Spineless Song-Don't Fear the Microbe

Oenococcus oeni, a lactic-acid fermenting bacterium that plays a critical role in de-acidifying wine after alcoholic fermentation has been completed. Photo courtesy of Jeff Broadbent and Utah State University.

Its Microbe Week at Deep Sea News in case you haven't heard. Its a sad shame its gotta come to end in a day or two. There have been some amazing posts highlighting our little friends. Microbes are great to have around for the most part. They do lots of things for us that we don't give them credit for. One of my favorite microbes is Oenococcus oeni, which develops the flavor of wine after fermentation. Oh sweet post-processing bacteria! Microbes are probably the most important organism on the planet, but only garner only a thousandth of a percent of attention that certain charismatic megafauna (which we won't mention on this blog).

I'm going to close off Microbe Week here answering a challenge by Rick Macpherson who threw down the gauntlet in this Microbe Week post as DSN. This week's song is sung to Don't Fear the Reaper by Blue Öyster Cult. If you don't get the sound samples click here and get with the program.

Click on #10 in the Spineless Songs Sidebar to the right!

Don't Fear the Microbe

All microbes have come
Its microbe week at DSN
Biologists don’t fear the microbe
Nor do the coral, termite or cow (we can be like they are)
Come on bacteria (don't fear the microbe)
Baby take my pili (don't fear the microbe)
We’ll transfer DNA (don't fear the microbe)
Baby I'm your microbe

Conjugation is done
Its time to have a little fun
Oenococcus oeni
Making wine so tasty (Oenococcus oeni)
I drink it everyday (Oenococcus oeni)
I drink it everyday (Oenococcus oeni)
Another glass is on its way (we can be like they are)
Come on bacteria (don't fear the microbe)
Baby take my pili (don't fear the microbe)
We’ll transfer DNA (don't fear the microbe)
Baby I'm your microbe

Archaea are tolerant
Salt heat pressure seeps and vents
Breaking down toxic gases
making deep-sea oases
Come on bacteria (don't fear the microbe)
Baby take my pili (don't fear the microbe)
We’ll transfer DNA (don't fear the microbe)
Baby I'm your microbe