Exceptional Microbes

Not all microbes follow the common conceptions we have about them. Here are some of the exceptional ones:

1. Spirochaetes - Many have linear DNA. Example: Borrelia (linear chromosomes & plasmids)

2. Ciliates - do not follow universal genetic code. Example: Paramecium (UAA & UAG code for glutamine)

3. Enterococcus - Gram-positive bacterium that uses Entner-Doudoroff pathway

4. Epulopiscium fishelsoni and Thiomargarita namibiensis - larger than eukaryotes (~ 500 µm)

5. Actinobacillus - Bacteria whose mRNA contains introns

6. Sphingobacteria - have 2 species with membrane-enclosed nuclear body

7. Deinococcus - Gram-negative cell wall - stains purple

8. Haloquadra walsbyi - a square archaean halophile

9. Giardia lamblia: primitive eukaryote with 2 haploid  nuclei and no mitochondria

This page was last updated on: 11/17/05

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