Chapter 1: Evolution of Microorganisms and Microbiology Flashcards
Learning Objective
Define microorganism/microbe.
- life forms too small to be seen by the human eye
What are facts of microbes?
- diverse in form/function
- inhabit every environment that supports life
- many single-celled, some form complex structures, some multicellular
- live in microbial communities
Learning Objective
What are the 5 major reasons to study microbes?
- Today’s microbes are the closest relatives to the oldest form of life
- Major fraction of the Earth’s biomass
- Microbial Ecology
- The human microbiome affects human health
- Microbes and food
Closest relative to the oldest form of life.
How old is the earth?
When did the first cells appear?
- 4.6 billion years old
- between 3.8 and 4.3 billion years ago
Closest relatives to the oldest form of life.
T/F: The atmosphere was anoxic before microbes shaped the environment.
TRUE – only anaerobic metabolisms were present as first
Closest relatives to the oldest form of life.
When did the first anoxygenic phototrophs exist?
Cyanobacteria (oxygenic phototrophs)?
- 3.6 billion years ago
- 2.6 billion years ago
Closest relatives to the oldest form of life.
What does LUCA stand for?
Last Universal Common Ancestor
Major Fraction of Earth’s biomass.
T/F: The are more microbial cells on Earth than known stars in the universe.
TRUE – there are about 10^30 microbial cells on Earth
Microbial Energy
Define Microbial Ecology.
- how microbes affect animals, plants, and enitre global ecosystem
Microbial Ecology
List 4 effects that microbes can have.
- cause disease
- benefits animals and plants
- can be used as drugs or immunizing agents
- used in water and wastewater treatment
Human microbiome.
Define Microbiome.
- a group of microbes that live stably on/in the human body
Human microbiome.
What are 3 functions of the human microbiome?
- help to maintain good health
- can prevent growth of pathogenic microbes
- may help trainf the immune system to discriminate threats
Human microbiome.
T/F: The adult human body is composed of 30 trillion cells, and the body harbors another 40 trillion bacterial cells.
TRUE
Microbes and food.
What are the negative impacts of microbes?
- food spoilage and foodborne disease
Microbes and food.
What are the positive impacts of microbes?
- improved food safety
- preservation
- contribute to flavor
Learning Objective
List 4 types of cellular microbes.
- fungi
- protists
- bacteria
- archaea