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Define microbiology and describe its scope.
The study of microorganisms, including their biology, roles in ecosystems, and effects on humans.
Define microorganism.
A microscopic organism, such as bacteria, archaea, fungi, protozoa, algae, or viruses.
Describe the environmental conditions under which the first microbes lived.
Early Earth was hot, anoxic (no oxygen), and had abundant volcanic activity. Microbes lived in extreme environments like hydrothermal vents.
Explain why microorganisms have been successful.
High adaptability, genetic diversity, rapid reproduction, and ability to survive in extreme environments.
Describe the diversity of microorganisms.
Microorganisms range from bacteria and archaea to fungi, protozoa, algae, viruses, viroids, and prions, each with unique structures and functions.
Antony van Leeuwenhoek
First to observe and describe microorganisms using a microscope.
Francesco Redi
Challenged spontaneous generation by demonstrating that maggots come from flies, not meat.
John Needham
Supported spontaneous generation by observing microbial growth in boiled broth.
Father Spallanzani
Disproved Needham by showing that sealed and boiled broth remained sterile.
Louis Pasteur
Disproved spontaneous generation with swan-neck flask experiments and developed germ theory.
John Tyndall
Discovered bacterial spores and showed the need for repeated heating to sterilize.
Describe briefly the theory of spontaneous generation and outline how the theory was disproved.
Spontaneous generation: The idea that life arises from non-living matter. Disproved by Pasteur’s swan-neck flask experiments and Spallanzani’s sealed broth experiments.
List the types of organisms encountered in the study of microbiology.
Bacteria, archaea, fungi, protozoa, algae, viruses, viroids, and prions.
List important roles of microorganisms.
Decomposition, nutrient cycling, nitrogen fixation, fermentation, food production, and causing disease.
Distinguish between emerging and re-emerging diseases and list examples of each.
Emerging diseases: New diseases (e.g., COVID-19, SARS). Re-emerging diseases: Previously controlled diseases making a comeback (e.g., tuberculosis, measles).
List the three domains and the major characteristics of each.
Bacteria: Prokaryotes with peptidoglycan cell walls. Archaea: Prokaryotes without peptidoglycan, often in extreme environments. Eukarya: Eukaryotes with membrane-bound organelles.
List and describe the kinds of microorganisms in each domain.
Bacteria: E.g., E. coli, involved in nutrient cycling. Archaea: E.g., methanogens, thrive in extreme environments. Eukarya: Fungi (yeast), protozoa (amoeba), algae.
Demonstrate how to correctly write the scientific name of an organism.
Scientific names are italicized (or underlined if handwritten), with the genus capitalized and the species lowercase (e.g., Escherichia coli).
Distinguish among virus, viroid, and prion.
Virus: Protein coat with DNA or RNA, infects cells. Viroid: Single RNA strand, infects plants. Prion: Infectious protein, causes brain diseases.
Describe the size range of microorganisms.
Microorganisms range from nanometers (viruses, ~20-300 nm) to micrometers (bacteria, ~1-10 µm).
