The Main Themes of Microbiology

Flashcards covering the key terms and concepts from the lecture notes on microbiology.

Microbiology

The study of organisms too small to be seen without magnification.

Prokaryote

Microscopic, unicellular organisms that lack nuclei and membrane-bound organelles.

Eukaryote

Unicellular and multicellular organisms that possess a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Acellular

Refers to entities like viruses that are not composed of cells.

Pathogen

Microbes that cause disease.

Taxonomy

The science of organizing, classifying, and naming living things.

Binomial Nomenclature

A system that gives each organism two names: a genus (capitalized) and a species (lowercase).

Germ Theory of Disease

The theory that diseases are caused by the growth of microbes in the body.

Endospores

Heat-resistant forms of some bacteria that can survive extreme conditions.

Vaccination

The process of inoculating a person with a vaccine to provide immunity against a disease.