Chapter 1 microbes

Van Leuwenhoek

First to see microscopic bacteria. Refined earlier versions of the microscope made by Robert Hooke.

Bacteria

Prokaryotes w/peptidoglycan wall

Form: Coccus, bacillus, and spiral

Energy: Organic, inorganic, or photosynthesis

Archaea

Prokaryote

Live in extreme conditions

NO peptidoglycan wall

Ex: Methanogens, HALOphiles, THERMOphiles

Fungi

Eukaryote

Chitin cell wall

Energy: Organic

Multicellular examples: Mold and Mushroom (made w/hyphae’s mycelia)

Unicellular: Yeast

Protozoa

Eukaryote

Energy: Organic

Motile via pseudopods, cilia, or flagella

Multicellular: Algae

Unicellular: Amoeba

Algae

Eukaryote

Cellulose cell wall

Energy: Photosynthesis

PRODUCE: Oxygen + organic compounds

Virus

NON-LIVING (not eukaryote/prokaryotes)

DNA or RNA core

Coat has protein enclosed w/lipid

Replicate ONLY in living host cell

Multicellular animal parasites

Eukaryotes

Multicellular animals

Helminths: Parasitic flatworms/roundworms

Microscopic in the beginning

Robert Hooke 1665

First to observe and publish the description of Eukaryotic cells and credited with coining the term "cell"

Rudolf Virchow

Cells arise from preexisting cells

Pasteur

Proved biogenesis (life comes from life) w/ S-neck experiment

Defined fermentation + pasteurization

Developed the first vaccine against anthrax and rabies

Fermentation

Converts sugar to alcohol by using microbes to make beer and wine

Pasteurization

Prevent stored wine from turning bitter by killing off yeast through heat

BEWARE

Microbes can spoil food and if they are able to use alcohol, they can produce acetic acid spoil wine, also known as vinegar (acetic acid)

Semmelweiss

First to suggest hand hygiene to decrease childbed fever

Childbed fever

Postpartum infection (puerperal sepsis) that killed women after birthing

Lister

Proved sterilizing instruments and sanitizing wounds w/carbolic acid prevent pus and is used as aseptic surgery

Francesco Redi

Disapproved spontaneous generation through the production and absence of maggots in uncovered and gauze covered meat experiment

Koch

Proved specific microbes cause certain diseases by using the process of Koch’s postulates

e.g. Proved that B. anthracis (bacteria) causes anthrax

Koch’s postulates of Disease

1- IDENTIFY: Same organism must be present in every case of the disease

2- ISOLATE: Organism must be isolated and grown as pure culture from the diseased

3-INOCULATE: Organism causes disease in question when introduced (inoculated) to susceptible host

4-RE-ISOLATE: Organism must then be isolated again from the inoculated, diseased animal

Jenner

Inoculated someone with cowpox virus and protected them from smallpox disease.

This is called immunization

Florence Nightingale

Established aseptic techniques in nursing and is the founder of modern nursing (prevent healthcare-acquired infections/ nosocomial infections)

Aseptic techniques

Wash hands

Wear gloves

Sterilize instrument

Decontaminate surfaces

Erhlich

Developed the “magic bullet” or salvarsan, arsenic drug to treat syphilis

Destroys a pathogen without harming the host

Sergei Winogradsky

first to reveal how certain bacteria obtain energy from certain inorganic compounds rather than organic substances

Fleming

Discovered the first antibiotic (penicillin)

• Penicillium fungus made penicillin that killed S. aureus

Martinus Beijerinck

Developed the culturing technique to enrich for a certain population of microbial cells from a complex community based on phenotype

Lancefield

Used immunology (study of immunity) to identify bacteria according to serotypes

Berg

Inserted animal DNA into bacterial DNA, and the bacteria produced an animal protein.

Discovered Recombinant DNA and has helped crops from insects and freezing

Phenol

Carbolic Acid is an organic molecule that contains antiseptic and anesthetic properties. Too much of it and concentrated can be toxic

Microbial ecology

Bacteria recycle carbon, nutrients, sulfur, and phosphorus to be used by plants and animals

Bioremediation

Bacteria degrade organic matter and detoxify pollutants like oil/mercury

Biological insecticides

kill insects and can be harmless to other animals like humans or plants

parasitism

Symbiotic relationship between host and pathogen

Normal Microbia

Train our immune system (immunomodulators)

Maintain integrity of organs

Produce vitamins, amino acids for us

Helps digest foods (gut microbiome)

Impact our mood and brain functions

More in intestine than stomach

Transient microbiota

Temporary passengers that do not persist in our body

Biofilm

Microbes attach to solid surfaces and grow into masses

Carl Linnaeus

Father of taxonomy