Technology Advances
This picture shows Electron microscope images of cells embedded in ice.Technology is an important part on the development into understanding of the organisms in our world. The advancements that continue to impact on the knowledge we hold, add to the way we classify and understand living things.
Prior to the invention of the light microscope, bacteria were known by shape, by the kind of stain they would take up and by their effects such as diseases.
One of the main technological advances that increased knowledge of prokaryotic organisms is the electron microscope. The inventions of these, allowed people to see that prokaryotic cells have no nucleus membrane or membrane bound organelles. Along with the lack of membranes, the electron microscope showed the presence of a single strand of DNA and small ribosomes and that cell division is not by mitosis.
As well as the electron microscope, light microscopes, chemical analysis, genetic sequencing and amino acid sequencing all increases the knowledge of prokaryotic organisms. The light microscope gave scientists the ability to identify cells as being unicellular and small with a cell membrane and cell wall. Chemical analysis showed the respiratory coenzymes are unique and the metabolism of some carbon compounds are different in Archaea then in other organisms. It also gave scientists the ability to determine the chemical composition of cytoplasm and membranes and well as showed the enzymes and photosynthetic pigments are attached to the cell membrane. Genetic sequencing determines the number of chromosomes within an organism and Amino acid sequencing showed the variety in proteins and DNA nucleotides and also showed the nucleotide sequences of the Archaea are different to bacteria and euryotic organisms.
The light microscope revealed that living things were made up of cells. With further development in light microscopes and the introduction of electron microscopes, fine details within cells were exposed. In the 1950s, the electron microscope showed the prokaryotic cells, leading to the invention
of the kingdom, Monera. In 1967, Fungi was discovered to be part of a separate multicellular eukaryotic kingdom. It was around this time that our system of classification was revised from the two kingdom system to a five kingdom system.
Prior to the invention of the light microscope, bacteria were known by shape, by the kind of stain they would take up and by their effects such as diseases.
One of the main technological advances that increased knowledge of prokaryotic organisms is the electron microscope. The inventions of these, allowed people to see that prokaryotic cells have no nucleus membrane or membrane bound organelles. Along with the lack of membranes, the electron microscope showed the presence of a single strand of DNA and small ribosomes and that cell division is not by mitosis.
As well as the electron microscope, light microscopes, chemical analysis, genetic sequencing and amino acid sequencing all increases the knowledge of prokaryotic organisms. The light microscope gave scientists the ability to identify cells as being unicellular and small with a cell membrane and cell wall. Chemical analysis showed the respiratory coenzymes are unique and the metabolism of some carbon compounds are different in Archaea then in other organisms. It also gave scientists the ability to determine the chemical composition of cytoplasm and membranes and well as showed the enzymes and photosynthetic pigments are attached to the cell membrane. Genetic sequencing determines the number of chromosomes within an organism and Amino acid sequencing showed the variety in proteins and DNA nucleotides and also showed the nucleotide sequences of the Archaea are different to bacteria and euryotic organisms.
The light microscope revealed that living things were made up of cells. With further development in light microscopes and the introduction of electron microscopes, fine details within cells were exposed. In the 1950s, the electron microscope showed the prokaryotic cells, leading to the invention
of the kingdom, Monera. In 1967, Fungi was discovered to be part of a separate multicellular eukaryotic kingdom. It was around this time that our system of classification was revised from the two kingdom system to a five kingdom system.
As technology advances, the knowledge and information on organisms advances along side it.
Classifying organisms is a difficult process which usually involves research, debates and takes a lot of time. Some questions that scientists face include what features of one kind of living thing are always the same and so can be used to describe a species? How do you decide whether or not two species are of the same species? Should organisms grouped according to the similarities and differences between them, or according to how they are related by descent?
When classification first started, Structural features were used to place all living things into one of three kingdoms – Kingdom Animalis, Kingdom Plantea and Kingdom Mineralia. Plants were things that couldn’t move themselves and animals were the opposite, meaning they could move themselves. The system did not work well because some animals (like barnacles) cannot move. Also each kingdom clumped organisms together, that are as different from each other as plants are from animals.
In 1735, there were three kingdoms named Mineral, Vegetable and Animal. They were selected by their structural features, the organised body and life (which separated minerals from animals and vegetables) and the power of locomotion (separated vegetables from animals). The advantage to this was that it was easily observed and was more constant in an organism’s lifetime (no seasonal change od change with maturity) and it could infer reproductive methods. The disadvantages of this system was the structures may vary between males and females of a species as well as the internal biochemistry (genetic similarities) were not available for deducing evolutionary links.
With the invention of the electron microscope, scientist were able to see the fine details within cells, leading to further changes to the kingdoms. 1969 brought a new system which included five kingdoms. The Monera, Animalia, Plantae, Fungi and Protista groups. The selections criteria for these were based on structural features and whether they were prokaryotic or eukaryotic. The advantages to this system were the same as they were for the three kingdom system along with the disadvantages. As the technology involved in distinguishing species became more advanced, the kingdoms became more exact and more accurately describe the physical and genetic characteristics.
The most recent system was developed in the 1990’s and involves six kingdoms. These are named, Bacteria, Archea, Protista, Plantea, Fungi and Animalia. They are classified based on molecular criteria and the order of bases in particular genes. This system provides genetic similiarities between organisms and allows for biochemical information to provide more information leading to possible evolutionary relationships between organisms. It can also infer when past evolutionary diversion from common ancestors occurred. The disadvantages to this system include the price and how time-consuming the process is. It requires experts in molecular techniques and the use of both biochemical and anatomical information may lead to differing interpretations. It also upsets the traditional methods of classification.
As technology advances, the knowledge and information that scientists can deduce and use to classify all organisms increases. Advances in technology are the essential factor to the forward movement of the binomial and classification systems.
When classification first started, Structural features were used to place all living things into one of three kingdoms – Kingdom Animalis, Kingdom Plantea and Kingdom Mineralia. Plants were things that couldn’t move themselves and animals were the opposite, meaning they could move themselves. The system did not work well because some animals (like barnacles) cannot move. Also each kingdom clumped organisms together, that are as different from each other as plants are from animals.
In 1735, there were three kingdoms named Mineral, Vegetable and Animal. They were selected by their structural features, the organised body and life (which separated minerals from animals and vegetables) and the power of locomotion (separated vegetables from animals). The advantage to this was that it was easily observed and was more constant in an organism’s lifetime (no seasonal change od change with maturity) and it could infer reproductive methods. The disadvantages of this system was the structures may vary between males and females of a species as well as the internal biochemistry (genetic similarities) were not available for deducing evolutionary links.
With the invention of the electron microscope, scientist were able to see the fine details within cells, leading to further changes to the kingdoms. 1969 brought a new system which included five kingdoms. The Monera, Animalia, Plantae, Fungi and Protista groups. The selections criteria for these were based on structural features and whether they were prokaryotic or eukaryotic. The advantages to this system were the same as they were for the three kingdom system along with the disadvantages. As the technology involved in distinguishing species became more advanced, the kingdoms became more exact and more accurately describe the physical and genetic characteristics.
The most recent system was developed in the 1990’s and involves six kingdoms. These are named, Bacteria, Archea, Protista, Plantea, Fungi and Animalia. They are classified based on molecular criteria and the order of bases in particular genes. This system provides genetic similiarities between organisms and allows for biochemical information to provide more information leading to possible evolutionary relationships between organisms. It can also infer when past evolutionary diversion from common ancestors occurred. The disadvantages to this system include the price and how time-consuming the process is. It requires experts in molecular techniques and the use of both biochemical and anatomical information may lead to differing interpretations. It also upsets the traditional methods of classification.
As technology advances, the knowledge and information that scientists can deduce and use to classify all organisms increases. Advances in technology are the essential factor to the forward movement of the binomial and classification systems.
Technology Advances in link with Haloquadratum
In 1980, the unusual square Haloarchaea of Walsby were first described in water samples take from hypersaline pools near the Red Sea. These organisms were able to be characterized by their gene sequencing. The sequence information enabled the development of fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). FISH is a cytogenetic technique that is used to detect the presences or absence of specific DNA sequences on chromosomes. It uses fluorescent probes that bind to the parts of the chromosomes which show a high degree of sequence complementarity. They can be used to find specific features in DNA leading to its use in genetic counselling, medicine and species identification.