Intro to Microbiology - Exam 1

What is microbiology?

branch of biology that studies microscopic life

What is a microbe?

a microscopic organism including bacteria, yeast (fungi), protists, viruses, helminths, prions, and viroids.

Where do microbes come from?

prokaryotes appeared 3.5 bya and eukaryotes appeared 1.8 bya through evolution from earlier life forms and environmental processes.

Where do microbes live?

microbes are everywhere we look; they are NOT in the brain or abdominal cavity

What do microbes do?

composition of atmosphere, flow of nutrients, cause disease, symbiotic association, food and drink, biotechnology, and bioremediation

How did early scientists study microbes?

religion/spirituality, mythology, miasma, foul minds, and imbalance between man and environment

How do we currently study microbes?

culture-dependent methodologies and culture-independent methodologies

advantages and disadvantages of culture-dependent

pro: microbial isolation and growth

con: time-consuming and may not detect all microbes

advantages and disadvantages of culture-independent

pro: faster results and ability to detect unculturable microbes
con: less information on physiological characteristics and potential contamination issues.