History and Fundamentals of Microbiology (Video Notes)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, concepts, and figures from the lecture notes on the history, classification, and functions of microbiology.

Microbiology

The study of microorganisms.

Microorganisms

Small living organisms not visible to the naked eye; include Bacteria, Fungi, Protozoa, Algae, and Multicellular parasites; plus nonliving infectious agents like viruses and prions.

Bacteria

Prokaryotic, unicellular organisms that lack a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Archaea

Prokaryotes lacking peptidoglycan in their cell walls; often extremophiles (methanogens, extreme halophiles, extreme thermophiles).

Eukarya

Domain that includes all eukaryotic organisms: Protista, Fungi, Plants, and Animals.

Fungi

Eukaryotic organisms with chitin cell walls; absorb organic nutrients; yeasts are unicellular, molds and mushrooms are multicellular.

Yeasts

Unicellular fungi.

Molds

Multicellular fungi made of hyphae.

Protozoa

Eukaryotic microorganisms that absorb or ingest organic chemicals; may be motile via pseudopods, cilia, or flagella.

Algae

Eukaryotic, photosynthetic organisms with cellulose cell walls; produce oxygen and organic compounds.

Multicellular parasites (helminths)

Parasitic flatworms and roundworms; have microscopic life stages.

Viruses

Acellular infectious agents with DNA or RNA core surrounded by a protein coat; may have a lipid envelope; replicate only inside living host cells.

Prions

Infectious proteins lacking nucleic acid.

Photosynthesis

Process by which algae and some bacteria capture energy from sunlight to form food; basis of the food chain.

Decomposers

Microbes that break down dead matter and recycle nutrients.

Nitrogen fixation

Bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into soil-usable forms (ammonia/nitrate).

Digestion (microbiota)

Microbes in the digestive tract aid digestion, vitamin synthesis, and overall health.

Vitamin K and B synthesis

Microbes synthesize vitamins in humans, including vitamin K and several B vitamins.

Penicillin

Antibiotic produced naturally by molds (Penicillium).

Penicillin-producing mold

Penicillium; mold that produces penicillin.

Penicillium notatum

A species of mold historically used to produce penicillin.

Fermented foods

Foods and beverages produced with microbes (bread, wine, beer, yogurt, cheese, pickles, soy sauce, etc.).

Genetic engineering

Advances in gene splicing to design recombinant microbes that produce valuable products.

Recombinant vaccines

Vaccines produced by recombinant DNA technology.

Human growth hormone (HGH)

A product produced by recombinant microbes to treat dwarfism.

Insulin

Recombinant human insulin produced for diabetes treatment.

Blood clotting factor

Recombinant factor used to treat hemophilia.

Erythropoietin (EPO)

Recombinant hormone used as an artificial red blood cell substitute; treats anemia.

Taxol

Anticancer compound produced through microbial production or biotechnological methods.

Monoclonal antibodies

Lab-produced antibodies used for disease diagnosis and prevention.

Rabies vaccine

Vaccine developed by Pasteur for rabies.

Pasteurization

Process of heating liquids (about 65°C) to kill most spoilage bacteria while preserving quality.

Germ theory of disease

Idea that microbes cause diseases; supported by Bassi, Semmelweis, Lister, Nightingale, and Pasteur.

Koch’s postulates

Framework establishing that a specific microbe causes a specific disease (e.g., Bacillus anthracis causes anthrax; Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes TB).

Francesco Redi

1668 scientist who showed maggots do not arise spontaneously from decaying meat.

Lazaro Spallanzani

1765 experiment showing sealed, heated nutrient broth remained sterile; challenged spontaneous generation ideas.

Louis Pasteur

1861 experiments disproving spontaneous generation; developed swan-neck flasks and aseptic technique.

Swan-necked flasks

Flasks designed by Pasteur that allowed air in but trapped microbes, preventing contamination.

Aseptic technique

Practices that prevent contamination by unwanted microorganisms.

Golden Age of Microbiology

1857–1914; rapid advances leading to microbiology as a science; Pasteur’s fermentation and pasteurization work, Koch’s contributions.

Fermentation (Pasteur)

Yeasts convert sugar to alcohol in absence of air; spoilage bacteria cause souring.

Gram staining

1884 technique by Hans Christian Gram to separate bacteria into Gram-positive (purple) and Gram-negative (pink).

Gram-positive

Bacteria that appear purple after Gram stain; have thick peptidoglycan cell walls.

Gram-negative

Bacteria that appear pink after Gram stain; have thinner peptidoglycan layer and an outer membrane.

Three domains of life

Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya; the latter includes Protista, Fungi, Plants, and Animals.

Eubacteria

True bacteria with peptidoglycan in cell walls.

Archaebacteria

Bacteria lacking peptidoglycan; often extremophiles.

Cyanobacteria

Photosynthetic bacteria (blue-green algae) that contribute to oxygen production.

Protozoa (classification)

A diverse group of mostly unicellular eukaryotes that consume organic matter.

Algae (classification)

Photosynthetic eukaryotes with cellulose cell walls that produce oxygen.

Fungi (general)

Eukaryotes with chitin cell walls that absorb nutrients; כולל yeasts and molds.

Protista

A broad eukaryotic kingdom including algae and protozoa.

Viruses (context)

Acellular particles that require a living host to replicate; consist of nucleic acid core and protein coat.

Helminths

Parasitic flatworms and roundworms; multicellular parasites with microscopic life stages.

Stability of drug therapy (antimicrobial chemotherapy)

Issues include side effects, toxicity, dysbiosis, allergies, and drug resistance.

MRSA

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a drug-resistant bacterial strain.

XDR TB

Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Quinine

First known chemical compound used to treat malaria.

Antibiotics

Chemicals produced naturally by fungi and bacteria that kill or inhibit other microbes.

Alexander Fleming

1928 discovered penicillin from Penicillium notatum; mass production in the 1940s.

Ehrlich – ‘magic bullet’

Concept that a chemical could selectively target pathogens; led to salvarsan for syphilis.

Salvarsan

Arsenic-derived drug developed by Ehrlich to treat syphilis.

Rene Dubos

1939 discovered antibiotics gramidin and tyrocidine produced by Bacillus brevis.

Edward Jenner

Developed the smallpox vaccine using cowpox (precursor to modern vaccination).

Smallpox eradication

Worldwide eradication accomplished in 1977 via immunization campaigns.

Bubonic plague

Bacterial disease transmitted by rat fleas; high mortality historically (1347–1351); rare today.

AIDS (definition)

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome caused by HIV; destroys the immune system; transmitted sexually, by blood, from mother to child, or needles.

HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus; attacks the immune system and leads to AIDS.

Edward Jenner’s vaccine lineage

Smallpox vaccine using cowpox virus as a safer precursor.

Pasteur Institute

Research center established by Pasteur; promoted vaccines and aseptic techniques.

Biogenesis

Theory that life arises from preexisting life; opposed spontaneous generation.

Spontaneous generation

Hypothesis that life can arise from nonliving matter; disproved by Redi, Spallanzani, and Pasteur.

Hooke

1665 coined the term 'cell' after observing cork with a compound microscope.

Leeuwenhoek

1673 first observed live microorganisms (animalcules) with simple single-lens microscopes.

Germ theory vs old beliefs

Germ theory posits microbes cause disease; opposed by beliefs in divine punishment and vapors prior to Pasteur.

Antimicrobial chemotherapy challenges

Side effects, toxicity, dysbiosis, allergies, and growing drug resistance.

DNA vs RNA viruses

Viruses may have DNA or RNA as their genetic material and rely on host cells to replicate.

Pili

Hair-like appendages on bacteria used for attachment and conjugation.

Nucleoid

Region in a prokaryotic cell where DNA is located, not enclosed by a membrane.

Ribosomes

Molecular machines for protein synthesis found in all cells; different sizes in prokaryotes vs eukaryotes.

Capsule (bacteria)

A gelatinous outer layer that can protect bacteria from phagocytosis.

Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes

Prokaryotes lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles; eukaryotes have a nucleus and organelles.

Binary fission

A asexual reproduction method in bacteria where a single cell divides into two identical cells.

Gram’s stain origin year

1884; developed by Hans Christian Gram to classify bacteria.