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Nanobacterium
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Structures found on meteorite fragment ALH84001Nanobacteria are said to be cell-walled microorganisms with a diameter well below the generally accepted lower limit (about 200 nanometres) for bacteria.
Reports of them being living organisms are controversial. If they are living, there is speculation that they may be a newly discovered form of life, rather than bacteria. The term calcifying nanoparticles (CNPs) has also been used, side-stepping the question of their formal status as a life form.
Although nanobes are sometimes called nanobacteria, it is not known whether they are related.
Contents [hide]
1 1996 Martian meteorite claims
2 1998–2000 claims
3 April 2004 claims
4 May 2004 claims
5 February 2005 NASA Results
6 See also
7 Sources
1996 Martian meteorite claims
Structures in the Martian meteorite ALH84001 have been interpreted by some as fossilized nanobacteria, but the origin of the structures is disputed.
1998–2000 claims
Nanobacterium sanguineum was proposed in 1998 as an explanation of certain kinds of pathologic calcification (apatite in kidney stones) by Finnish researcher Olavi Kajander and Turkish researcher Neva Ciftcioglu, working at the University of Kuopio in Finland. According to the researchers the particles self-replicated in microbiological culture, and the researchers further reported having identified a DNA sequence.
Later studies by another group reached different yet confirming results, suggesting peculiar etiology of the disease. A paper published in 2000 by a team led by a dentist John Cisar USNIH hypothesized that the "self-replication" was, in fact, an unusual form of crystaline growth, and that his contamination may have been the source of the DNA. However, the Cisar group did not as part of their study examine nanobacteria samples from the Kajander group, therefore critics observed that without such a control sample the assertion that these were self-replicating crystals or contamination had not been substantiated. The original discoverers of Nanobacteria asked to help teach Cisar's group in further nanobacterial research.
Drs. Olavi Kajander & Neva Ciftcioglu set up a company in Finland in 2000 "Nanobac Oy" later absorbed in 2003 by a publicly-traded Nanobacteria research company in Tampa, Florida, 'Nanobac Pharmaceuticals, Inc.', {OTCBB: NNBP} to market medical diagnostic kits for identifying nanobacteria to medical researchers, and are developing prescription medical treatments for calcification-associated diseases, raised doubts concerning their impartiality. However, such practices are commonplace among researchers throughout the world, and are generally accepted if publicly disclosed & transparently revealed, which in this case they were in filings submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission.[citation needed]
April 2004 claims
In a press release, Nanobac Pharmaceuticals, Inc. {OTCBB: NNBP} reports that a strong correlation has been found between antibodies to nanobacteria and coronary artery calcification (associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease). The results were obtained using a testing kit produced by Nanobac. Tests on 198 patients were led by top Endovascular Researcher & Cardiovascular Researcher Stephen Epstein, MD, PhD, FACC, Director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C.
May 2004 claims
In 2004 a Mayo Clinic team led by Infectious disease expert, Franklin Cockerill, MD, PhD & Nephrologist, John Lieske, MD, PhD at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota reports to have isolated nanobacteria in diseased human arteries. Their results were accepted by the American Journal of Physiology — Heart and Circulatory Physiology, Virginia M. Miller et al., in May 2004 and published. The Mayo research team confirmed the earlier Nanobacteria research findings of Laslo Puskas, PhD at the DNA Lab, University of Szeged, Hungary. Dr. Puskas discovered Nanobacteria in Cardiovascular tissues several years earlier and published the results as well.
Unlike the Finnish nanobacteria researchers (discoverers), those at the Mayo Clinic apparently have no linked commercial interests. Working with particles less than 0.2 micrometres in size, they found indirect evidence that the particles had self-replicated, and found that they had a cell-like appearance under an electron microscope. They also believe that the particles are producing RNA, since they absorbed one of its building blocks, uridine, in greater quantities than would be expected in the case of pure absorption (by crystals such as apatite). Using an antibody produced by the Finnish researchers, the particles were found to bind to diseased arterial tissue, and to the same sites to which a DNA stain bound. The researchers now plan to isolate RNA and DNA from the Nanobacteria.
February 2005 NASA Results
Nanobac Pharmaceuticals' Researcher, Neva Ciftcioglu, PhD and her Nanobacteria research team at NASA announced the results of an experiment in which a bioreactor chamber that simulates conditions of space travel was used to culture nanobacteria suspected of rapidly forming kidney stones in astronauts. In this microgravity environment, they were found to multiply five times faster than in normal Earth gravity. NASA also determined that nanobacteria were shown to be a possible infectious risk for crew members living in close quarters.
See also
Mimivirus — largest known virus
Mycoplasma genitalium, Pelagibacter ubique — some of the smallest known bacteria
Nanoarchaeum — smallest known archaeum
Nanobe — possible nano-organism first observed in 1996
Parvovirus — smallest known family of viruses
Prions — also controversial when first proposed in 1982
Sources
Abstract: American Journal Physiology — Heart and Circulatory Physiology May 13, 2004
An alternative interpretation of nanobacteria-induced biomineralization
Are Nanobacteria Making Us Ill?, Wired News, Mar. 14, 2005
Claim made for new form of life, BBC News, May 19, 2004
Evidence of Nanobacterial-like Structures in Human Calcified Arteries and Cardiac Valves
Infectious Microorganism Linked to Kidney Stones and other Diseases, February 2005
Nannobacteria Research Page of the Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University
Nanobac press release, April 2004
Nanobacteria: An alternative mechanism for pathogenic intra- and extracellular calcification and stone formation
New Scientist article about nanobacteria
The Calcium Bomb — The Nanobacteria Link to Heart Disease and Cancer
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