life would not long

remain possible in

the absences of

microbes

lecture earth as microbial planet 6 jan 2016 vs5 handouts

Science