EC Microbiology

Due to its mystic spirituality and therapeutic properties, the Ganges has gained popularity on a global scale. In a 2018 study, bacteriophages that attack bacterial pathogens were found to completely annihilate the bacterial population in the Ganges. In ancient times, the mountains of the Himalayas were swarming with bacteriophages, which were natural cleaners. In the river, these bacteria were constantly being killed by the bacteriophages present after the glaciers melted, killing the bacteria that was causing the water’s impotence. In a metagenomic study, it was revealed that the SAMase gene in the bacteriophage determines the quality of the water. SAMase is mainly active against Escherichia coli bacteria that are most prevalent in the river. As a result, significant functions such as DNA methylation and phosphorylation are inhibited, rendering the organism completely inactive. While there are several places in the upper Himalayan ranges where the Ganges is extremely pure, as it makes its way through cities like Benares, Haridwar and Kanpur, it loses that purity. Cold temperatures do not allow the bacteriophages to survive at all, therefore their numbers decrease in the mid-lower belts of the Ganges, increasing bacteria populations. Limiting the release of waste is an urgent need to preserve the quality of the river. With the progress of genetics over time, CRISPR Cas 9 and other powerful technologies might be able to engineer bacteriophages to survive even under normal conditions. It is imperative to locate the bacteriophages on the nanoscale with the aid of nanotools such as nanochip devices that can detect microbes in minute quantities in order to utilize them efficiently.