Commonly found in fresh water, Tetrahymena are ciliated protozoans that are important model organisms for biomedical research. It was in Tetrahymena that Thomas Cech, Nobel Laureate in chemistry, discovered ribozymes and it was in this same organism that much understanding of telomeres has been realized. Tetrahymena also was the system where the function of histone acetylation was revealed. If you keep guppies, you should know that there's even a disease link between the two. Serving the diverse needs of researchers in the field is the Tetrahymena Genome Database where visitors can access sequence information, navigate colleagues' web sites, display their rather unusual genetic code, and access Cornell University's centralized stock repository.
[www.ciliate.org]Wong's Virology
Derek Wong is a medical virologist in Hong Kong who worked in the lab that discovered the first-ever human avian influenza infection (H5N1), and he has studied SARS as well. Putting his credentials to work, Derek created Wong's Virology, a web site full of information about viruses, directed largely toward undergraduate and post-graduate students. The site includes practice exams aimed at students of multiple levels. Best of all, Wong's Virology provides excellent summaries of virus information in an easy to access fashion.
[http://virology-online.com/index.html]Museum of Bacteria
One of the most significant properties of almost all species of bacteria is their ability to expand rapidly from a single cell into a choking overpopulation in a short time frame—under the right conditions. Spanning a continuum from planet-saving good to tasty food components to pathogenically bad, bacteria's space in the ecosystem is enormous. Covering this territory is the Virtual Museum of Bacteria, whose clever visual metaphor provides a good accounting of the site's content. Main exhibits include pathogenic bacteria, bacteriophages, origin of life, food/water safety, antibiotics, and vaccination. Probably the most impressive section is the Bacterial Species Cabinet, where Dr. T.M. Wassenaar has assembled a thoughtful collection of species-based links and facts. Like its real-world cousin the Smithsonian, the Virtual Museum of Bacteria offers free admission to all who view its exhibits.
www.bacteriamuseum.orgKey to Prokaryotes
Microscopes, antibiotics, vaccines, and biotechnology bring awareness of the microbial cosmos—in which the Earth is bathed—to those of us who perceive things macroscopically. For better or worse, microbes rule this bio-oasis we call home, so it's not surprising when they stage a protest from time to time. Unfortunately, if the “natives are restless,” the results are sometimes catastrophic. Fortunately, Microbes.info's crack news team is on the job 24/7 to cover these uprisings as they occur. From bacteria involved in food and medicine to industrial production, Microbes.info keeps visitors abreast of goings-on in the bacterial kingdom. If you've got a need to know about the tiny world below, Microbes.info is the place to go.
