Lecture 3

Question 1

Characteristics of Life

Answer 1

1. Motility
2. Growth
3. Metabolism- consists of both anabolic and catabolic processes
4. Irritability-ability to respond to a stimulus
5. Reproduction
6. Molecular Complexity
7. Organization
8. Adaptation
9. Differentiation

Question 2

Adaptation

Answer 2

genetic potential of living organisms to survive to changes in the environment

Question 3

Differentiation

Answer 3

two biological model systems have been used to help study this process.

a. Process by which B lymphocytes (B cells) differentiate into plasma cells to produce antibodies.
b. Process by which a vegetative bacterial cell differentiates into a spore.

Question 4

two components to Cell Theory

FIRST

Answer 4

The first part was established in 1838-1839 by Schleiden
(botanist) and Schwann (zoologist). Even the most complex living organisms are composed of
elementary parts that are repeated over and over again. These parts are called cells

Question 5

two components to Cell Theory

SECOND

Answer 5

The second part was added by Rudolf Virchow in 1858. This was the theory of Biogenesis. Biogenesis states that living cells arise from pre-existing living cells. A genetic continuity of life. Biogenesis set aside the notion that
some forms of life could arise spontaneously from nonliving matter. This controversy between spontaneous generation and biogenesis had gone on for hundreds of years.

Question 6

Major contributors and historical figures

Answer 6

Robert Hooke
Anton van Leeuwenhoek
Francesco Redi
John Needham
Lazzaro Spallanzani
Louis Pasteur

Question 7

Robert Hooke (1665)

Answer 7

used the word cells to describe the holes in cork.

Question 8

Anton van Leeuwenhoek (1674)

Answer 8

• father of Microbiology. First to report his
  observations. He described “animalcules” from teeth scrapings. The resolution of his primitive
  microscope/lens system was approximately 1.45 micrometers.

Question 9

The battle over the existence of spontaneous generation can be traced back to

Answer 9

to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Virgil (70 – 19 B.C.)

Question 10

Romans. Virgil (70 – 19 B.C.)

Answer 10

) a Roman epic poet wrote a treatise on the artificial propagation of bees.
He believed that bees came from honey.

Question 11

Francesco Redi (1668)

Answer 11

He was skeptical about spontaneous generation and set-up an experiment that showed that that worms (larvae) on meat actually came from flies that landed on the meat and laid eggs. The worms did not arise spontaneously from meat.

Question 12

John Needham (1745)

Answer 12

looked at infusions (soups, broths) through microscopes.
When spoiled, he saw many microorganisms. He heated these spoiled infusions to kill the growth and then placed a cork on these flasks. Since organisms then grew, he claimed that spontaneous generation
existed.

Question 13

Lazzaro Spallanzani

Answer 13

Heated sealed flasks with non porous corks. These flasks did not result in microbial growth. Therefore, he did not believe in spontaneous generation. Needham responded that Spallanzani had not allowed “vital forces” to enter flask, and that is why spontaneous generation did not work.

Question 14

Louis Pasteur (1861)

Answer 14

using his famous long necked flasks that were bent into S-shaped curves, presented a paper in Paris that completely ended this controversy. Yeast infusions were heated to kill cells. The “vitalists” were satisfied because the flasks were open. Nothing grew. No spontaneous
generation.

Question 15

John Tyndall

Answer 15

developed a process known as tyndallization. By alternately heating and incubating hay infusions both vegetative cells and spores would be destroyed. Pasteur’s apparatus could now be used with hay infusions.

Question 16

Other scientists attempted to duplicate Pasteur’s work with his S flasks
What did they do?

Answer 16

they used hay infusions rather than yeast infusions. These experiments did not work. There was growth following the heating process. Why? Hay infusions had heat resistant cells known as spores.

Question 17

Germ Theory of Disease

Answer 17

Girolamo Fracastoro
Agostino Bassi
Louis Pasteur
Joseph Lister 
Robert Koch

Question 18

Girolamo Fracastoro (1546)

Answer 18

described the idea of ‘contagion”, something passed on
from one person to another. This led to quarantines. No one knew what was passed along to
make people sick. Some believed it was miasmata, poisonous gasses from decomposing bodies.

Question 19

Agostino Bassi (1836)

Answer 19

studied fungal disease in silkworms. He connected the fungi with disease. First association with microorganism and disease.

Question 20

Louis Pasteur (1865)

Answer 20

Studied Pebrine Disease. Another disease of silkworms. This disease was caused by a protozoan.

Question 21

Joseph Lister (1867)

Answer 21

• Introduced antiseptic principles in surgery. In 1878 he established a technique for creating pure cultures using serial dilutions. Pure cultures were critical for being able to connect a particular microorganism with a particular disease. Serial dilutions can also be used to reduce the number of cells/ml for purposes of counting concentrated suspensions of bacteria.

Question 22

Robert Koch (1876)

Answer 22

established a protocol (Koch’s postulates-Ch 14) for directly relating a specific microbe to a specific disease. He determined that Bacillus anthracis was the etiologic
agent of anthrax.

Question 23

chicken cholera & Pasteur

Answer 23

Pasteur publically demonstrated that Pasteurella multocida caused chicken cholera. An error in the
demo made Pasteur think about immunity. Back in 1798 Edward Jenner used cowpox vaccine to
prevent smallpox. Jenner is credited with using the first vaccine. (Louis Pasteur coined the term vaccine
nearly 100 years later, vacca for cow).