(exam 1) ch 1 introduction to material

Question 1

Microorganisms / microbes

Answer 1

organisms that are too small to be seen with the unaided eye

Question 2

bacteria, fungi, protozoa, microscopic algae, and viruses are examples of

Answer 2

microbes

Question 3

3 examples of nonliving matter where microbes are present?

Answer 3

air, solids, and liquids

Question 4

why are microbes important?

Answer 4

they are essential for life as we know it and their processes support life

Question 5

three examples of microbes being important for life?

Answer 5

1) basis of aquatic food web 2) responsible for decomposition 3) perform majority of the planet’s photosynthesis (plankton)

Question 6

what are three ways that humans utilize and harness microorganisms and their products?

Answer 6

1) produce chemical products such as acetone and vitamins 2) produce fermented foods (bread and alcohol) 3) used in sewage treatment

Question 7

a vast majority of microbes are _________ and only a minority are __________.

Answer 7

beneficial ; pathogenic (disease causing)

Question 8

what are pathogens?

Answer 8

microbes that can cause disease and that carry out all or part of their life cycle in the infected host

Question 9

what is a disease?

Answer 9

condition that impairs normal functioning and typically shows distinguishing signs and symptoms

Question 10

what is infectious disease?

Answer 10

disease caused by pathogens (bacteria, viruses, fungi) invading a susceptible host (humans, plants, animals)

Question 11

what are emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) ?

Answer 11

new infectious diseases that increase in incidence due to 1) mutation of existing organisms 2) spread to new geographical location 3) increased human exposure to pathogens

Question 12

what is a biofilm?

Answer 12

community of microbes in which the cells stick to each other and usually the surface and also has a protective slime like outer layer (grows almost anywhere and can cause infection and are usually resistant to antibiotics)

Question 13

what is resistance? What does it look like for humans?

Answer 13

the ability of the body to ward off disease; resistance factors include skin, stomach, and natural antimicrobial chemicals

Question 14

what is normal microbiota?

Answer 14

another major resistance factor - microbes normally present in and on a healthy human body

Question 15

what is the human microbiome?

Answer 15

The human microbiome is the aggregate of all microbiota that reside on or within human tissues and biofluids along with the corresponding anatomical sites in which they reside, including the skin

Question 16

what are benefits of human microbiome?

Answer 16

1) helps maintain good health
2) can prevent growth of pathogenic microbes
3) may help train immune system to discriminate threats

Question 17

what are the three domains of life?

Answer 17

1) Bacteria 2) Archaea 3) Eukarya

Question 18

how many major groups of microbes are there and which categories do they fall under and what is the one notable exception?

Answer 18

7 major groups of microbes; Domain Bacteria = Bacteria, Domain Archea = Archea, Domain Eukaryota = fungi, protozoa, algae, multicellular animal parasites. One notable exception are viruses (are they considered alive)?