tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5264937.post5278526966366583080..comments2024-03-26T12:23:29.784-04:00Comments on Philosoraptor: Winston Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08780746334199630779noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5264937.post-6540937434298649262016-07-26T10:55:24.152-04:002016-07-26T10:55:24.152-04:00A concentration of 70% isopropyl alcohol does dest...A concentration of 70% isopropyl alcohol does destroy the bacteria so it is unable to develop resistance. It is like asking why humans do not develop resistance to bullets.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5264937.post-14974023033903778312007-10-27T19:54:00.000-04:002007-10-27T19:54:00.000-04:00ACK! ZOMBIES!(hide)ACK! ZOMBIES!<BR/><BR/>(hide)Random Michelle Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13817444379694818074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5264937.post-57391358716336200452007-10-27T14:28:00.000-04:002007-10-27T14:28:00.000-04:00Again, very helpful. I hope you're right about tha...Again, very helpful. I hope you're right about that analogy--it puts my mind to rest.<BR/><BR/>Now I can go back to worrying about the Inevitable Zombie Apocalypse...Winston Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08780746334199630779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5264937.post-64831260860617174682007-10-26T15:47:00.000-04:002007-10-26T15:47:00.000-04:00How unlikely is it that bacteria will develop a re...How unlikely is it that bacteria will develop a resistance to alcohol?<BR/><BR/>Very very very unlikely unless people trying to sanitize everything and start wiping out good bacterial.<BR/><BR/>It's more likely than humans developing the ability to breathe underwater and taking to the seas to live. But not really all that likely.<BR/><BR/>All things are possible. Far fewer as probable.Random Michelle Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13817444379694818074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5264937.post-13421290071906384282007-10-26T10:06:00.000-04:002007-10-26T10:06:00.000-04:00Thanks Traci, too!Dueling bionerds = actual inform...Thanks Traci, too!<BR/><BR/>Dueling bionerds = actual information...something we have way too little of around here...<BR/><BR/>The antibiotics in cattle feed drives me nuts. My uncle used to do that on the farm, but my dad put a stop to it when he took over.<BR/><BR/>A final question:<BR/>Is it very, very, very, very unlikely that bacteria will develop alcohol immunity (and still be able to Winston Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08780746334199630779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5264937.post-67871455683181614072007-10-26T08:50:00.000-04:002007-10-26T08:50:00.000-04:00Tracie,I actually though about mentioning Taq and ...Tracie,<BR/><BR/>I actually though about mentioning Taq and PCR (used to work in a microbiology lab) but thought it might be TMI. Glad you did it! (grin)<BR/><BR/>And antibiotics in animal feed are one of the reasons I only buy organic eggs, milk, and chicken (don't eat red meat). Unfortunately, the antibiotics are a requirement for cattle that are fed corn, since their systems can't property Random Michelle Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13817444379694818074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5264937.post-30466679025154694382007-10-26T01:19:00.000-04:002007-10-26T01:19:00.000-04:00According to my Microbiology text (I hate selling ...According to my Microbiology text (I hate selling back textbooks after taking classes), alcohol is a lipid solvent and a protein denaturant. Basically, alcohols help dissolve cell membranes (and anything else with containing lipids, though the cell membrane is the most significant organelle I can think of) and unfold proteins, both really harmful things for any kind of cell. <BR/><BR/>Michelle, Traciehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06788160009958142245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5264937.post-31204739315124575412007-10-25T22:14:00.000-04:002007-10-25T22:14:00.000-04:00God made lead pipes cuz bald, insane people r hawt...God made lead pipes cuz bald, insane people r hawt.The Mystichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00813641115915460692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5264937.post-30978655951093564642007-10-25T21:43:00.000-04:002007-10-25T21:43:00.000-04:00It's always good to put the results of my educatio...It's always good to put the results of my education to use--especially since I don't use any of it for my job!<BR/><BR/>Antibiotic resistance is a really fascinating thing--in a very frightening way.<BR/><BR/>Also, somewhat related, bacterial can go into dormant states and survive if conditions are *too* harsh. Which is why you are supposed to used diluted Clorox to clean, so you actually kill Random Michelle Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13817444379694818074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5264937.post-14938002796545846962007-10-25T20:53:00.000-04:002007-10-25T20:53:00.000-04:00THAT is a great answer, MK. I had wondered about t...THAT is a great answer, MK. I had wondered about the high heat analogy, but then thought of the volcanic vents...but did NOT think about competition with normal bacteria.<BR/><BR/>Super smart answer.Winston Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08780746334199630779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5264937.post-52342504785888658622007-10-25T20:22:00.000-04:002007-10-25T20:22:00.000-04:00Because there are some things you just can't effec...Because there are some things you just can't effectively build a resistance to.<BR/><BR/>Bacteria are as likely to develop resistance to alcohol as they are to high heat. Sure, it can happen (see: deep sea vents) but if a mutation appears for such resistance, chances are these bacteria will be out competed by "normal" bacteria, because they'll probably have a weakness in another area. Natural Random Michelle Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13817444379694818074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5264937.post-40535690977518690182007-10-25T19:35:00.000-04:002007-10-25T19:35:00.000-04:00Well, to take an example where I actually know som...Well, to take an example where I actually know something, there's quite a lot of variation in alcohol resistance between strains of yeast, which is how you brew very high alcohol non-distilled beverages I imagine that the reason that bacteria don't evolve of resistance to alcohol disinfectants is that they are used in very high concentrations and so you get pretty much complete bacterial death. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5264937.post-46876821401885079822007-10-25T17:43:00.000-04:002007-10-25T17:43:00.000-04:00See, I guessed that alcohol must burst cell membra...See, I guessed that alcohol must burst cell membranes or something...but...dumberer question coming...isn't that something that cells could also develop resistance to?<BR/><BR/>Maybe it's just harder to do so?<BR/><BR/>Anyway, thanks MK.<BR/><BR/>Mystic:<BR/>Check to see whether there are lead pipes in your house.Winston Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08780746334199630779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5264937.post-17534964088596849432007-10-25T17:13:00.000-04:002007-10-25T17:13:00.000-04:00Beeeeeeecause God made alcohol to kill bacteria?Du...Beeeeeeecause God made alcohol to kill bacteria?<BR/><BR/>Duh.The Mystichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00813641115915460692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5264937.post-39849227573987344312007-10-25T16:28:00.000-04:002007-10-25T16:28:00.000-04:00If I delve back years ago into my biology degree, ...If I delve back years ago into my biology degree, my guess (and this is only an educated guess; my focus was on plants) is that the alcohol disrupts the water balance.<BR/><BR/>Cells have a delicate salt/water balance, and some substances can disrupt that balance by 1) causing water to flow into the cell, exploding the cell membrane or 2) causing the water to flow out of the cell, until the Random Michelle Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13817444379694818074noreply@blogger.com