PH 162A M1 - Lec 1

biologists who use microbiology

ecologists

biochemists

genetics

microbes useful in research bc:

size/strxtr

lg pops. w/ more reliable results

rapid growth rate to study genetic transfer

research benefits

disease control

vaccines

antibiotics

“we are the planet of bacteria” ex’s:

deep drilling cores — two biospheres, environmental versatility — sulfur/methane - based metabolism, undersea vents

microbiology

study of microbes

microbes

bacteria, archae, algae, fungi, viruses, protozoa, helminths and anthropods

microbes characteristics

widely distributed in nature

most consist of a single cell

some are acellular (viruses)

range in size — 20 nm to 5 nm in diameter

prokaryotic microbes

2 domains: single-celled; lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles

prokaryotes: bacteria

some pathogens, many shapes, Science of Bacteriology

prokaryotes: archaea

environmental extremophiles, novel biochemistry, not pathogens to humans

eukaryotic microbes

1 domain: contain nucleus and membrane-bound organelles