Chapter 1 Flashcards
What is microbiology
The study of organisms too small to be seen without a microscope
What are six of the main types of microorganisms?
Bacteria
Viruses
Fungi
Protozoa
Helminths
Algae
What is spontaneous generation?
An early belief that some forms of life could arise from vital forces present in non living or decomposing matter.
What is Germ theory?
The theory that germs cause disease.
Who is Louis Pasteur?
He developed a method to kill microorganisms in food. A process called pasteurization.
Who was Robert Koch?
In late 1800’s early 1900’s he established germ theory as scientific fact.
Bacteria are classified as
Prokaryotes
Prokaryotes do not have
A nucleus
Viruses are not
Cells
Viruses are classified as
Why are they classified that way?
Infectious particles
They are not cells
What are four main types of eukaryotic microorganisms?
Fungi
Protozoa
Helminths
Algae
Eukaryotic cells
Have a nucleus
Name four of the main
branches of microbiology
Immunology
-Public health and epidemiology
-Biotechnology
-Genetic engineering and recumbent DNA
How long has bacteria like organisms existed on earth?
About 3.5 billion years
How long have eukaryotes existed on earth?
About 2 billion years
Describe the microbial structure of prokaryotes
They are microscopic, unicellular organisms that do not have a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles.
Describe the microbial structure of eukaryotes
They can be unicellular, they are microscopic but can also be multicellular. They have a nucleus and membrane bound organelles.
Describe the microbial structure of viruses
Acellular parasitic particles that are made of protein on the outside and nucleic acid on the inside.
Which of the following does not describe a fungus
A. Contains a nucleus
B. Has 80s ribosomes
C. Useful in decomposition
D. Is photosynthetic
D
Biotechnology
Production of foods, drugs, and vaccines using living organisms.
Genetic engineering
Manipulating the genes of organisms to make new products
Bioremediation
Using living organisms to remedy an environmental problem.
Describe the lifestyle of most microorganisms.
Most live a free existence, are relatively harmless and can be beneficial
Some microorganisms like parasites
Have a close association with other microorganisms.
Parasites
Live on or in the body of another organism called the host and it damages the host.
Pathogens are
Microbes that do harm
About how many microbes cause diseases?
About 2,000
About how many infections are there per year worldwide?
About 10 Billion
About how many deaths from infections occur every year worldwide?
About 12 million
The most common type of infections are
Respiratory
How long has microbiology been a field of study?
Over 300 years
Prominent discoveries in microbiology include
Microscopy
The scientific method
Development of medical microbiology
Microbiology techniques
Antoine van Leeuwenhoek
-Invented the microscope
-Was a Dutch linen merchant
-Was the first to observe living microbes
-his microscope magnified to 300X
What
What is the scientific method
The approach taken by scientists to explain a certain natural phenomenon
Hypothesis
A tentative explanation that can be supported or refuted
Theory
A hypothesis that has been supported by a growing body of evidence and survives rigorous scrutiny.
Law or principle
A theory that is so compelling that it cannot be refuted
Louis Pasteur disproved
Spontaneous generation
Louis Pasteur proved
The theory of biogenesis
Theory of Biogenesis
The idea that living things can only arise from other living things.
Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes observed
That mothers who did at home births had fewer infections than those who gave birth in hospitals
Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis
Correlated infections with physicians coming directly from autopsy room to the maternity ward
Joseph lister
Introduced aseptic techniques to reduce microbes in medical settings and prevent wound infections.
Joseph listers aseptic technique involved
Disinfection of hands using chemicals prior to surgery
Use of heat for sterilization
Germ theory of disease
Many diseases are caused by growth of microbes in the body
Who were the two main contributors to germ theory?
Louis Pasteur
Robert Koch
What four things are Louis Pasteur known for
- showing microbes cause fermentation and spoilage
- disproved spontaneous generation
- Developed Pasteurization
- developed first rabies and anthrax vaccines
Robert Koch is known for
Established Koch’s postulates
Identified the cause of anthrax,TB, and cholera
Developed pure culture method
What are Koch’s postulates
A sequence of experimental steps that verified germ theory
Taxonomy
Organizing, classifying, and naming living things
The formal system of taxonomy was created by
Carl Von Linnè
Taxonomy concerns itself with
Classification
Nomenclature
Identification
Classification as it relates to taxonomy is
Orderly arrangement of organisms into groups
Nomenclature as it relates to taxonomy is
Assigning names
Identification as it relates to taxonomy is
Determining and recording traits of organisms for placement into taxonomic schemes.
Levels of classification
- domain
-kingdom - phylum or division
- class
- order
- family
- genus
- species
Three domains of life
Bacteria
Archaea
Eukarya
Archaea
Odd prokaryotic bacteria that lives in extreme environments like high heat or salt content
Eukarya
Have a nucleus and organelles
Binomial nomenclature
Gives each microbe 2 names
In binomial nomenclature each microbe gets 2 names
Genus ( first name)
Species ( second name)
Genus is always
Species is always
Uppercase
Lowercase
In taxonomy the words for genus and species
Are either italicized or underlined
Bacteriology
The study of bacteria: small single cell prokaryotic organisms
Mycology
The study of fungi
Fungi
Eukaryotic organisms that include both microscopic ie mold and larger members like mushrooms
Protozoology
The study of protozoa
Protozoa
A group of mostly single cell eukaryotes
Virology
The study of viruses
Virus
Noncellular particles that parasitize cells
Parasitology
The study of parasites traditionally including pathogenic protozoa helminth worms and certain insects
Phycology or algology
The study of simple photosynthetic eukaryotes the algae ranging from single cell forms to large seaweeds
Morphology
The study of the detailed structure of microorganisms
Physiology
Investigation of organismal metabolism at the cellular and molecular levels
Taxonomy
The classification, naming, and identification of microorganisms
Microbial genetics and molecular biology
The study of the genetic material and biochemical reactions that make up a cells metabolism
Microbial ecology
The interrelationships between microbes and the environment the roles of microorganisms in nutrient cycles and natural ecosystems
Medical microbiology
Studies the effects of microorganisms on human beings
Immunology
Studies the complex web of protective substances and reactions caused by invading microbes and other harmful entities
Biotechnology focuses on
The natural ability of microbes
Genetic engineering focuses on
The alteration of the genetic makeup of microbes in order to make novel microbes
Agricultural microbiology
Is concerned with the effects of microbes on domesticated plants and animals
Food microbiologists
Study the effects of microbes on the food supply
How long have bacteria like cells existed on earth
3.5 billion years
About 1.8 billion years ago
Eukaryotic cells appeared
Organelles
Specialized internal structures within cells
Endosymbiosis
The process by which eukaryotic cells evolved from prokaryotic cells
Prokaryotes are typically
Single called organisms
Few if any diseases are related to
Archaea
Archaea and bacteria are
Very similar
The most common microbes on earth
Viruses
Viruses are not
Cells
Viruses are
Small particles composed of a small amount of hereditary material and are surrounded by a protein coat
Most microbiologists don’t consider viruses to be
Alive because they can’t reproduce on their own
Prions consist of
Protein
Prions are
Even simpler than viruses
Most microorganisms are measured in
Micrometers
Nanometers
Millimeters
Microbes are deeply involved in
The flow of energy and food through the earths ecosystems
Photosynthetic microorganisms account for more than half of earths
Photosynthesis which contributes a majority of the oxygen to the atmosphere
Decomposition
Involves the breakdown of dead matter and wastes into simple compounds that can be directed back into the natural cycles of living things
Microbes are responsible for the content of the earths
Soil
Water
Atmosphere
Biotechnology
The manipulation of microorganisms to make products in an industrial setting
Recombinant DNA
A technology that deliberately modifies the genetic structure of an organism to create novel products, microbes, animals, plants, and viruses
Bioremediation
Introducing microbes to the environment to restore stability or clean up toxic pollutants
A majority of microorganisms are
Completely harmless and even essential for life as we know it
Pathogen
Any agent that infects the body tissues and causes disease
How many pathogens plague humanity
Nearly 1,500
Emerging diseases
Newly identified conditions that are being reported in increasing numbers
Since 1980
At least 90 novel infectious agents have arisen within the human population
Pandemic diseases
Spread across continents
Zoonoses
Infectious diseases native to animals that can be transmitted to humans
Re-emerging diseases
We’ll known older diseases that are increasing in occurrence
The only microbe that has been eliminated is
Smallpox
A contributing factor to the spread of disease is
Our ability to travel more easily
Another factor in the spread of disease is
Vectors such as fleas or ticks
Many diseases that used to be considered non infectious have been linked to
Microbial infection
The information obtained through the scientific method is
Explanatory and predictive
Describe the deductive reasoning approach
A scientist uses general observation of a phenomenon and develops a set of facts to explain the phenomenon
Hypotheses are based on
Scientific thought not superstition or myth
Describe inductive reasoning
One applies specific observations to develop a general explanation
Theory
A collection of statements, propositions, or concepts that explain a natural event
Theories explain
Laws explain
Why things happen
How things happen
Edward Jenner
Was the first to vaccinate people against disease
Sterile
Completely free of all microbial life forms including spores and viruses
Taxa
Taxonomic categories
Phylogenetic
A classification system based on evolutionary relationships
Classification
An orderly arrangement of organisms into groups that indicate evolutionary relationships in history
Identification
The process of using the specific characteristics and capabilities of an organism to determine the exact identity and placement in taxonomy
Hierarchies
Levels of power
Arrangement in order of rank
Specific epithet
Scientific name
Binomial system
Two name system
Phylogeny
The natural relatedness between groups of living things
Morphology
The study of organismic structure
Physiology
The study of the function of an organism
Genetics
The study of inheritance of biological characteristics
The two foundational premises for evolution
1 all new species originate from preexisting species
2 closely related organisms have similar features because they evolved from a common ancestor
Robert Whittaker
Developed a five kingdom system
Archaea are characterized by
Their ability to thrive in harsh conditions
The woese fox system
Represents the most accurate relationships between organisms
