1. Microbiology Introduction

Question 1

What is a microorganism?

Answer 1

A single-celled (cellular):

• > Bacteria
• > Fungi
• > Algae
• > Protozoa

or multi-cellular:
-> Parasites

or non-cellular:

• > Viruses
• > (Prions)

organisms that only can be observed by using a microscope.

Question 2

The bad microorganisms

Answer 2

Problem: Antibiotic resistance

Question 3

Gut microbiome

Answer 3

‘You are what you eat’

Food production -> fermented food

Spoilage -> spoiled foods

• Listeria monocytogenes
• Escherichia coli O157:H7
• Clostridium botulinum

Question 4

Biotechnology
Agriculture
Recycling

Answer 4

Production of biochemical substances, bio fuels and pharmaceuticals.

Degradation of pollutants via bioremediation.

Recycling of essential nutrients.

Question 5

Microorganisms and the environment

Answer 5

largest total biomass (99 %) of living matter on earth found in all (life supporting) environments.

Perform key chemical processes essential to all living organisms.

Major contributors to geochemical cycles - recycling of essential nutrients.

Question 6

Microbial communitites

Answer 6

1. ) Solar salterns

2. ) Saline Benthis microbial community

Question 7

Microbial Fossil Record

Answer 7

1.) Microbial mats

Example:
Shark Bay Western Australia

2. ) Stromatolites (fossilized microbial mats)
   - > earliest known evidence of life on earth

Example:

• McArthur basin Northern Australia
• Warrawoona Group Western Australia

Question 8

Key to understanding Life

Answer 8

First living organisms on earth (fossil record)

Predecessors of all existing organisms on earth

Multicellular organisms evolved from unicellular organisms

Question 9

Origin of Earth

Microbial life forms only

Answer 9

4.6 bya

4 bya to 1 bya

Question 10

1.) Bacteria

Answer 10

4bya

Question 11

2. ) Anoxygenic Phototropic bacteria

2. 1) Origin of cyanobacteria

Answer 11

between 4 bya and 3 bya to present

2. 1) between 3 bya and 2 bya -> Earth is slowly oxygenated
   - > 3 bya - Anoxi Earth (N2, CO2, CH4 Atmosphere)

Question 12

3.) Origin of eukaryotes

Answer 12

2 bya to present

Question 13

4.) Algal diversity

Answer 13

between 2 bya and 1 bya to present

Question 14

5. ) Shelly Invertebrates
6. ) Vascular plants
7. ) Mammals, including humans

Answer 14

1 bya to present

20 % O2

Question 15

Metabolic diversity

Answer 15

Microorganisms show a spectacular metabolic diversity

1. ) Pyrite (FeS2)
   - > Iron containing ore
   - > Energy source for some bacteria
   - > Oxidation releases sulfuric acid
2. ) Lake Natron (Tanzania)
   - > Saturated salt solution
   - > pH 9 - 10.5, ~50 C

Question 16

And there are many

Answer 16

Retrieval and Analysis of microorganisms in environmental samples have shown that many distinct, but as yet many uncultured bacterial species exist in nature