Lecture earth as microbial planet 6 jan 2016 vs5 handouts

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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

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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
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

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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
depth[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

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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

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