The Sweet Memory

      On 15th Feb at DKU, Dr Wan gave us a briefing about Adopt a Microbe project. This is an individual task and each of us must did a digital scrapbook and present a 3 Minute Talk. We need to choose the microbe at interest. I need almost 3 days to choose which microbe that I'm going to adopt because there were so many choices. Everyday I keep change my microbe and at last I choose Pseudomonas syringae as my Adopt A Microbe. Then, we need to retrieve  and gather information about the microbe from articles,  scientific journals, books and other wide variety of reliable resources. I choose cliptomize website to do my digital scrapbook. I took almost a week to finish up my digital scrapbook, Eventhough, I had a tough week during doing this digital scrapbook, I manage to settle it on time before the submission date opened.

     After did some research about Pseudomonas syringae, i had found many information about it.For two and a half years workers have been preparing the mountains of Vancouver to host the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.  But they haven’t been the only ones hard at work.  You may be surprised to learn that the bacteria, Pseudomonas syringe, are responsible for the production of artificial snow.  For twenty years ski resorts and other winter attractions have been using artificial snow to create the perfect slopes and scenery.  If the Olympic competitors need a little more snow under their skis, it is likely that Pseudomonas syringe will come to the rescue.  

      With the advent of climate change and increased tourism in snowy areas, ski resorts and winter wonderlands were facing a major problem.  During light winters, and at the beginning or ends of the snowy season, there wasn’t enough snow coverage for the amount of people flooding the mountain sides.  Luckily, a discovery by microbiologists at the University of Wisconsin, Madison would solve the snow crisis.  While studying disease in plants they found a specific strain of bacteria,

Pseudomonas syringe, were responsible for initializing ice crystallization in water.  These properties could be harvested and used to make snow.  

     It all starts with the bacteria’s outer membrane.  Pseudomonas syringe has a special protein located in the outer membrane called an Ice Nucleating Protein.  Under favorable environmental conditions the INP changes configuration to form a “nucleation site”.  It is speculated that when water enters the nucleation site it becomes crystallized.  The small, newly formed crystal then acts as a seed and locks other water molecules around it into an ice structure.  However, the exact mechanism used by the bacteria remains unknown.   Ice crystals naturally form in the sky around -7°C and fall to the ground as snow.  Pseudomonas syringe can naturally nucleate ice crystals at -2°C on land or in the sky, making snow easier to produce. 

     Pseudomonas syringe has other unique properties in addition to their snow making ability.  This gram negative, rod shaped organism is psychrotrophic and can withstand temperatures below 7°C.  They are strictly aerobic and fluorescent bacteria.  Surprisingly, it is also a very common microbe.  While it typically associates with plants at densities of up to 1014 cells per hectare of agricultural land, it can also be found in water and in snow.  In water they reach a concentration of 100 to 1000 bacteria per liter and in snow they reach up to 105 bacteria per liter.  With such a natural abundance in cold climates, these microbes are a perfect addition to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. 

     Despite the thrill of artificial snow, there have been some skeptics that believe the microbes can cause harm.  While some strains of bacteria have caused disease and sickness in humans, Pseudomonas syringe is not one of them.  Extensive research has shown that exposure to the bacteria has no effect on skiers or workers.  Moreover, the bacteria are rendered inactive before they are used on the mountain sides.  Because the INP protein is on the outer membrane and can readily react with water there is no need for the cells to remain functional.  This increases the safety factor for those who come into contact with the organism.  Fans and officials can be certain that the snow on the Vancouver mountainsides will not be a danger to any of the Olympic athletes. 

     Whether it is cross-country skiing or freestyle snowboarding the Winter Olympics would not be the same without the help of Pseudomonas syringe.  Next time you visit the slopes keep these microbes in mind.  They work hard so we can have fun.

My 3mt slide 

On the 3nd June 2016, which is on Friday, I had presented my adopted microbe at DKU. I did admit that I get nervous and break out in a cold sweat, but Alhamdulillah everything went fine. Thanks to Dr Wan and Dr Fairol for the amazing experience and also for everything. I really fall in love with microbiology because of them. 

Yakult trip

Last Monday, my classmates and i went to Yakult factory at Seremban. We gathered at biotech 1 at 8.30 a.m. One hour later, we arrived at Yakult Factory. We were so excited when we saw the Yakult factory.

Yakult Factory

The tour begins with a brief introduction of on the background of the Yakult company and product, followed by an educational video show on the importance of good bacteria for a healthy digestive system. The bacteria used to make Yakult are called Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain and it is imported directly from Japan.

Briefing about yakult

Free yakult bottle

Yakult bottle and a note pad

In 1930 Dr. Minoru Shirota, a Japanese scientist, was the first in the world to isolate and culture a probiotic strain which reached the intestines alive in large numbers and imparted health benefits to the host. He used this strain to make Yakult, a fermented milk drink, so as to reach the benefits of the strain to people at large. 

Yakult was first launched in Japan in 1935, and today with over 80 years of history, Yakult is a global leader in the probiotic drinks market with the wide range of probiotic products using Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) and Bifidobacterium breve. 

The flagship product Yakult contains over 6.5 billion beneficial bacteria (Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota) which have proven health benefits. It helps improve digestion and helps build Immunity. It has been scientifically proven to be safe and effective. 

There are many different versions of Yakult bottles from all over the world. Do you noticed that the Yakult bottle in Malaysia is different from others countries?

We given a guided tour to view the whole production process through specially constructed glass wall. We learn more about how the latest technology is used to make Yakult. 

At the end of the tours, we are offered to purchase Yakult at a discounted price. Everyone of us enjoyed the trip as we learned a lot of new things about Yakult that we wouldn't have known if we didn't go for this trip. We found that the trip was very enriching and interesting and hope that we will be given the chance to go on another trip.

Principles of Ecology

On that day, Dr Wan told us to sit in a group and discuss each other about the topic that has been given to us. We were required to understand the topic because later on we will move to each group and teach them what we had understand. While the other group must find some interesting facts to add on the topic. After learning this topic, we able to understand the principles of ecology, to list and interpret the hierarchy in ecology, to describe the factors determining the distribution of organisms, to explain the contribution factors leading to homeostasis and to describe type of interactions. 

Ecology is the systemtic study of organisms and their interations with the environment that reveals the relationships between living and nonliving parts of the environment.

Hierarchy in Ecology

Homeostasis is a dynamic balance of processes, materials and organisms in the ecosystem and biosphere. Roles of microbes in the ecosystems are oxygen producer (half of the oxygen on earth is produced by trees in the rain forest, the other half by blue-green algae in the ocean), fix nitrogen in the atmosphere into usable form, recyclers of dead materials, source of food in food chain, contribute to evolution and remove weaker species through infections. There are three types of physical interactions which are endosymbiosis, ectosymbiosis and  endo/ectosymbiosis.

Beneficial/harmful effects

Trip to Institute BioScience

On 25th March 2016, our courses went trip to Instiute BioScience, UPM. After class at afternoon, I went to faculty biotech to eat and be prepared. We gathered at 3.30 p.m and went to IBS. Everyone seems excited and happy. It only took 10 minutes to reach IBS. Dr. Amalia lead the trip.

Institute BioScience

When we reached, we were asked to gather in the main laboratory. The first thing I saw in the institute was some pictures on the board.

Scanning elcetron micrograph

Transmission electron micrograph

 Then, we gathered at the main laboratory. We were divided into two groups. The person that in charge for out trip explained to us about SEM and TEM. We had a short briefing on how to prepare sample in order to observe under the microscope.

How to prepare the sample

The man in charge had showed us the diamond blade that used for cutting the sample. We were amazed with the diamond blade because he said that the diamond almost cost 20 thousands.

He showed us the diamond blade

Next, we went to the place that used to coat the sample. We used our friend's coin to be the sample of goal coating.

Gold coating

After that, he showed us SEM and TEM. He showed us the microscope and told us the differences among them.

Leg's insect observed under SEM

Bacteriophage observed under TEM

Plant cell observed under TEM

Scanning electron microscope

It was a great and amazing experience. I hope that we can go to Institute BioScience again in future. Thanks to Dr Wan, Dr Fairol and Dr Amalia for gave us the opportunity to see the microscope in real life that we had only learned in topic 2 for Microbiology.