page_title: State microbe
section_title: Origin of the idea of an Illinois State Microbe
hierarchical_section_title: State microbe / Illinois 2019: Penicillium rubens NRRL 1951, pending / Introduction / Origin of the idea of an Illinois State Microbe
caption_attribution_description: English: 3D representation of the atomic structure of Penicillin g, taken from pdb code 1gm7. Hydrogens were generated using the ProDRG server (http://davapc1.bioch.dundee.ac.uk/programs/prodrg/prodrg.html). Image generated using PyMol (http://pymol.sourceforge.net/). Image created by me. Bassophile 10:36, 13 July 2007 (UTC)
context_page_description: A state microbe is a microorganism used as an official state symbol. Several U.S. states have honored microorganisms by nominating them to become official state symbols. The first state to declare an Official State Microbe is Oregon which chose Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the Official Microbe of the State of Oregon in 2013 for its significance to the craft beer industry in Oregon. One of the first proponents of State Microbes was microbiologist Moselio Schaechter, who, in 2010, commented on Official Microbes for the American Society for Microbiology's blog "Small Things Considered" as well as on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered".
context_section_description: On August 7, 2018, Gary Kuzniar was driving home and listening to National Public Radio's broadcast of "All Things Considered."  There was an interesting story about State Microbe designations.  Oregon had already passed legislation (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and other states had started working to declare theirs. The next month Dr. Neil Price was walking in the hallway with two petri dish plasticized mold props and Gary asked him what they were. Neil said that they were penicillin props for a display in "The Ten Most Important Medical Inventions of the World" down at the local museum(Peoria Riverfront Museum).  I mentioned that I had heard a radio program on state microbes and that the penicillin he had in his hands would be a good candidate for Illinois. He agreed and we decided to approach the whole logistical thing of doing it.
caption: The penicillin G molecule.
exif: {}