About Helpful Bacteria
Most bacteria do not make people sick. Many are neutral, and countless species perform jobs that plants, animals, ecosystems, and humans depend on. Helpful bacteria recycle nutrients, support digestion, make foods, protect habitats, and power useful biotechnology.
Digestion
Gut bacteria help break down parts of food that human enzymes cannot fully digest.
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Some bacteria produce vitamins and other compounds.
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Bacteria help make yogurt, cheese, pickles, kimchi, sauerkraut, and many other foods.
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Bacteria help decompose dead material and recycle nutrients.
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Certain bacteria make nitrogen usable by plants.
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Many bacteria live around roots or inside plants.
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Scientists use bacteria to manufacture useful substances.
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Some bacteria can help break down pollutants.
Learn MoreDigestion
Microbes in the large intestine use complex carbohydrates and fibers, producing molecules that can be used by cells in the gut. The exact community differs between people and changes with age, diet, medicine, environment, and many other factors.
Useful Molecules
Gut bacteria can contribute to the production of vitamin K and some B vitamins, though people still depend on food for nutrition. Bacteria also produce thousands of other molecules that interact with neighboring microbes and human cells.
Fermented Foods
Lactic acid bacteria convert sugars into acids. The changing acidity affects flavor, texture, and which microbes can grow. Different cultures around the world have developed fermentation traditions over thousands of years.
Soil Health
Soil contains complex communities of microorganisms. Bacteria break down organic matter, release nutrients, interact with fungi, and influence soil structure. Without decomposers, dead material would accumulate and nutrients would become trapped.
Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen gas is abundant in the atmosphere, but most plants cannot use it directly. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert it into chemical forms that can enter food webs. Other bacteria transform nitrogen through additional steps in the nitrogen cycle.
Plant Partners
Root-associated bacteria can influence nutrient availability and plant growth. Legumes such as beans and peas form special root nodules that house nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Biotechnology
Engineered bacteria can produce proteins, enzymes, vitamins, and research materials. One famous example is human insulin, which can be made using microorganisms carrying a human insulin gene.
Bioremediation
Microbial communities naturally digest many chemicals. Scientists can sometimes encourage particular microbes to help clean contaminated soil or water, though the method depends on the pollutant and environment.