Oklahoma State University 14

Microbe

An organism that you need a microscope to see due to its small size.

Genome

All of the genes that define an organism.

Prokaryotes

Organisms without a nucleus.

Eukaryotes

Organisms with a membrane-bound nucleus and usually organelles.

Bacteria

Single-celled prokaryotic organisms.

Archaea

Microorganisms similar in appearance to bacteria but different on a molecular level.

Virus

An infectious agent that can only replicate by hijacking the molecular biology machinery of another cell.

Robert Hooke

Scientist who coined the term 'cells' after observing cork under a microscope.

Antony Van Leeuwenhoek

The first person to observe bacteria using a simple magnifier.

Spontaneous Generation

The disproven theory that living organisms can arise from non-living matter.

Koch's Postulates

Four criteria for establishing a causative relationship between a microbe and a disease.

Antibiotic

A compound that kills or stops the growth of bacteria without harming the host.

Siderophore

Molecules that bind and transport iron into bacterial cells.

Biofilm

A community of microbial cells adhered to a surface, surrounded by a sticky extracellular matrix.

Endospore

A dormant, resistant structure formed inside some bacteria for survival.

Heterotrophy

The process of obtaining carbon from organic compounds.

Autotrophy

The process of obtaining carbon from CO2.

Selective Media

Media that allows the growth of certain organisms while inhibiting others.

Differential Media

Media that allows multiple organisms to grow but differentiates them based on observable characteristics.

RNA

A nucleic acid that transcribes genetic information from DNA and is involved in protein synthesis.

Peptidoglycan

The component that makes up the cell wall of bacteria.

Lactose Fermentors

Bacteria that can ferment lactose, producing color changes in differential media.

Dilution Streaking

A method to isolate colonies by diluting a microbial sample on an agar plate.

Generation Time

The time it takes for a bacterial population to double.

Batch Culture

Growth in a closed system where nutrients are finite.

Continuous Culture

Growth in an open system where nutrients are continuously provided.

Psychrophiles

Organisms that thrive at low temperatures, typically around 10-15°C.

Mesophiles

Organisms that grow best at moderate temperatures, usually 35-40°C.

Thermophiles

Organisms that thrive at high temperatures, typically around 60-65°C.

Hyperthermophiles

Organisms that grow optimally at temperatures above 80°C.

Halophiles

Organisms that thrive in high salt concentrations.

Antiseptics

Substances that reduce infection risk on living tissues.

Disinfection

The process of reducing the number of pathogens on inanimate objects.

Sterilization

The process that kills all living organisms, including spores.

Piezophiles

Organisms that require high pressure to grow, such as those found at the bottom of the ocean.

Eukaryotic

Organisms with complex cells, including membrane-bound organelles and a nucleus.

Facultative Anaerobes

Organisms that can grow in both oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor environments.

Microaerophiles

Organisms that require low levels of oxygen for growth.

Sterilization Parameters

Specific conditions, including temperature and pressure, required to achieve sterilization with autoclaving.

Phage Therapy

Using bacteriophages to treat bacterial infections.

Oligotrophic

Describing environments that are nutrient-poor.

Germ Theory of Disease

The theory that diseases are caused by microorganisms.

Endotoxin

A component of the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria that triggers a strong immune response.

Resolution

The smallest distance between two objects that can still be distinguished as separate.

Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)

A technique used to visualize thin slices of biological specimens at high resolution.