Louis Pasteur (1822-1895), was a world renowned French chemist and biologist who brought microbiology into the world of science. To bring microbiology into the world of science Pasteur had to study the works of Anton Von Leeuwenhoek. Gaining a knowledge and understanding of microbiology Pasteur then published his findings. Already known for great discoveries in the fields Physical Biology and Medical Biology his papers were considered by the greatest minds in the scientific world. Following the introduction of microbiology to the world much work was done to understand microbial organisms. With basic understanding came mans’ unavoidable lust for profit and he began to study the usefulness of microbes, their by-products and the habitats they can affect. Four of the most prominent branches of microbiology in today’s world are the use of microbes in Genetics, biomedical science, food production , and biodegradation. The study of genetics has been greatly influenced by microbiology. Bacterial DNA is useful due to their smaller genome sizes and high reproduction rates and the ease at which they can be grown in culture. The small size allows for an ease in sequencing of the genome into genes and is therefore provides a greater understanding of procedures needed to map out larger genomes. Through the study of bacterial DNA, strands of genetic information not native to bacteria have been found and related to plasmids and viruses. Through the interpretation of plasmid and viral genetic information phenotypes have been discovered. If these phenotypes denoted significant and beneficial characteristics they could be incorporated with genomes of other organisms. For example, they could be added to bacteria that are easy to grow, yet produce a byproduct that is not beneficial. The addition of the new genetic information can change the byproduct into a beneficial substance thus producing a bacteria of low maintenance and high productivity. Microbial knowledge has been used in biomedical science for years, yet only now is its potential being recognized fully. Russian scientists have used their knowledge of bacteria to develop means of limiting the growth of and killing the bacteria via the use of bacteriophages, or viruses. Knowledge in the study of bacteriophage ability to inhibit bacterial growth becomes more important as bacteria build up resistance to present antibiotics and are developing into strains that are more harmful. Bacteriophages are the potentially ideal weapon for combating antibiotic resistant bacteria because they to can evolve with each successive mutation of bacteria. Antibiotics are nearly entirely derived from the byproducts of bacteria. The most commonly used antibiotic being penicillin, allows for the cure of a variety of diseases. Some of the harmful disease, of the all to recent past, that were controlled by antibiotics were smallpox, influenza, and the black plague. However, without the further experimentation into the world of microbiology new epidemics may evolve. Weeds, insects, and other pests often effect the field of food production. Due to the heightened awareness of the environment and the conservation thereof farmers and environmental interest groups are looking for less harmful means of controlling pests than pesticides alone. More and more people are looking to different means of controlling pests and therefore, what could be less harmful than adding microbes that are species specific and who can repopulate themselves to continually control pest abundance. A natural solution for solving natural problems. Certain microbes attack nitrogen fixing root nodules on pests roots. Others microbes produce byproducts that are toxic to pests or make the controlled area unsuitable for pest inhabitation. In other forms of food production microbes, specifically yeast’s, are used to produce beverages, breads, and yogurts. These products alone make up a large percentages of human intakes; decreasing respectively in percentage. Yeast’s among other microbes can also be grown synthetically, producing byproducts such as methane gas and oils which can be used in the driving forces of food processing. Finding the optimum growth habitat for microbes is key to finding the ways in which microbes may be used. Research in optimum growth habitats was used to discover way in which yeast’s could be used. Also, microbes were found that lived in habitats potentially harmful to humans and the environments we live in. The microbial organisms are use in the field of biodegradation. In the Exxon Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska microbes were found to be the most economical and effective means of controlling the effects of oil on the coast. In the open ocean other microbial organisms already inhabited the site of the spill and could readily fix the high amounts of Carbon within the oil. To combat biodegradation of desalinization plants utilize halophiles and extreme halophiles, introducing the microbes into the inlets to potentially lower the salt content of the water before it can enter the plants and corroded the works. Introductions of microbes that can fix nitrogen in aquatic environments have also been introduced in coastal areas where large amounts of raw sewage are indiscriminately dumped. However, the mass increase of Nitrogen into the aquatic sediments have caused large algal blooms harming the importing and exporting of goods. Similar microbes have also been introduced into freshwater streams and have produced similar algal blooms. The study of microbiology, and all the disciplines thereof, will directly influence the world in the years to come. As the numbers of antibiotic resistant bacteria grow, pests evolve there own means of handling pesticides, and more environmental problems are found each day, microbiology can easily become the most important and profitable scientific field. Why study microbiology? For the sake of mankind; our children and our children’s children.

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