Chapter 1 Microbes

Microbiology

What is microbiology?

 The study of organisms too small to see with the naked eye. They are deeply involved in the flow of energy and food through the earth’s ecosystems.

What are the major groups of microorganisms.

Bacteria, Algae, Protozoa, Helminths, Fungi, Viruses-noncellular/ [parasitic/ Protein-coated/ genetic elements.

Where are Microbes grown?

They reproduce rapidly in large populations and can be grown in the laboratory.

What is Medical Microbiology?

Deals with microbes that cause diseases in humans and animals. Researchers examine factors that make the microbes virulent and mechanisms for inhibiting them.

What is Public Health Microbiology and Epidemiology?

These branches monitor and control the spread of diseases in communities. Institutions involved are centers for disease control and prevention.

What is Immunology?

The branch studies complex reactions of host tissue induced by such diverse areas as vaccination, blood transfusions, allergies, disease susceptibility, wound healing.

What is Industrial Microbiology?

This branch studies the use of microbial metabolism and its derivatives in large-scale manufacturing and food making, including alcohol production, drug production, cheese making, and to harness biogas. Microorganisms can be used to degrade organic matter at a waste site such as amino acids, beer dregs, enzymes, and vitamins.

What is Agricultural Microbiology?

This branch is concerned with plant diseases, soil fertility, nutrient transformations focus on relationships between microbes and plants.

What is Environmental Microbiology?

They work with infectious diseases that affect animals have interactions with microorganisms.

Aquatic Microbiology

the study of microbes in the earth's surface water

Soil Microbiology

the study of microbes in terrestrial parts of the planet

Geomicrobiology

The study of microbes in the earth’s crust

Astrobiology

(also known as exobiology)- the search for/study of microbial and other life in places off our planet

Who designed the microscope in 1665?

Robert Hooke

List the beneficial microorganisms

Oxygen fixation/ Nitrogen cycle/ Decomposition/ Biotechnology/ Bioremediation/ Pharmaceuticals/ Microflora/ Food Industry/ Science

Oxygen fixation

By photosynthetic microorganisms. Otherwise oxygen would be depleted in 20 years.

Nitrogen Cycle

In its gaseous form (N2) makes up 78% of the atmosphere, Nitrogen fixation is essential.

Decomposition

Microbes “clean up”' waste products and remnants of dead organisms.

Biotechnology

The industrial application of living organisms.

Bioremediation

The use of living organisms for cleaning up oil spills and soil and water pollutants.

Pharmaceuticals

Microbes used for medical products

Microflora

Billions of bacteria that live in the human digestive system.

Food Industry

Fermentation is the process that produces alcoholic beverages or acidic dairy products.

Microbiota

The ecological community of commensal, symbiotic and pathogenic microorganisms that share our body space.

What are pathogens?

Microorganisms that cause disease. They are specialized to infect body tissues where they reproduce and cause damage that gives rise to the symptoms of the infection.

What do pathogens include?

Viruses/ Bacteria/ Fungi/ Protozoa/ Helminths

What are the three domains?

Bacteria/ Archaea/ Eukarya

What are the six kingdoms?

Bacteria/ Archaea/ Protist/ Fungi/ Plant/ Animal

What is a Prokaryote?

A cellular organism that lacks a distinct cell nucleus

What are similarities between Bacteria and Archaea?

1. Prokaryotic cells

2. Size 1-10 um

3. Circular chromosomes

4. Predominantly unicellular

5. Some can fic nitrogen or grow at temperatures above 80 degrees Celsius

Eukaryotes

Does have a nucleus

What are some features that are unique to bacteria?

1. Cell wall is composed of peptidoglycan.

2. Membranes based on fatty acids

3. Some use chlorophyll in photosynthesis

4. Cannot generate methane

What are some features that are unique to Archaea?

1. Cell wall composed of molecules other than peptidoglycan

2. Membrane based on nonfatty acid lipids.

3. Do not use chlorophyll

4. Some generate methane

5. Genes contain introns

What are Archaea?

Distinct from ordinary based on their genetic makeup and ribosomal RNA sequence.

What type of environments do Archaea live in?

Very hot environments/ Highly acidic or alkaline waters/ Deep-sea environments/ Oxygen-free environments

What do Archaea produce?

Methane

What is Eukarya?

Contains cells with a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles. Includes membranous organelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts. Does cell division and is either unicellular or multicellular.

What is Unicellular

Consisting of a single cell (yeast, Protists)

What is Multicellular?

An organism made up of many cells (Fungi, Plantae, Animalia)

What does Algae do?

Contain chlorophyll and preform photosynthesis. Cell walls are rigid. (single or multicellular) (Source of energy from sunlight) (Size: Mirco or Macro)

What does Fungi do?

Obtain energy by breaking down organic material; includes molds, mushrooms, and yeast. (single or multicellular) (Micro or Macro size)

What is Protozoa?

A single-celled organism that live in moist environments and obtain energy from organic compounds. (Micro size)

What is a Virus?

They are the smallest microbe and can only reproduce inside a host cell.

What does a virus contain?

1. DNA or RNA

2. A protein coat called a capsid

3. An additional envelope

What is a Viroid?

Are even simpler infectious agent. They consist only of a short, circular, single-stranded RNA molecule and are associated with diseases in plants.

What are Prions?

An abnormal form of a cellular protein that consist only of protein; no DNA or RNA.