Nanobacteria

Nanobacteria (singular nanobacterium) is the name of a proposed class of living organisms; specifically cell-walled microorganisms with a size much smaller than the generally accepted lower limit size for life (about 200 nanometres for bacteria). Originally based on observed nano-scale structures in geological formations (including some meteorites), the status of nanobacteria is controversial, with some researchers suggesting they are a new class of living organisms capable of incorporating radiolabeled uridine, and others attributing to them a simpler, abiotic nature. One skeptic dubbed them "the cold fusion of microbiology", in reference to a notorious episode of erroneous science.  The term 'calcifying nanoparticles' (CNPs) has also been used as a conservative name regarding their possible status as a life form. The most recent research tends to agree that these structures exist, and probably replicate in some way. Their status as living entities is still hotly debated, though some researchers now claim that the case that they are nonliving crystalline particles is conclusively proven. In medicine, they have been implicated in the formation of both kidney stones and arterial plaque.

Further information

1. Raoult D, Nanobacteria are mineralo fetuin complexes, France, 2008
2. Folk RL. SEM imaging of bacteria and nannobacteria in carbonate sediments and rocks. J Sediment Petrol. 1993;63:990
3. Akerman KK, Kuronen I, Kajander EO. Scanning electron microscopy of nanobacteria-novel biofilm producing organisms in blood. Scanning. 1993;15:90–91.
4. Kajander EO, Cift?ioglu N., Nanobacteria: an alternative mechanism for pathogenic intra- and extracellular calcification and stone formation, 1998
5. John O. Cisar, De-Qi Xu, John Thompson, William Swaim, Lan Hu, and Dennis J. Kopecko An alternative interpretation of nanobacteria-induced biomineralization // PNAS. — 2000. — Т. 97. — № 21. — С. 11511 — 11515.
6. Article Нанобактерии from Wikipedia, the Free Enciclopedia. Available under the license Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike
7. Article Nanobacteria from Wikipedia, the Free Enciclopedia. Available under the license Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike.

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