New species of bacteria were discovered... on the skin of subjects
Human skin is covered in bacteria, but little is known about the species of bacteria that live on our skin.
To investigate this, scientists wrapped the arms of six volunteers in gauze and extracted bacterial DNA samples from the gauze. They sequenced (determined the base sequence) of the DNA in the samples. In total, the researchers found 182 species of bacteria (in the human intestine, the estimate is 300 to 500 species of bacteria). Only 2% of the skin bacteria were found among all subjects, and 71% of the species were found on only one of the six volunteers according to a report in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
When the experiment was repeated a second time with the same volunteers (this time DNA was extracted from gasses from four volunteers) after 8-10 months from the first test, the bacterial profile changed most dramatically and 65 new species of bacteria were identified.
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Aryeh Seter,
Yes, these are new species unknown to science.
In fact, most species and even the vast majority of species are unknown to science. While we humans have approximately 5000 cultures of different species of bacteria, which we study, we know from this type of research that in the intestines and soil and other systems the species estimate is on the order of millions of different species of bacteria and archaea.
New species of bacteria? From the title of the news it can be concluded that new species of bacteria unknown to science have been discovered.
From reading the body of the news, it seems that these are not new, unknown species.
Very interesting research. Seasonality of bacterial layers? Surely one day we will hear more about it!
Cheers to my father the scientist who compiled all this fascinating science news for us!
So why not establish a nature reserve?
OK, so what does that mean?
that everyone has their own bacteria? Or maybe the bacteria are constantly changing? Or maybe the bacteria choose which person to sit on according to their mood? Or maybe theirs?