Medical Microbiology unit 1

Microbe/microorganism

An organism too small to see with the naked eye

Cell

The basic building block for all organism

Prokaryote

A simple, single-celled organism that lacks a true nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles

Eukaryote

an organism whose cells contain a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles

The Three Domains

Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya

Bacteria

microscopic living organisms that have only one cell

Archaea

single-celled microorganisms, often found in extreme environments like hot springs or salty water, that are distinct from bacteria and eukaryotes

Eukarya

a domain of life consisting of organisms with complex cells that contain a membrane-bound nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.

Eukaryote

an organism whose cells contain a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles

Metabolism

all the chemical reactions that occur within an organism to maintain life

Pathogen

bacterium, virus, or other microorganism that can cause disease.

Microbiota

the entire community of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, fungi, archaea, and viruses, that live in a particular environment, including the human body

Taxonomy

the branch of science concerned with classification, especially of organisms; systematics.

Genus

a taxonomic rank in the classification system, representing a group of closely related species sharing common characteristics.

Species

a group of living organisms that can successfully interbreed and produce fertile offspring

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek

17th-century Dutch scientist and businessman known as the "Father of Microbiology"

Edward Jenner

English physician credited with inventing the smallpox vaccine and pioneering vaccination.

Louis Pasteur

French scientist who revolutionized medicine and biology by developing the principles of pasteurization, vaccination, and the germ theory of disease

Joseph Lister

a renowned British surgeon, pioneered the concept of aseptic technique in surgery. His groundbreaking work significantly reduced infection rates and improved patient outcomes in the 19th century

Robert Koch

German physician and pioneering microbiologist who established the germ theory of disease by demonstrating that specific microorganisms cause specific illnesses

Alexander Fleming

Scottish bacteriologist famous for discovering penicillin, the first widely effective antibiotic

Carl Woese

a microbiologist most famous for discovering the domain of life called Archaea and for creating the ribosomal Tree of Life

What are the three domains of life? Which ones contain prokaryotes?

3 domains are Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya

What specific features or properties make a cell a cell? (i.e. structures, processes, genetic characteristics)

A plasma membrane, cytoplasm, DNA, and ribosomes

Major differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

eukaryotes have a membrane-bound nucleus and organelles, while prokaryotes do not

Differences between viruses and cells. Why is a virus not a cell?

because they lack cellular structure and cannot reproduce or carry out metabolic functions independently.

Microbial history – how long have they been on earth? How have they shaped our planet?

nearly 4 billion years ago

Where are they found? How do they contribute to human health/disease?

aiding digestion or fighting off pathogens, but also to disease through infection if they become harmful or enter the body.

Applications of microbiology – how can we use microbes?

Microbes can be used for a wide range of applications, including producing food, medicine, and biofuels, cleaning up the environment, and enriching soil for agriculture.

Proper use of binomial nomenclature

capitalizing the first letter of the genus name and using lowercase for the species name, both of which must be in italics.

Taxonomic levels – (Domain > Phylum > Class > Order > Family > Genus > Species)

system for naming organisms that uses the genus and species names

Atom

the basic building block of matter

Proton

Positively charged particles within the nucleus that identify the element. 

Neutron

Neutrally charged particles within the nucleus, also contributing to the atom's mass.

Electron

Negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus in shells or energy levels

Atomic Nucleus

the central, positively-charged core of an atom made of protons and neutrons

Electron Shell

The region around an atom's nucleus where electrons are found

Chemical Bond

the attractive force that holds atoms and ions together to form molecules and compounds

Element

a fundamental chemical substance made of one type of atom or a basic part of a whole

Atomic Symbol

A one- or two-letter abbreviation used on the Periodic Table to represent a specific chemical element

Atomic Number

the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, and it uniquely identifies a chemical element

Atomic mass

the total mass of protons and neutrons in a single atom

Compound

a substance made of two or more different chemical elements that are chemically bonded together in a fixed ratio

Molecule

a group of two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds

Ionic Bond

a strong chemical bond formed by the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions.

Covalent Bond

a chemical bond that occurs when two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration,

Hydrogen Bond

a weak bond between two molecules resulting from an electrostatic attraction between a proton in one molecule and an electronegative atom in the other.

Ion

an atom or molecule with a net electric charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons.

Anion

a negatively charged ion, i.e. one that would be attracted to the anode in electrolysis.

Cation

a positively charged ion, i.e. one that would be attracted to the cathode in electrolysis.

Organic molecule

a compound containing carbon, usually bonded to hydrogen atoms and often other elements like oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, or sulfur

Polar covalent bond

a type of chemical bond where two atoms share electrons, but the sharing is unequal due to a difference in their electronegativity.

Nonpolar covalent bond

a chemical bond characterized by the equal sharing of electrons between two atoms, resulting in no significant electrical charge separation.

Polar molecule

a molecule with an uneven distribution of electron density, creating distinct regions of partial positive and negative charges

Nonpolar molecule

a molecule with an even distribution of electrical charge, meaning there is no net separation of charge or dipole moment across the molecule.

Solution

a liquid mixture in which the minor component (the solute) is uniformly distributed within the major component (the solvent).

Solvent

a substance, most often a liquid, that dissolves another substance (the solute) to form a solution.

Solute

the minor component in a solution, dissolved in the solvent.

Aqueous Solution

a solution in which water is the solvent.

Concentration

a measure of how much of a substance (the solute) is present in a given amount of a mixture or solution

Hydrophillic

having a tendency to mix with, dissolve in, or be wetted by water.

Hydrophobic

tending to repel or fail to mix with water.

Amphipathic

a molecule, especially a protein) having both hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts.

pH

a scale used to measure how acidic or alkaline (basic) a substance is, ranging from 0 to 14.

Acidic

a substance or solution that has a sour taste, a pH value less than 7, or contains a high concentration of hydrogen ions

Basic / alkaline

having the properties of an alkali, or containing alkali; having a pH greater than 7.

Macromolecule

a very large molecule, often a polymer, made up of many smaller repeating units called monomers that are joined together

Monomer

a small, simple molecule that acts as a single repeating unit or "building block" for a larger molecule called a polymer

Polymer

a large molecule, or macromolecule, made of many smaller, repeating units called monomers that are linked together in a chain

Carbohydrates

organic compounds that provide energy to the body.

Monosaccharides

any of the class of sugars (e.g., glucose) that cannot be hydrolyzed to give a simpler sugar.

Disaccharides

a carbohydrate formed when two simple sugar molecules (monosaccharides) chemically bond together

Polysaccharides

a large, complex carbohydrate made of many simple sugar units (monosaccharides) linked together

Glucose

a simple sugar, also known as dextrose, that serves as the primary source of energy for living organisms

Starch

a carbohydrate found in plant-based foods like potatoes, rice, and bread that serves as the main energy source for the body

Lipids

a diverse group of organic compounds that are insoluble in water

Phospholipids

fatty molecules that have a water-loving (hydrophilic) phosphate "head" and two water-fearing (hydrophobic) fatty acid "tails".

Proteins

complex, organic molecules that play crucial roles in living organisms.

Amino acids

organic compounds that serve as the fundamental building blocks of proteins

Nucleic acids

macromolecules essential for life that carry genetic information.

Nucleotides

the basic building block for DNA and RNA, consisting of three parts: a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base

DNA

the molecule in living cells that contains the instructions for an organism's development and functioning.

RNA

a nucleic acid that carries genetic information to cells, helps build proteins, and performs other vital functions