Definition
Nanobacterium is the unit or member name of a former proposed class of living organisms, specifically cell-walled microorganisms, now discredited, with a size much smaller than the generally accepted lower limit for life. Originally based on observed nano-scale structures in geological formations, the status of nanobacteria was controversial, with some researchers suggesting they are a new class of living organism 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 supposed erroneous science. The term "calcifying nanoparticles" (CNPs) has also been used as a conservative name regarding their possible status as a life form.
Related concepts
ALH84001AbiogenesisAbioticAdnaviriaAllan Hills 84001AlphaproteobacteriaAlphasatellitidaeAmpullaviridaeAnimalApatiteApicoplastArchaeaArteryArtificial cellAvsunviroidaeBacteriaBacteriomeBahamaBarium chlorideBartogtaviriformidaeBasaltiviridaeBicaudaviridaeBio-like structureBiogenicityBiological dark matterBrachygtaviriformidaeCalcificationCalcium carbonateCancer cellCell (biology)Cell cultureCell divisionCell wallChloroplastChromoplastChromosomeCircular chromosomeClavaviridaeClay mineralsClonally transmissible cancerCoacervateCold fusionColicinCommon descentCosmidCrystal growthCrystal structureDNADNA replicationDNA transposonDNA virusDaniel MaziaDavid S. McKayDefective interfering particleDinodnavirusDiversity-generating retroelementDouble-stranded RNA virusesDsDNA-RT virusDuplodnaviriaEarliest known life formsEfunaviriaEncyclopedia of LifeEndogenous retrovirusEndogenous viral elementEndosymbiontEpisomeEukaryoteEurekaviridaeExtrachromosomal DNAFertility factor (bacteria)FetuinFinlandFloreoviriaFosmidFrancevillian biotaFungal prionFungusFuselloviridaeGeneGene duplicationGenomeGenomic islandGeological Society of AmericaGerontoplastGiant virusGlobuloviridaeGroup II intronGroup I catalytic intronGuttaviridaeHalspiviridaeHeLaHelper dependent virusHelper virusHorizontal gene transferHuangdiviridaeHydrogenosomeIncertae sedisIntegrative and conjugative elementInterspersed repeatIron oxidesItzamnaviridaeJeewanuJohn CisarKappa organismKidney stoneLUCALast universal common ancestorLeucoplastLifeLinear chromosomeList of Prokaryotic names with Standing in NomenclatureLomiviridaeMarsMayo ClinicMicrobial dark matterMicrobiological cultureMicroorganismsMicroparticleMitochondrionMitosomeMobile genetic elementsMobilomeModel lipid bilayerMorphology (biology)MycoplasmaMycoplasma laboratoriumMycoplasma pneumoniaeNASANaldaviricetesNanoarchaeumNanobacterium sanguineumNanobeNanometerNanoparticleNational Center for Biotechnology InformationNational Institutes of HealthNeva ÇiftçioğluNipumfusiviridaeNitroplastNon-cellular lifeNon-coding DNANucleic acidObelisk (biology)ObscuriviridaeOlavi KajanderOoidsOrganelleOrganismOrigin of replicationOvaliviridaePLOS PathogensPNASParakaryonParvovirusPhagemidPhyllobacterium myrsinacearumPlantPlasmaviridaePlasmidPlastidPleomoviriaPolydnaviriformidaePolymerase chain reactionPortogloboviridaePospiviroidaePrionProkaryoteProphageProteinoidProtistProtocellProvirusPseudomonadotaR-factorRNA-dependent RNA polymeraseRNA virusRNA worldRepeated sequence (DNA)Replicon (genetics)RetronRetroposonRetrotransposonRetroviroidRetrovirusRetrozymeReverse transcriptase-related cellular geneRhizidiovirusRhodogtaviriformidaeRibosomesRiboviriaRibozymeRibozyviriaRobert L. FolkSatellite (biology)Scanning electron microscopeScience (journal)Secondary chromosomeSelf-replicationSilicaSilicate mineralSingelaviriaSpiegelman's MonsterSpiraviridaeSubviral agentsSulfide mineralsSulphobesSynthetic virologyTandem repeatTaxonomy (biology)Telomerase reverse transcriptaseThaspiviridaeTi plasmidTolecusatellitidaeTransmission electron microscopyTransposable elementTranspovironTravertineTrophosomeTurkeyUltramicrobacteriaUniversity of KuopioUniversity of SzegedUridineVaridnaviriaVendobiontaViral vectorVirginia M. MillerViriformViroidViromeVirophageVirulence factorVirusVirusoidViterboVolvereviriaWikidataWikispeciesWitheriteXenobotXigoviridaeYamazakiviridae
93 concepts already in your glossary