Chapter 1 Flashcards
Quorum Sensing
Regulation of gene expression in response to fluctuations in cell-population density
Hospital Acquired
Also means nosocomial infections, such as C-difficile, which causes colitis.
3 Main Aspects of Micro
- Bacteria
- Big Virus (HIV)
- Hospitals
Microbiology Defintion
The study of very small organisms (microbes)
MICRO Acronym
Microscopic Independent Units Complexity Rapid Growth Rates Omnipresent: present almost everywhere
Why Study Microbiology?
- Prevent disease occurence
- Develop aseptic techniques to prevent the spread of disease
- Prevent food spoilage
Prokaryote
- “Pre” Karyotic = nucleus
- Genetic Material (No nucleus)
- 1 Free floating
- 2 One chromosome
- 3 Circular
- No organism except ribosomes
- Cell wall: complex, peptidoglycan. Also has a plasma membra
- Cell division - Binary Fussion
Eukaryote
- “True” Nucleus
- Contains chromosomes
- 1 Linear, several
- Several Organisms, ER, golgi body, ribosomes
- No Cell Wall, less complex.
- Mitosis somatic cell division, meiosis gamete cell division.
Prokaryote —– Human Cells
- Prokaryote
- Archaebacteria
- Eukaryote
- Fungi
- Algae
- Protozoan
- Parasites
- Human Cells
Viruses
HIV, Influenza, Herpes virus (1-5), Hepatitis (A-E), and skin rashes like Measles.
Spontaneous Generation
“A desk can give rise to life”
Louis Pasteur disproved this through the beaker experiements. Once opened (microbial), once closed (no microbial), once with S shaped tub (no microbial).
Observations:
1. Microorganisms are everwhere
2. Devise methods to reduce their growth (aseptic)
3. He rejected previous theory and proposed Biogenesis.
Wine Spoilage
Louis Pasteur devised a system to protect against spoilage of wine, and food in 1861.
Air:
- Bacteria took over and destroyed the alcohol, turning it into acetic acid.
No Air:
- Add just enough heat
- Pasteurization occurs to add shelf life.
- Yeast (fungi) –> alcohol.
- fermentation
Robert Koch
1876
1. Proved that a bacterium causes Anthrax.
eg, Bacillus anthracis
2. Koch’s postulates: experimental steps to prove that a specific microbe causes a specific disease.
Edward Jenner
- Smallpox - related to cowpox
a) He took a liquid from a cowpox blister and infected either his son or a milkmaid. It ended up protecting it from smallpox - Pasteur, 60 years later, labels it immunization. This protection is called immunity