Molecular Genetics of Bacteria

Soulard Mardi Gras is famous for its B's- beer, beads and those things that earn beads. Likewise, St. Louis is famous for its B's- beer, baseball and biotechnology. Not only is St. Louis home to some of the big names in biotechnology- Monsanto, Pfizer and Sigma Aldrich- but it has also attracted and fostered into existence many smaller companies.

To support this industry boom, UM-St. Louis introduced degree programs in biochemistry and biotechnology. And to support the degree programs, the biology department offers a large variety of courses. One course on the list that stood out was Molecular Genetics of Bacteria.

When the 'average Joe' looks at the title of the class, they might either get lost in the words or get grossed out by it. But be well-assured, this planet would be rather uninhabitable without a few bacteria around.

"Many people don't think about how living organisms are always reproducing," Teresa Thiel, professor and associate dean of the biology department said. And just as everything lives, so must everything die.

"Life would end if we had no way of biodegrading or recycling living organisms," Thiel said. Although Thiel will not be teaching the class this semester, she has taught it for about the last 20 years.

Bruce Hemming, CEO of Microbe Inotech Laboratories Inc. and adjunct professor, said not only do bacteria cause disease, but they also produce antibiotics, the cure.

Hemming will be teaching the class this semester. "Without bacteria, the human genome project would have never been conceived.

Although it is reassuring to know that there are good bacteria, some of you might still find the title of the class a little overwhelming. What in the world do they do in the class?

Let's break down the title of the class and put it into layman's terms first. Molecular basically means small. Genetics means the origin or cause of something; and bacteria are one-celled organisms. So basically this class is taking something that is already small in nature and breaking it down to understand how it got that way.

Hemming said students in his class would study bacteria, whose cells have no nuclei. These are known as "procaryotes" meaning 'before the nucleus'."By understanding the genetics of bacteria, we can manipulate and modify the bacteria to benefit us," Thiel said.

Through understanding bacteria and other microorganisms, Hemming explained that one can also gain a better understanding of history. One little known fact is that the Britons used to be major coffee drinkers. When microorganisms, which cause coffee rust, destroyed much of the harvest, they switched to tea to satisfy their craving. Just think, without that bacterial disease, American history would read "Boston Coffee Party."

But this class isn't for students majoring in history. What kind of student does take this class then?

"Most biology majors are not geeks," Thiel said. "It is a graduate level class with prerequisites. Most students have a background in genetics or microbiology."

Students in the biochemistry and biotechnology degree programs might not be the only students interested in taking this course though.

"Students studying in environmental engineering would benefit from this class," Hemming said.

He also explained how students studying dentistry should take this class because it is bacteria that cause teeth to rot and gum diseases.

"Without the bacteria in our body we would be very unhealthy," Thiel said.

Because bacteria in our body are so important to our overall health, future doctors would find this class helpful in their practice.

And while it takes a certain kind of student to take the course, it is also a special kind of professional to teach it.

He earned his undergraduate degree in microbiology and his master's in biochemistry. "I became interested in plants at the same time new technologies were being introduced," he said. He went on to earn his PhD in plant pathology.

"I worked for Monsanto, I was one of the first groups of biotechnologists to be hired on at the time," Hemming said.

"When the company started to downsize I decided it was time to write up a business plan instead of a resume." That was in 1991, when he founded Microbe Inotech Laboratories Inc.

Hemming will be replacing Thiel this semester, who will be in Spain on a research project.

"We will be researching nitrogen fixation in the group cyanobacteria," Thiel said. She explained that, though it is beneficial to understand all lines, she will be working on the beneficial lines of what is more commonly known as blue-green algae.

Thiel, knew early on what she wanted to do with her life.

"As most faculty, some time very young you make the decision you want to be part of the academics," Thiel said. "I wanted the experience of interacting with the students while maintaining a research lab with graduate students."

While students in the Molecular Genetics of Bacteria class study some of the smallest living organisms, they should keep in mind one important fact Hemming so well stated, "Through simple, small things, great ones are brought about."