Introduction

Question 1

What is microbiology?

Answer 1

Study of microorganisms

Question 2

What are microorganisms?

Answer 2

Organisms that exist as individuals and carry themselves all life processes (e.g. growth, reproduction, metabolism etc.)

Question 3

What distinguishes microorganisms from microorganismal cells?

Answer 3

They are almost opposite.

1) Microorganismal cells only exist as part of greater multicellular organisms (e.g. plant or animal cells) while microorganisms exist as individuals.
2) Microorganismal cells are unable to carry out life processes independently of other cells, while microorganisms can.

Question 4

What are the major categories of microorganisms?

Answer 4

1) Prokaryotes
2) Eukaryotic microorganisms
3) Viruses

Question 5

What are the different categories of prokaryotes?

Answer 5

1) Bacteria

2) Archaea

Question 6

What are the defining features of prokaryotes?

Answer 6

• Non-membrane-bound genome

- Simple internal structure

Question 7

Describe the prokaryotic genome

Answer 7

 Made of double stranded DNA (dsDNA)
 Organized in single, circular chromosome
 Haploid

Question 8

What are the defining characteristics of eukaryotic microorganisms?

Answer 8

 Membrane-bound nuclei
 Intracellular components
- Several different membrane-bound
- Complex internal cytoskeleton

Question 9

What are the different categories of eukaryotic microorganisms and what are their defining features?

Answer 9

1)	Fungi
	Non-phototrophic
	Non motile
	Rigid, non-cellulose cell wall
2)	Algae
	Phototrophic
	Can be motile or non-motile
	Modified cellulose cell wall
3)	Protozoa
	Non-phototrophic
	Motile
	Lack cell wall

Question 10

What are the defining characteristics of viruses?

Answer 10

 Lack cell structure
 Lack cellular activity
- No metabolism, no growth, no reproduction
- When associated with a host, they can carry out cellular activity (using host machinery)

Question 11

Describe the viral genome.

Answer 11

 Either DNA or RNA
 Circular or linear
 Single nucleic acid or garmented nucleic acid
 Single or 2 copies