KAMARAJ WOMEN’S COLLEGE, THOOTHUKUDI
STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.Sc.,MICROBIOLOGY
FUNDAMENTALS OF MICROBIOLOGY
AND MICROBIAL DIVERSITY
STUDY MATERIAL FOR
B.Sc.(MICROBIOLOGY)
FUNDAMENTALS OF MICROBIOLOGY
AND MICROBIAL DIVERSITY
SEMESTER – I
ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-23
PREPARED BY
MICROBIOLOGY DEPARTMENT
, ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-2023, SEMESTER – I
STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.Sc.,MICROBIOLOGY
FUNDAMENTALS OF MICROBIOLOGY
AND MICROBIAL DIVERSITY
________________________________________________________________
Table of Content
UNIT CONTENT PAGE NO
I INTRODUCTION TO MICROBIOLOGY 3-19
II MICROSCOPY 20-27
III BACTERIA 28- 43
IV ARCHAEA 44- 56
V FUNGI 57-76
2
, ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-2023, SEMESTER – I
STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.Sc.,MICROBIOLOGY
FUNDAMENTALS OF MICROBIOLOGY
AND MICROBIAL DIVERSITY
________________________________________________________________
UNIT - I
INTRODUCTION TO MICROBIOLOGY
Microbiology is the study of living organisms of microscopic size, which include bacteria, fungi,
algae and protozoa and the infectious agents at the borderline of life that are called viruses. It is
concerned with their form, structure, reproduction, physiology, metabolism and classification. It
includes the study of their distribution in nature, their relationship to each other and other living
organisms, their effects on human beings and on other animals and plants, their abilities to make
physical and chemical changes in our environment and their reactions to physical and chemical agents.
Most microorganisms are unicellular in which all the life processes are performed by a single
cell. All living cells contain protoplasm which is a colloidal organic complex consisting of largely proteins,
lipids and nucleic acids.
DIFFERENT MICROBIAL GROUPS
The major groups of protists are briefly described below.
A). Procaryotic Protists
1. Bacteria: Unicellular, procaryotic, cell multiplication is usually by binary fission. Cyanobacteria (Blue
Green Algae) is also a procaryotic protist.
Practical significance: Cause diseases, natural cycling- soil fertility, spoil food, make food. etc.
B). Eucaryotic Protists
1). Algae: Relatively simple organisms. The most primitive are unicellular. Others are aggregations of
similar cells with little or no differentiation in structure or function. Some algae such as large brown
algae have a complex structure with cell types specialized for particular functions. Regardless of size or
complexity, all algal cells contain chlorophyll and are capable of photosynthesis. Found in aquatic
environments or in damp soil.
2). Fungi: Eucaryotic lower plants devoid of chlorophyll. They are usually multicellular but are not
differentiated into roots, stems and leaves. They range in size and shape from single celled microscopic
yeast to giant multicellular mushrooms and puff balls. True fungi are composed of filaments and masses
of cells, which make up the body of the organism called mycelium. They reproduce by fission by budding
or by spores – molds, mildews, yeasts and rusts belong to this group.
3). Protozoa: Unicellular, Eukaryotic. Differentiation based on their morphological, nutritional and
physiological characteristics. Best known protozoa are few that cause disease in human beings and
animals.
Viruses
They are not protists or cellular organisms. But they are studied here as
a) The techniques used to study viruses are microbiological in nature
b) Viruses are causative agents of diseases hence the diagnostic procedures for their identification are
employed in clinical microbiological laboratory as well as in plant pathology lab.
3
, ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-2023, SEMESTER – I
STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.Sc.,MICROBIOLOGY
FUNDAMENTALS OF MICROBIOLOGY
AND MICROBIAL DIVERSITY
________________________________________________________________
They are very small non-cellular parasites or pathogens of plants, animals and bacteria as well
as other protists. They can be visualized only in electron microscope. They can be cultivated only in
living cells.
IMPORTANCE OF DIFFERENT MICROBIAL GROUPS:
Microorganisms occur everywhere in nature – In air, oceans, mountain tops etc. as the
conditions for the growth and survival of the microorganisms are similar to those of human beings, they
are in the air we breathe, and the food we eat. They are on the surface of our bodies, in our mouths,
noses, alimentary tracts etc. Fortunately, most microorganisms are harmless to human beings and we
have means of resisting invasion by those that are potentially harmful.
Some microorganisms are beneficial and some are detrimental. Microbes are involved in
making of cheese and wine, in the production of penicillin, interferon and alcohol, in the processing of
domestic and industrial wastes. They can cause disease, spoil food; deteriorate materials like iron pipes,
glass lenses and wood pilings.
Late Selman A Waksman –Microbiologist observed that there is no field of human endeavor whether it
may be an industry or agriculture or in the preparation of food or in connection with problems of shelter
or clothing or in the conservation of human or animal health and combating of disease where the
microbe does not play an important and often dominant role. He discovered antibiotic Streptomycin
produced by soil bacterium for which he got Noble Prize in 1952.
IMPORTANCE OF MICROORGANISMS:
Microorganisms have some characteristics, which make them ideal specimens for the study of
numerous fundamental processes. At cellular level many life processes are performed in the same
manner whether they may be in microbe, mouse or human.
1. They are the attracting models for studying the fundamental processes. They can be grown in test
tubes or flask thus requires less space. They grow rapidly, and reproduce at an unusually high rate.
Some species undergo 100 generations in 24 hours period.
2. In microbiology we can study the organisms in great detail and observe their life processes while they
are actively metabolizing, growing, reproducing, aging and dying.
3. Microorganisms have wider range of physiological and biochemical potentialities. Some bacteria can
fix atmospheric nitrogen, while other species require Inorganic or Organic nitrogenous compounds for
their metabolic activity.
HISTORY OF MICROBIOLOGY
The existence of microbial world was unknown until the inventions of microscopes, which were
invented at the beginning of 17th century. The discoverer of the microbial world was a Dutch merchant
Antony von Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723) with his microscope. His microscopes were able to give clear
images at magnifications from about 50 to 300 diameters. Leeuwenhoek’s place in the scientific history
depends on the range and skill of his microscopic observations. He studied almost every conceivable
object that could be looked through a microscope. He described the microbial world he observed as
‘animal cules’ or ‘little animals’ . All the main kinds of unicellular organisms that we know today –
protozoa, fungi, algae, & bacteria were first described by Leeuwenhoek. He was first to describe the
4
STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.Sc.,MICROBIOLOGY
FUNDAMENTALS OF MICROBIOLOGY
AND MICROBIAL DIVERSITY
STUDY MATERIAL FOR
B.Sc.(MICROBIOLOGY)
FUNDAMENTALS OF MICROBIOLOGY
AND MICROBIAL DIVERSITY
SEMESTER – I
ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-23
PREPARED BY
MICROBIOLOGY DEPARTMENT
, ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-2023, SEMESTER – I
STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.Sc.,MICROBIOLOGY
FUNDAMENTALS OF MICROBIOLOGY
AND MICROBIAL DIVERSITY
________________________________________________________________
Table of Content
UNIT CONTENT PAGE NO
I INTRODUCTION TO MICROBIOLOGY 3-19
II MICROSCOPY 20-27
III BACTERIA 28- 43
IV ARCHAEA 44- 56
V FUNGI 57-76
2
, ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-2023, SEMESTER – I
STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.Sc.,MICROBIOLOGY
FUNDAMENTALS OF MICROBIOLOGY
AND MICROBIAL DIVERSITY
________________________________________________________________
UNIT - I
INTRODUCTION TO MICROBIOLOGY
Microbiology is the study of living organisms of microscopic size, which include bacteria, fungi,
algae and protozoa and the infectious agents at the borderline of life that are called viruses. It is
concerned with their form, structure, reproduction, physiology, metabolism and classification. It
includes the study of their distribution in nature, their relationship to each other and other living
organisms, their effects on human beings and on other animals and plants, their abilities to make
physical and chemical changes in our environment and their reactions to physical and chemical agents.
Most microorganisms are unicellular in which all the life processes are performed by a single
cell. All living cells contain protoplasm which is a colloidal organic complex consisting of largely proteins,
lipids and nucleic acids.
DIFFERENT MICROBIAL GROUPS
The major groups of protists are briefly described below.
A). Procaryotic Protists
1. Bacteria: Unicellular, procaryotic, cell multiplication is usually by binary fission. Cyanobacteria (Blue
Green Algae) is also a procaryotic protist.
Practical significance: Cause diseases, natural cycling- soil fertility, spoil food, make food. etc.
B). Eucaryotic Protists
1). Algae: Relatively simple organisms. The most primitive are unicellular. Others are aggregations of
similar cells with little or no differentiation in structure or function. Some algae such as large brown
algae have a complex structure with cell types specialized for particular functions. Regardless of size or
complexity, all algal cells contain chlorophyll and are capable of photosynthesis. Found in aquatic
environments or in damp soil.
2). Fungi: Eucaryotic lower plants devoid of chlorophyll. They are usually multicellular but are not
differentiated into roots, stems and leaves. They range in size and shape from single celled microscopic
yeast to giant multicellular mushrooms and puff balls. True fungi are composed of filaments and masses
of cells, which make up the body of the organism called mycelium. They reproduce by fission by budding
or by spores – molds, mildews, yeasts and rusts belong to this group.
3). Protozoa: Unicellular, Eukaryotic. Differentiation based on their morphological, nutritional and
physiological characteristics. Best known protozoa are few that cause disease in human beings and
animals.
Viruses
They are not protists or cellular organisms. But they are studied here as
a) The techniques used to study viruses are microbiological in nature
b) Viruses are causative agents of diseases hence the diagnostic procedures for their identification are
employed in clinical microbiological laboratory as well as in plant pathology lab.
3
, ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-2023, SEMESTER – I
STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.Sc.,MICROBIOLOGY
FUNDAMENTALS OF MICROBIOLOGY
AND MICROBIAL DIVERSITY
________________________________________________________________
They are very small non-cellular parasites or pathogens of plants, animals and bacteria as well
as other protists. They can be visualized only in electron microscope. They can be cultivated only in
living cells.
IMPORTANCE OF DIFFERENT MICROBIAL GROUPS:
Microorganisms occur everywhere in nature – In air, oceans, mountain tops etc. as the
conditions for the growth and survival of the microorganisms are similar to those of human beings, they
are in the air we breathe, and the food we eat. They are on the surface of our bodies, in our mouths,
noses, alimentary tracts etc. Fortunately, most microorganisms are harmless to human beings and we
have means of resisting invasion by those that are potentially harmful.
Some microorganisms are beneficial and some are detrimental. Microbes are involved in
making of cheese and wine, in the production of penicillin, interferon and alcohol, in the processing of
domestic and industrial wastes. They can cause disease, spoil food; deteriorate materials like iron pipes,
glass lenses and wood pilings.
Late Selman A Waksman –Microbiologist observed that there is no field of human endeavor whether it
may be an industry or agriculture or in the preparation of food or in connection with problems of shelter
or clothing or in the conservation of human or animal health and combating of disease where the
microbe does not play an important and often dominant role. He discovered antibiotic Streptomycin
produced by soil bacterium for which he got Noble Prize in 1952.
IMPORTANCE OF MICROORGANISMS:
Microorganisms have some characteristics, which make them ideal specimens for the study of
numerous fundamental processes. At cellular level many life processes are performed in the same
manner whether they may be in microbe, mouse or human.
1. They are the attracting models for studying the fundamental processes. They can be grown in test
tubes or flask thus requires less space. They grow rapidly, and reproduce at an unusually high rate.
Some species undergo 100 generations in 24 hours period.
2. In microbiology we can study the organisms in great detail and observe their life processes while they
are actively metabolizing, growing, reproducing, aging and dying.
3. Microorganisms have wider range of physiological and biochemical potentialities. Some bacteria can
fix atmospheric nitrogen, while other species require Inorganic or Organic nitrogenous compounds for
their metabolic activity.
HISTORY OF MICROBIOLOGY
The existence of microbial world was unknown until the inventions of microscopes, which were
invented at the beginning of 17th century. The discoverer of the microbial world was a Dutch merchant
Antony von Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723) with his microscope. His microscopes were able to give clear
images at magnifications from about 50 to 300 diameters. Leeuwenhoek’s place in the scientific history
depends on the range and skill of his microscopic observations. He studied almost every conceivable
object that could be looked through a microscope. He described the microbial world he observed as
‘animal cules’ or ‘little animals’ . All the main kinds of unicellular organisms that we know today –
protozoa, fungi, algae, & bacteria were first described by Leeuwenhoek. He was first to describe the
4
