Lesson 1.1: Microbiology - An Introduction Flashcards
Defining Micobiology
Define Microbiology.
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, how they work, how they interact with one another, and what they do in the world at large.
Defining Micobiology
Define Microorganisms.
Microorganisms are large and diverse groups of microscopic organisms.
Defining Micobiology
Microbiology as a basic biological science
As a basic biological science, microbiology uses microbial cells to probe the fundamental process of life.
Defining Micobiology
Microbiology as an applied biological science
As an applied biological science, microbiology is at the fore front of many breakthroughs in human and veterinary medicine, agriculture, and industry.
7 types of microorganisms
Enumerate the 7 types of microorganism
Includes bacteria, archaea, fungi, protozoa, algae.
Also includes other multicellular animal parasites such as “helminths”
Also includes virus.
7 types of microorganisms.
What are the distiguishing characteristics of bacteria?
Bacteria are simple unicellular organism and are prokaryotic.
Bacteria are enclosed in cell wall composed of peptidoglycan.
7 types of microorganisms.
What are the distiguishing characteristics of archaea?
Archaea are similar to bacteria.
Archaea are unicellular and prokaryotic.
Archaea are enclosed in cell wall but lacks peptidoglycan instead, archeal cell wall contains pseudomurein.
7 types of microorganisms.
What are the distiguishing characteristics of fungi?
Fungi are eukaryotes.
Fungi may be unicellular or multicellular.
Fungi have cell walls composed of chitin.
7 types of microorganisms.
What are the distiguishing characteristics of protozoa?
Protozoa are unicellular and eukaryotic microbes.
Protozoa can live on their own or as a parasite.
7 types of microorganisms.
What are the distiguishing characteristics of algae?
Algae are photosynthetic eukaryotes.
Algae are usually unicellular.
Algae have a cell wall composed of cellulose.
7 types of microorganisms.
Why are some multicellular animal parasites such as helminths are considered as a microorganism?
(What are helminths?)
At some stage of some parasite, they are microscopic. In this stage they are considered a microorganism.
Helminths are parasitic worms.
7 types of microorganisms.
What are the distiguishing characteristics of virus?
Virus are acellular.
Virus are the smallest microorganism.
Virus without a host are not considered as a living thing. Virus with a host are considered living.
Elements of Microbial Cells
What is a prokaryote?
Prokaryotes are cells that lack a nucleus.
Prokaryotes lack membrane-bound organelles hence they are considered simple.
Prokaryotes are unicellular organisms.
Elements of Microbial Cells
Enumerate the parts of a prokaryotic cell
cell wall, cell membrane, nucleoid, cytoplasm, plasmid, ribosomes
Elements of Microbial Cells
What is plasmid?
Plasmid is a small circular DNA strand.
