Immortality
2005/07/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria
Man dies, that is, ends life through death. And to be descendants it has to reproduce necessarily before dying. But in the case of bacteria it is different: it is divided into two parts to reproduce and the two that have formed are the following. The original, 'mother' bacteria, does not die, but with this process disappears. Therefore, biologists have considered that bacteria are immortal or that at least their life cycle does not end death.
This idea has been questioned by a group of French researchers. They have worked with the bacteria Escherichia coli, a known bacteria in the form of a cane. This bacteria makes a copy of all its components to divide them and physically separate when two copies are formed. Somehow, one copy collects old material and the other new copy.
But from there, the two specimens do not grow at the same speed; the one who has received the old material grows more slowly. To some extent, the owner of the new copy has a more effective metabolism. Again and again divided, the oldest material can lose its reproductive capacity and die. The supposed bacterial immortality, therefore, is in danger.
