In Light of Bacteria

Abstract

Bacteria are microscopic living organisms responsible for the diseases that effected humanity over its whole existence. One of such bacteria and the most studied model organisms in microbiology is a Gram-negative pathogen, Escherichia coli. Research on this organism has produced numerous fundamental discoveries of processes that are shared by all living things, including humans. Having such a profound importance to the understanding of life, E. coli remains to be the model organism of choice in many laboratories around the world. One of such places is a lab studying gene regulation located in a town of Sherbrooke in Quebec that I visited in August, where, to demonstrate our shared love for E. coli, I painted this microorganism with its protruding flagella, using slow shutter speed and a flashlight.