Microbiology: Introduction, History and Main Themes

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms from the lecture notes on the introduction, history, and main themes of microbiology, including important scientists, concepts, career paths, and fundamental biological principles.

Microorganisms

The foundation for all life on Earth; have existed for most of Earth's history, with all current life evolving from ancestral bacteria. Our life depends on their combined activities.

Microbiology

The study of organisms too small to be seen without magnification.

Bacteriology

The field of study for Bacteria, which are prokaryotic cells.

Prokaryote

A type of cell exemplified by Bacteria, lacking a membrane-bound nucleus.

Industrial Microbiology

A career path focused on microbial products (fermentations), biopesticides, and bioremediation organisms.

Medical Microbiology

A career path focused on infectious disease management, infection control (public health programs), and epidemiology.

Education/Basic Research Microbiology

A career path focused on microbial physiology, biochemistry, discovery of new microbes, and development of genetically modified organisms (GEMs).

Antony van Leeuwenhoek

Made simple magnifying glasses, studied lake water, and observed 'animalcules'.

Robert Hooke

Observed samples of cork and coined the term 'cell'.

Ubiquity of Microorganisms

Refers to the fact that microorganisms can be found virtually everywhere.

Diversity of Microorganisms

Refers to the many different kinds of organisms that can be found in most given environments.

Abiogenesis (Spontaneous Generation)

The discredited idea that microorganisms could simply arise from non-living or decaying material.

Cell Theory

A modern biological principle (proposed by Schleiden, Schwann, and Virchow) stating that all living things are composed of cells, which is not compatible with abiogenesis.

Louis Pasteur

French chemist who demonstrated air is filled with microorganisms by filtering air through a cotton plug and observing trapped microbes.

John Tyndall

English physicist who explained conflicting data regarding sterilization, proving Pasteur correct and realizing some broths contained heat-resistant microbes.

Ferdinand Cohn

German botanist who discovered endospores, a heat-resistant form of bacteria, in 1876.

Endospores

Heat-resistant forms of bacteria, whose removal became the standard that defined sterility.

Sterility

Defined by the removal of bacterial endospores.

Aseptic Techniques

Methods developed to prevent contamination by microorganisms, after the development of Germ Theory.

Ignaz Semmelweiss

Introduced handwashing in medicine to prevent the spread of disease.

Joseph Lister

Introduced the use of antiseptic agents in medicine and sterilization of instruments.

Golden Age of Microbiology

Period born after the disproval of spontaneous generation, characterized by rapid advancements in understanding microorganisms.

Germ Theory of Disease

The principle that microorganisms cause diseases, with major contributors including Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch.

Robert Koch

A major contributor to the Germ Theory of Disease, known for Koch's postulates.

Edward Jenner

Developed the first vaccine against smallpox in 1798.

Immunology

The study of the immune system, beginning with Eli Metchnikoff's discovery of phagocytic cells in 1882.

Eli Metchnikoff

Discovered phagocytic cells in 1882, initiating the study of immunology.

Chemotherapy

The age of selective therapeutic agents, beginning with Paul Ehrlich's discovery of Salvarsan in 1907.

Paul Ehrlich

Discovered Salvarsan in 1907, the first truly selective chemotherapeutic agent.

Salvarsan

The first truly selective chemotherapeutic agent, discovered by Paul Ehrlich.

Alexander Fleming

Discovered penicillin in 1929.

Penicillin

An antibiotic discovered by Alexander Fleming.

Gerhard Domagk

Discovered the sulfa drugs in 1935.

Sulfa drugs

Antibiotics discovered by Gerhard Domagk.

Golden Age of Antibiotics

Began with the discovery of penicillin and sulfa drugs.

Nitrogen Fixation

A beneficial activity of microorganisms, essential for converting atmospheric nitrogen into forms usable by plants.

Oxygen Production

A beneficial activity of microorganisms, particularly photosynthetic microbes.

Decomposition of Materials

A crucial role of microorganisms in breaking down substances like cellulose, sewage, and wastewater.

Normal Microbiota

Beneficial microorganisms that naturally inhabit the human body and other environments.

Bioterrorism

The use of microorganisms as weapons.

Prokaryotes

One of two basic cell structures, characterized by the absence of a membrane-bound nucleus.

Eukaryotes

One of two basic cell structures, characterized by having a membrane-bound nucleus and organelles.

Domains of Life

Three groups into which all living things are classified (Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya), proposed by Carl Woese based on molecular taxonomy.

Carl Woese

Proposed the three-domain system of life based on molecular taxonomy (Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya).

Taxonomy

The science of organizing, classifying, and naming living things.

Carolus Linnaeus

Originated the formal descriptive system of 'Classical taxonomy'.

Classification

The orderly arrangement of organisms into groups.

Nomenclature

The assigning of names to organisms.

Identification

The process of determining and recording traits of organisms for placement into taxonomic schemes.

Binomial System of Nomenclature

A two-word naming system for organisms, consisting of the Genus (capitalized) and specific epithet or species name (not capitalized), always italicized or underlined (e.g., Escherichia coli).

Genus

The first, capitalized word in a scientific name, representing a group of closely related species.

Specific Epithet (Species Name)

The second, uncapitalized word in a scientific name, identifying the particular species within a genus.

Species

The basic unit of taxonomy; for prokaryotes, it is defined as a group of closely related isolates or strains.

Phylogeny

Describes the evolutionary relatedness among organisms.

Three-domain system

A classification system based on Carl Woese et al.'s phylogeny, which categorizes life into Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya, replacing Whittaker's five-kingdom system.

R. H. Whittaker

Proposed the five-kingdom system of classification in 1969, which was later replaced by the three-domain system.