Microbiology - A Systems Approach: Chapter 1

Microbiology - A Systems Approach: Chapter 1 Microbiology - The study of living things too small to be seen without magnification Sub-diciplines of microbiology - Bacteriology, Mycology, Phycology, Protozoology, Virology, Immunology Examples of human use of microbiology: industrial - Production of important compounds like antibiotics, MSG, and ethanol Human use of microbiology in food - yeast for beer, bread; formation of alcohol for beverages Human use of microbiology in biotechnology - specifically in genetic engineering - Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), creation of new products Bioremediation - Introduction of microbes into the environment to resort stability or clean up toxic pollutants such as oil spills or chemical spills, or for use in water and sewage treatment Examples of human use of microbiology: biotechnology - Recombinant DNA Technology - Allows microbes to be engineered to synthesize desirable proteins (i.e. drugs, hormones, and enzymes) General characteristics of Prokaryotic organisms - About 10x smaller than eukaryotes. Lack nucleus, organelles. Have a cell wall. All are microorganisms. General characteristics of Eukaryotic organisms - About 10 x bigger than prokaryotes. Have organelles and nucleus Lack cell wall. Not all are microorganisms General characteristics of Viruses - Not independently living cellular organisms. Much simpler than cells - basically a small amount of DNA or RNA wrapped in protein and sometimes by a lipid membrane (envelope). Individual are referred to as a virus particle or vision. Depend on the infected cell's machinery to multiply and disperse. Louis Pasteur - Discovered Pasteurization Developed the Germ Theory of Disease Robert Koch - Verified Germ Theory Developed Koch's Postulates Koch's Postulates - Disease is always in sick, not healthy Isolate microorganism Infection with pure microbes results in disease Re-isoalte microorganism from infected individuals Major groups of microbes - Bacteria, Algae, Protozoa, Archaea, Helminths, Viruses Virus - Non-cellular, parasitic, protein-coated genetic elements that can infect all living things, including other microbes Major types of Prokaryotes - Bacteria, Archaea Major types of Eukaryotes - Fungi, Algae, Protozoa, Helminths Bacteriology - Study of Prokaryotes Mycology - Study of Fungi Phycology - Study of Algae Protozoology - Study of Protozoa Virology - Study of Viruses Immunology - Study of the immune system Taxonomy - The science and classification of living things acelluar - viruses The earliest organisms found in the fossil record - Microbes Prokaryote - Cells lacking special structures such as a nucleus and organelles. All prokaryotes are microorganisms Eukaryote - A cell that has a a nuclear membrane (a well-defined nucleus), membrane-bounded subcellular organelles, and mitotic cell division.