Prokaryotes are the simplest unicellular life forms that do not possess any membrane-bound organelles and a true nucleus. In contrast, eukaryotes are the most complex unicellular life forms, which have organelles and a well-defined nucleus. Some organisms can move around by the use of appendages called flagella that look like whips. Viruses are infectious entities that are composed of a material such as RNA or DNA and encased in a protein coat. (Arora et al., 2021)
Experimental Visualization of Prokaryotes
Microorganisms, of course, encompass both the prokaryotic and eukaryotic entities, which coexist in the fascinating universe. A “do it yourself” experiment that can be made using the equipment available from an environmental sample can be done to “see” this microscopic beauty (microorganisms or organisms) with the naked eye. A microbial colony growth can be seen by obtaining a sample from the soil or water, diluting it, and then distributing it on a rich nutrient agar medium (Pant et al., 2022). Through this mechanism, we can appreciate an unexplainable range of prokaryotes that thrive in the surroundings of our communities.
Flagellum is an important organelle for microbes that serve various functions.
In addition to their tiny size, some of these organisms have flagella, which is a vital structure to their survival. Microbes use flagella, which are long, flexible appendages, as a sort of propeller to move around and look for necessities. By this mobility, bacteria not only can passively wait for the suitable settings that will allow their development and multiplication but also can actively search out and find the more favorable conditions, which is especially helpful for bacteria in contexts that have restricted nutrition availability or changing conditions (Engelkirk et al., 2020).
Eukaryotic Environments and Their Contents (Suitability)
Prokaryotes are found in every corner of the world, and they are the most common type of microbe, while different types of eukaryotic microorganisms can also be found almost everywhere. Some of the eukaryotic microorganisms may be present in the soil, and they have a catalytic role in the soil nutrient cycles. The same microorganisms also break down the soil’s organic materials. They are conditioned to the conditions of soil being high on moisture and having the greatest variety of organic substances, which are an ideal environment for flourishing. The other favorite setting of eukaryotic microorganisms is the aquatic ecosystems, among which there are ponds, lakes, and ocean waters. Such bacteria are important microbes in their food webs and the cycling of nutrients (Kaviya et al., 2019).
Scientific Arguments On Viruses
In the opinion of Brüssow and Brüssow (2021), the issue of whether viruses could be taken as living things has been a long-debated argument. Viruses are endowed with characteristics such as replication, the ability to evolve, and also the environmental adaptability that makes them alive. They also have genetic material, which is one of the vital features of all living beings, and it could be DNA or RNA. However, others argue that viruses are also not living entities as they lack metabolism, are characteristic of living things, and only use the host cells for their reproduction. Classification of viruses remains one of the toughest and most controversial topics to date, and the diversity of the microbial world is still to be unearthed.
Bacteria, eukaryotes, and viruses are explored to uncover the rich complexity the microbial world possesses. Life is a multifaceted web. When we realize their traits, environments, and functions, we can understand more thoroughly how the basic mechanisms maintain life on this planet and how complex the interconnectedness of the ecosystems is.
References
Arora, S., Saini, G., & Katyal, A. (2021). Introduction to cell biology: Zooming in on apoptosis in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In Clinical Perspectives and Targeted Therapies in Apoptosis (pp. 1-22). Academic Press. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128157626000019
Engelkirk, P. G., Duben-Engelkirk, J., & Fader, R. C. (2020). Burton’s microbiology for the health sciences. Jones & Bartlett Learning. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=hM7nDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Some+of+these+minuscule+organisms+have+special+structures+called+flagella+that+are+essential+to+their+existence&ots=mk7Q1qNdWc&sig=UMlTo_9Jv2i0OjSN3fQs-H5WWTc
Kaviya, N., Upadhayay, V. K., Singh, J., Khan, A., Panwar, M., & Singh, A. V. (2019). Role of microorganisms in soil genesis and functions. Mycorrhizosphere and pedogenesis, 25-52. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-13-6480-8_2
Pant, R., Tiwari, K., Singh, A., Srivastava, S., Patrick, N., & Gupta, A. (2022). Screening, Isolation, and characterization of Soil microbes at the banks of the Song River. Bull. Env. Pharmacol. Life Sci, 12, 141-148. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rakesh-Pant-8/publication/369892300_Screening_Isolation_and_characterization_of_Soil_microbes_at_the_banks_of_the_Song_River/links/6431881120f25554da1b371c/Screening-Isolation-and-characterization-of-Soil-microbes-at-the-banks-of-the-Song-River.pdf
Brüssow, H., & Brüssow, L. (2021). Clinical evidence that the pandemic from 1889 to 1891 commonly called the Russian flu might have been an earlier coronavirus pandemic. Microbial biotechnology, 14(5), 1860-1870. https://ami-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1751-7915.13889
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