Naming Cells

There is an abundance of living organisms that inhabit both land and water. The extent of their diversity demonstrates a need for us to classify them based on a variety of characteristics so we can summarize our knowledge and identify different organisms amongst many. The practice of classifying organisms is called taxonomy. The ability to classify organisms allows us to recognize and interpret similarities and differences as well as to improve our communication about living cells.

The naming of organisms is based on the work of a Swedish biologist, Carolus Linnaeus. The Linnaean system utilizes binomial nomenclature. Two names are assigned, a capitalized genus name followed by a species name. Both names are to be italicized or underlined. If a specific strain of a certain species is known then the strain letter and/or number combination is written after the species name. For subsequent use in a document, the first letter of the genus name followed by the species name is suitable. The genus is a group of related species and species are organisms that are so closely related they are essentially alike.

The following paragraph serves as an example of the naming system and formatting used in written documents. One of the common organisms involved in many cell cultures and of concern in many food processing operations is Escherichia coli. E. coli is a bacteria that can be found naturally in the lower part of the small intestines of warm blooded animals. Many foodborne illnesses are associated with E. coli and extensive preventative measures are taken to keep it out of the food and water systems. E. coli O157:H7 has been the causative agent in a number of outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. E. coli is also used to produce antibiotics and other biopharmaceuticals. Gene sequences of various products are often inserted into the cell’s DNA and the bacteria express the product of interest quite rapidly because the cell has an elevated growth rate.