History of Microbiology

Question 1

Who first discovered the world of bacteria?

Answer 1

Antoni van Leeuwenhoek

Question 2

When did Leeuwenhoek discover the existence of protozoa?

Answer 2

1674

Question 3

When did Leeuwenhoek discover the existence of bacteria?

Answer 3

1676

Question 4

Who developed a taxonomic system for naming plants & animals?

Answer 4

Carolus Linnaeus

Question 5

What are the 6 basic categories of microorganisms?

Answer 5

1. bacteria
2. archaea
3. fungi
4. protozoa
5. algae
6. small multicellular animals

Question 6

What microbe type was Leeuwenhoek not able to discover? Why?

Answer 6

Viruses, because they are too small to be seen without an electron microscope

Question 7

Why are viruses technically not organisms?

Answer 7

Because they do not replicate themselves nor do they carry on the chemical reactions of living things

Question 8

How are bacteria and archeae similar?

how are they classified and what similar structure do they lack

Answer 8

They are both prokaryotic, meaning they lack nuclei

Question 9

How do bacteria and archeae reproduce?

Answer 9

Asexually

Question 10

True or false: archeae can disease in humans

Answer 10

False, no archeae are known to do so

Question 11

The worl would be “buried under the corpsses of uncountable dead organisms” if what did not exist?

Answer 11

Microbial recyclers

i.e. bacteria

Question 12

Are fungi prokaryotic or eukaryotic?

Answer 12

Eukaryotic

their cells contain a nucleus surrounded by a distinct membrane

Question 13

How do fungal cells differ from plant cells?

Answer 13

fingu obtain their food from other organisms rather than making it like plants do

Question 14

What are molds?

Answer 14

multicellular organisms that grow as long filaments that intertwine

Question 15

How do molds reproduce?

Answer 15

Through sexual and asexual spores

Question 16

How do yeasts reproduce?

Answer 16

asexually via budding

Although some can produce sexual spores

Question 17

What is budding?

Answer 17

The process of asexual reproduction in which a daughter cell grows off a mother cell

Question 18

What are spores?

Answer 18

Cells that produce a new individual without fusing with another cell

Question 19

Explain Protozoa

Answer 19

single-celled eukaryotes that are similar to animals

Question 21

What 3 ways do scientists categorize protozoa according to? What are they called?

Answer 21

Categorize according to their locomotive structure.
1. pseudopods
2. cilia
3. flagella

Question 22

How do cilia and flagella differ?

Answer 22

cilia are short and many of them cover a cell whereas flagella are longer and there are fewer of them

Question 23

What is the name for a unicellular or multicellular photosynthetic eukaryote?

Answer 23

Algae

Question 24

Describe the structure of viruses

Answer 24

All viruses are acellular obligatory parasites composed of small amount of genetic material (DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein coating

Question 25

What 4 questions drove research in the golden age of microbiology?

Answer 25

1. Is spontaneous generation of microbial life possible?
2. What causes fermentation?
3. What causes disease?
4. How can we prevent infection & disease?