Bacteria
From RationalWiki
A bacterium with its irreducibly complex flagellum which allegedly proves the existence of Intelligent Design
Bacteria (singular: bacterium) are single-celled organisms with cell membranes and walls, lacking the more complex organelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts, which are themselves thought to have been bacteria at some point. They reproduce by binary fission and share genes through transfer of plasmids, small ring-shaped chains of DNA.
[edit] Research
Due to their simplicity, small genome, ease of culture and not being a major focus of any animal rights groups, many Bacteria are used in biological research, such as in Genetic Engineering and Evolution. The most well known example of the latter is the use of E. coli in Lenski's famous experiment.
[edit] See also
- GFAJ-1, little beasties that eat arsenic (supposedly).
- Lenski affair
- Archaea, similarly simple single-celled organisms