Wisconsin lawmakers just passed a bill to name Lactobacillus lactis, the bacteria that turns milk into cheese, into its official state microbe! What microbe do you think best represents your state? I think Massachusetts' state microbe should be E. coli, not for the gross make you sick part of course, but because of the importance of the biotech industry to Massachusetts and the importance of the lowly E. coli to biotech. Add your vote for your state microbe in the comments!
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I've had some great suggestions for "Official" State Microbes in comments and via twitter. I'm filling in the map as they come:
So far we have:
Alaska -- Alcanivorax borkumensis for its oil consumption
California -- Ralstonia metallidurans for its gold precipitating qualities (and CA-MRSA as a…
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While poop jokes are all in good fun here in the US (and in other developed parts of the world), diarrhea really isnt all that funny for most of the planet. Dehydration due to diarrhea is the second leading cause of death for babies, worldwide (it was #1 until we started aggressive education/re-…
Ha! I love it. California's should definitely be Ralstonia metallidurans - the bacteria that precipitates gold!
Agree-great idea! Nauvoo, IL is known for its wine and blue cheese, so even though it wouldn't necessarily count for the entire state of Illinois, I would say Penicillium roqueforti and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
For Oregon, I suggest giardia lamblia. It's why I ran out of water hiking the North Umpqua last summer.
Alaska should definitely take Alcanivorax borkumensis. Oil consuming AND a sweet name.
Metaclorine for Califorina! Because our senate is as stupid as the Jedi order!
Have I been out of Baltimore for too long to vote Maryland's state bug as Chlamydia trachomatis?
... No, no! It's because of the science! ... I swear! ...
http://www.genomeweb.com/um-baltimore-wins-122m-chlamydia-studies
nice, It's why I ran out of water hiking the North Umpqua last summer.
RI = Mycoplasma, the only bacterium that will fit in that state.