Choose any organism from the following list. Write a short "biography" of this organism. You should feature some unique or interesting adaptation of your organism. Include brief mention of most or all of the following features as part of the "biography":

morphology

what the organism looks like (include a diagram or photo if possible)

habitat

where the organism is found

distinctive metabolic characteristics

what distinguishes this organism from others, including explanation of one or more special features of this organism. Pay special attention to how it obtains energy, including whether it ferments and/or respires aerobically/anaerobically.

impact on humans

if relevant, identify one or more important ways in which this organism is important to humans, such as a role in disease, agriculture, research, etc.

Use the index in your text as a starting point. Note that Chapters 20-23 comprise a short introduction to the different groups of bacteria (the definitive survey of bacteria is Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology) -- this is a good place to begin looking for information. Organisms listed in red have short descriptions in Power Unseen: How Microbes Rule the World, by Bernard Dixon. You can borrow this book during lab section and photocopy the description of a microbe.

Thiobacillus thiooxidans
any methanotrophic bacterium
any Bdellovibrio species
Treponema pallidum
any myxobacterium
any Pseudomonas species
Shigella dysenteriae
any Rickettsia species
any Chlamydia species
any Lactobacillus species
Bacillus thuringiensis
any nonpathogenic Clostridium species
any Mycoplasma species
Streptomyces griseus
Halobacterium halobium
Methanococcus jannaschii
any Pyrococcus species
any Thermoplasma species
Desulfovibrio
Methylosinus trichosporium
Proteus 0X19
Arthrobacter globiformis
Photobacterium phosphoreum
Enterobacter agglomerans
Crinalium epipsammum
Alcaligines eutrophus
Haloarcula

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