Chapter 1: Scope and History of Microbiology

What does a prokaryotic cell consist of?

Cell membrane, cell wall, ribosomes, chromosome, flagellum

What does a eukaryotic cell consist of?

Nucleus, cell membrane, ribosomes, flagellum, mitochondria

What are some types of microbes?

Bacteria, fungi, algae, virus, protozoa, helminths

What is microbiology?

Study of living things too small to be seen with the naked eye

Why are microbes important?

Helps maintain the ecological balance on Earth, commercial applications to synthesize chemical products, important in food industry, live in humans and other animals, infectious diseases

Photosynthesis

light fueled conversion of CO2 to O2

Decomposition

breakdown of dead matter and wastes to simple compounds

Greenhouse gases

gases that impact Earth’s temperature

Biotechnology

industrial production of products using genetically manipulated microorganisms

Robert Hooke

Used improved microscope and observed “cells” in cork tissue. Cell theory

Antoni van Leeuwenhoek

Viewed “animalcules” in rainwater and materials scraped from teeth

Spontaneous generation

belief that life arises from dead material. Many scientists set out to disprove this idea

Francisco Redi

Challenged the theory of spontaneous generation by demonstrating that maggots in meat came from flies, not spontaneous generation.

Lazzaro Spallanzani

Showed that boiling broth solutions and sealing flasks would prevent growth of microbes

Rudolf Virchow

Theory of biogenisis - life arises from life. Issue of spontaneous generation still unresolved

Louis Pasteur

repeated Spallanzani’s experiment with swan neck flasks

Fracastoro

Proposed germ theory of disease, suggesting that invisible fomites could cause infections.

Ignaz Semmelweis

hand washing prevented childbirth fever. Hand washing with chlorinated lime solutions

Joseph Lister

“Father of modern surgery” Applied phenol on wounds to reduce infection

Robert Koch

Identified causative agents of tuberculosis and anthrax, and developed postulates to establish the relationship between microbes and diseases.

Angelina Hesse

a microbiologist who contributed to the development of agar as a solidifying agent for culture media.

Edward Jenner

Pioneer of vaccination, developed the smallpox vaccine using cowpox.

Chemotherapy

the use of chemical agents to treat microbial infections, particularly with antibiotics.

Paul Ehrlich

a German physician and scientist known for his work in immunology and the development of the first antibacterial drug, Salvarsan.

Alexander Flemming

Discovered penicillin (first antibiotic)