Fundamentals, History and Development of Microbiology – Vocabulary Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, concepts, branches, historical experiments, and contributors from the lecture on Fundamentals, History and Development of Microbiology.

Microbiology

The scientific study of microscopic agents/organisms, including both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbes.

Virology

Branch of microbiology that studies viruses.

Bacteriology

Branch of microbiology that studies bacteria.

Mycology

Branch of microbiology that studies fungi.

Parasitology

Branch of microbiology that studies parasites.

Prokaryote

Cell lacking a membrane-bound nucleus; includes bacteria and archaea.

Eukaryote

Cell possessing a membrane-bound nucleus; includes protozoa, fungi, algae, plants, and animals.

Virus

Acellular infectious agent composed of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) enclosed in a protein capsid.

Viroid

Small, circular single-stranded RNA molecule without a protein coat that infects plants.

Virusoid

Single-stranded RNA molecule that requires a helper virus for infection.

Prion

Infectious protein particle causing degenerative CNS diseases such as mad cow disease.

Nanobacteria

Controversial, very small (≈50 nm) mineral-like particles once thought to be living cells.

Ubiquity (of microorganisms)

Concept that microbes are present virtually everywhere in diverse environments.

Binary Fission

Asexual reproduction process in bacteria where one cell divides into two identical cells.

Generation Time

Time required for a microbial population to double; can be as short as 25 minutes for some bacteria.

Colony

Visible mass of microbial cells arising from one parent cell on solid medium.

Colony-Forming Unit (CFU)

Estimate of viable microbial cells, assuming each colony originates from a single cell.

Inoculation

Introduction of microorganisms into culture media or living hosts for growth.

Incubation

Maintaining inoculated cultures under optimal conditions to encourage growth.

Inspection

Macroscopic examination of cultures for colony characteristics.

Isolation

Separating a microbe from a mixed culture to obtain a pure culture.

Identification

Determining the genus and species of a microorganism via microscopy and biochemical tests.

Culturability

Ability of microorganisms to grow on artificial media in the laboratory.

Applied Microbiology

Use of microbial knowledge and processes in health, industry, agriculture, and environment.

Environmental Microbiology (Microbial Ecology)

Study of microbial communities in natural and artificial environments.

Industrial Microbiology

Use of microbes to manufacture products such as antibiotics, enzymes, and vitamins.

Fermentation Technology

Industrial application of controlled microbial fermentation processes.

Bioremediation

Use of microorganisms to degrade or detoxify environmental pollutants.

Biotechnology

Application of biological organisms or systems to create useful products.

Genetic Engineering

Direct manipulation of an organism’s DNA to confer new traits or produce substances.

Microbial Physiology

Study of microbial metabolic processes, structures, and functions.

Microbial Genetics

Study of heredity and variation in microorganisms.

Immunology

Study of immune factors affecting growth, development, and health of organisms.

Epidemiology

Study of the causes, distribution, and control of diseases in populations.

Abiogenesis (Spontaneous Generation)

Discredited theory that life arises spontaneously from non-living matter.

Biogenesis

Theory that life originates only from pre-existing life.

Coacervate

Primitive, membrane-like droplet proposed as a precursor to the first cells.

Progenote

Hypothetical ancestral cell from which archaea, bacteria, and eukaryotes evolved.

Haldane-Oparin Hypothesis

Proposal that early Earth’s ‘primordial soup’ led to chemical evolution of life’s building blocks.

Miller-Urey Experiment

1952 laboratory simulation that produced amino acids by sparking a mixture of primitive-Earth gases.

Germ Theory of Disease

Concept that specific microorganisms cause specific diseases (Louis Pasteur, Robert Koch).

Koch’s Postulates

Four criteria establishing a causal relationship between a microbe and a disease.

Pasteurization

Heating liquids (e.g., wine, milk) to 68 °C for a short time to kill pathogens and spoilage microbes.

Tyndallization

Fractional sterilization technique involving intermittent boiling to destroy spores.

Antiseptic Surgery

Use of chemical antiseptics (carbolic acid) to prevent surgical infection (Joseph Lister).

Vaccine (Smallpox)

Protective biological preparation first demonstrated by Edward Jenner using cowpox material.

Phagocytosis

Engulfment and digestion of microbes by host cells, discovered by Elie Metchnikoff.

Gram Stain

Differential staining method classifying bacteria as Gram-positive or Gram-negative (Hans Christian Gram).

Agar

Seaweed-derived polysaccharide solidifying agent for microbial culture media (Angelina & Walther Hesse).

Bergey’s Manual

Authoritative reference for bacterial classification and identification.

Systematics

Comparative study aimed at classifying organisms and elucidating evolutionary relationships.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Ordered ranks of classification: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.

Big Bang Theory (cosmic evolution)

Scientific model proposing the universe began from a colossal expansion, supplying elements for life.

Reverse Transcriptase

Enzyme that synthesizes DNA from an RNA template, pivotal in origins-of-life and retrovirus biology.

Applied Branches of Microbiology

Specialties such as medical, food, water, agricultural, pharmaceutical, petroleum, and analytical microbiology.