BIO 351 Lecture 1 Microbiology: Why do we study it?

The 4 Main Reasons Microorganisms are Important to us

Food Preservation, Infectious Diseases, Biotechnology, Biogeochemical Cycling/Chemical Change

Microbiology

The study of Cellular and Acellular biological particles.

Examples where Microbes were used for Food Preservation

Microbes were used to keep food safe and make them taste better through Fermentation

Examples where Microbes were used for Infectious Disease

The study of Microorganisms and Microbial Infections directly contributed to the discovery of anti-biotics and anti-virals

Examples where Microbes were used for Global Biogeochemical Cycling

Microorganisms are responsible for Biogeochemical Cycling of Sulfur, Nitrogen, and Oxygen

Examples where Microbes were used for Biotechnology

Microorganism are able to do many different chemical reactions that we cannot recreate, this resulted in the creation of Biotechonology

What is the most abundant life form on earth?

There is more microbial biomass on the planet than plants or animals

Most major branches on the tree of life are ___

Microbial

Microorganisms are able to live in more habitats and animals, some of these are ____

Boiling Hot Springs, Antarctic Sea Ice, Salt Evaporation Ponds, Antarctic Dry Valley Soil

The Great Oxidation Event

The evolution of one type of metabolism in Cyanobacteria this event resulted in the evolution of Multicellularity

When did the Great Oxidation event occur?

Approximately 2.4 Billion Years Ago

What group of Microorganisms was responsible for causing The Great Oxidation Event?

Cyanobacteria

The first big advancement in microbiology

Hooke's Microscope and Antoni van Leeuwenhoek's

Examples of Bacteria that we can see with our bare eyes without the help of a microscope

Thiomargarita namibiensis

Larger S/V ratios allow for what?

Faster Membrane Transport and Faster Metabolism and vice versa for smaller S/V values

Why is Faster Metabolism and Membrane Transport not always good?

It can result in errors in DNA Replication due to mutations becoming more frequent.

Unicellular Organisms

Cells that are capable of doing EVERYTHING that the host is capable of doing

Multicellular Organisms

Cells differentiate and become specialist, this results in cells having their own roles within

Griffith Experiments

Showed that DNA was the material that carried the information from one strain to another

What experiment resulted in the discovery of the third domain of life (Archaea)

RNA Fingerprinting by Carl Woese

Protein Coat

Sorrounds the container holding DNA or RNA in infectious agents