Nester's Microbiology Chapter 1

Domain

The highest level in biological classification. The three are: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya

Eukaryote

Organism composed of one or more eukaryotic cells: members of the domain Eukarya

Eukaryotic cell

Cell type characterized by a membrane-bound nucleus

Prion

An acellular infectious agent consisting only of protein

Prokaryote

single-celled organism consisting of a prokaryotic cell: members of the doamins Bacteria and Archaea

Prokaryotic Cell

Cell type characterized by the lack of a membrane-bound nucleus

Viroid

An acellular infectious agent consisting only of RNA

Virus

An acellular infectious agent consisting of nucleic aid surrounded by a protein coat

microorganisms

organisms too small to be seen with the naked eye

microbe

general members of the microbial world

spontaneous generation

The belief that life arises from non-living material

Louis Pasteur

Proved microorganisms are in the air. Proved sterile broths would remain sterile using a swan necked flask.

biogenesis

the production of living things from other living things

endospores

heat resistant forms of some bacteria

John Tyndall

Discovered different broths required different sterilization times. Showed that Pastuer's results were not wrong.

Ferdinand Cohn

discovered endospores

The Golden Age of Microbiology

Started when spontaneous generation was disproved. Led to Germ Theory of disease

Germ Theory of Disease

microorganisms cause certain diseases

scientific method

A process in which a series of steps are followed. It separates science from intuition

hypothesis

a testable explanation of an observation

a control

Helps to rule out alternative explanations of the results by showing the only feature that varied in the experiment was the characteristic being tested

Scientific theory

A hypothesis supported by an extensive amount of experimental evidence

Steps in the Scientific method

Make and observation, ask a question about the situation.

Develop and explanation and devise experiments that test the explanation

Doing the experiment, collecting the data, and drawing a conclusion.

Communicating the methods, results, and conclusions

normal microbiota

The collective characteristic communities of microorganisms that populate the human body

bioremdiation

The process in which microorganisms are added to pollutants to hasten their decay

Valuable products made by microorganisms

cellulose

hydroxybutyric acid

ethanol

hydrogen gas

oils

insect toxins

antibiotics

amino acids

biotechnology

the use of microbiological and biochemical techniques to solve practical problems

pathogens

microbes that can cause disease

emerging infectious disease (EID)

an infectious disease that has become more common in the last 35 years. Many are new or newly recognized, but others are long established diseases that have spread or become more common in recent years

protists

algae and protozoa

Fungi

a diverse group of eukaryotes ranging from single-celled yeasts that can reproduce by budding to multicellular filamentous molds

Algae

a diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotes. Either single-celled or multicellular, like seaweed. Must contain cholorplasts.

protozoa

a diverse group of microscopic, single-celled eukaryotes that live in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. Generally larger than prokayotes

Helminths

worms that live at the expense of a host

acellular infectious agents

non-living organisms that are not composed of cells and cannot reproduce independantly. Not microorganisms