Introduction
In 2009, the State of Wisconsin Legislature received 'Assembly Bill 556', to designate the bacterium Lactococcus lactis as the Wisconsin State Microbe. Given the history of the dairy industry in Wisconsin, and the importance of Lactococcus lactis in that industry, this microbe seemed an obvious choice. However, the microbe was not elevated to 'State Microbe' status. The brewer's yeast had more luck in 2013, with the approval of the Oregon Senate of a bill to establish Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer’s yeast) as Oregon’s official state microbe; no need to explain the importance of brewer's yeast in Oregon! More recently, Streptomyces griseus was selected as the New Jersey State Microbe because it was discovered there, and it has been important in globally in healthcare and research.
A State Microbe for Hawai‘i
In 2010, we proposed that Hawai‘i also adopt a State Microbe. Jimmy Saw, then a graduate student in the Department of Microbiology, set up an "Official State Microbe for Hawaii" Facebook page at that time. Why should we have a State Microbe? Well, the State of Hawaiʻi and its islands have at least 31 official emblems, including colors, sports, plants and animals. Microbes are not represented, yet they are the most abundant organisms in Hawaiʻi.
Why are microbes not represented? Colors, sports, plants and animals are conspicuous. Microbes are not, but they are everywhere. Indeed, life as we know it would not exist without microbes. Some people perceive microbes negatively, that they are ‘germs’ that only cause disease; that's the message children get from the youngest age, such as 'Watch out for germs!" However, microbes are as important to humans as they are to the environment, and most are not even harmful to humans.
Through studying State Emblems in school, children fall in love with whales, the Hawaiian monk seal, and the nēnē. People need other people to study microbes, to find cures for diseases caused by microbes, or to produce things we need, for example, and in this respect, today’s children are tomorrow’s scientists. We can and do promote science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields; thousands of students join the Annual State Science and Engineering Fair. Tomorrow’s scientists might come from Science Fairs, because these children have the science ‘bug’ already. Others just need the right inspiration. Having a microbe among our State Emblems is a perfect way to introduce microbes to everyone, and to stimulate young minds to ask questions:
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What are microbes?
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How do microbes help us?
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How many microbes are there?
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Where was the State Microbe discovered?
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What does the State Microbe do?
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Who discovered the State Microbe?
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Can I discover something, too?
Many plants and animals are found only in Hawai‘i, but whether or not particular microbes have evolved in or are endemic to Hawai‘i has not been proven; some were first grown in Hawai‘i and described as new species according to accepted rules in the field, but the fact they haven't yet been reported elsewhere doesn't necessarily mean they are not growing outside Hawai‘i. For example, Nimbospora octonae, a fungus found on driftwood (Kohlmeyer, 1985), or Nesiotobacter exalbescens from Laysan (Donachie et al., 2006), and more recently, Terasakiispira papahanaumokuakeensis from a single anchialine pond on Southeast Island, Pearl and Hermes Atoll (Zepeda et al., 2015).
History of Hawaii's 'State Microbe'
By 24th February 2012, a candidate for Hawai‘i State Microbe had its first hearing in the State Legislature, with HB 2079 introduced by Rep. James Tokioka. That aimed to establish Nesiotobacter exalbescens as the State Microbe. One of the committee members hearing testimony, though, suggested we return another time with a microbe with an Hawaiian name. Unfortunately, the rules governing the naming of microbes mean we can only include words from other languages in a way that has them conform to rules of Latin grammar. This suggestion was later addressed through a discovery in joint project with Dr. Kenneth Kaneshiro (PBRC) and Dr. Durrell Kapan (PBRC), in which my lab hosted Iris Kuo, an ‘Iolani student, for her Science Fair project.
Discovery of Flavobacterium akiainvivens
Iris Kuo cultivated a new bacteria species from the Hawaiian ‘akia in Mānoa valley. That new species belonged in a known genus (Flavobacterium), but Iris developed a new species name, akiainvivens, which in Latin means 'living in or on ‘akia', but it keeps the 'akia' in the name. In Hawaiian, this microbe has been named, Ko’ohuna ‘ili akia. So, it seemed the perfect choice for State Microbe because it was found in Hawai‘i, by a student attending school in Hawai‘i, and it was also even found on an endemic shrub, the ‘akia.
In 2013, HB 293 noted, "In 2012, those who supported the
establishment of a state microbe were tasked with finding a
new and relevant species that is unique in origin to Hawaii.
Scientists and students joined together in research efforts and
studies and collaboratively decided upon Flavobacterium
a’ki’ a’.in’ viv.ens (akiainvivens), which originates from or lives
on akia, or endemic shrubs and trees."
On 13th February 2013, Iris, Dr. Kaneshiro, and I testified in
support of HB 293, sponsored by Rep. James Tokioka to have
Flavobacterium akiainvivens (Ko’ohuna ‘ili akia) designated as
the Hawai‘i State Microbe. That Bill did not proceed through
the legislature, so there was still no Hawai‘i State Microbe.
An 'opposing' Bill (SB 3124) from Sen. Glenn Wakai in 2014 sought to have Vibrio fischeri as the State Microbe. Although Vibrio fischeri no longer technically existed in 2014, having been renamed Aliivibrio fischeri in 2007, this species was first discovered in a water sample collected from the North Sea (between England and the European continent) in 1860, by a Dutch microbiologist. It was named after a German microbiologist, Fischer. It has also long been known to microbiologists as a microbe found in seawater around the world; it does form associations with marine animals, one of which is the Hawaiian Bobtail squid, and it is this association that is essentially the microbe's only connection to Hawaii. In a curious linguistic twist, one might think the 'Alii' part of 'Aliivibrio' sounds quite Hawaiian, but in fact it is derived from the Latin alius, meaning 'other'. Here, 'Aliivibrio' simply translates as "the other Vibrio". Public testimony against SB3124 and 'Vibrio fischeri ' was overwhelming, so Hawai‘i did not get a State Microbe in 2014, either.
While HB 293 did not lead to Flavobacterium akiainvivens (Ko’ohuna ‘ili akia) becoming the State Microbe for Hawai‘i, there were more Bills in later years, such as in 2016 (HB 451, HB 2467, SB 2400). We then tried again in 2017, with HB1217 sponsored by Rep. Isaac Choy, and SB1212 from Sen. Brian Taniguchi.
Our students should be encouraged by the choice of State Microbe to make their own discoveries. Flavobacterium akiainvivens was discovered in Hawai‘i, during a local high school student’s Science Fair project. Having been grown from Wikstroemia (‘akia’), a flowering shrub endemic to Hawaiʻi, it has been termed Ko’ohina ‘ili akia. It has not been detected elsewhere.
What does Flavobacterium akiainvivens Ko’ohina ‘ili akia do?
By degrading wood, this microbe has a role in nutrient cycling in Hawai‘i’s forests. It may also attract the endemic Drosophila craddockae to ‘akia, whereupon the Drosophila lays its eggs; this species of Drosophila does not lay eggs anywhere else!
Conclusion
To be a State Microbe for Hawai‘i, a microbe should ideally satisfy criteria that include, but are not limited to:
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Unique in origin to Hawai‘i.
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Discovered by someone with Hawaiian roots
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A name that reflects its Hawaiian origin.
Ko’ohuna ‘ili akia, or Flavobacterium akiainvivens, satisfies these criteria. It was first discovered on the endemic ‘akia in Hawaiʻi, and may play a role in the life cycle of the endemic Hawaiian Drosophila craddockae, which is also part of a project now beyond its 50th year. It was also discovered during a Science Fair project by Iris Kuo, a Hawaiʻi-born student of ʻIolani School, and that work is reflected in the microbe’s Latin name, ‘akiainvivens’.
