Living in a Microbial World and the History of Microbiology Flashcards
What are microbes good for?
Important in the production of products in the food and medical industries
What is bad about microbes?
Some are pathogenic: cause disease in humans, animals and plants
Some alter the colour and structure of art pieces and artifacts
What is microbiology?
The study of microorganisms and their interaction with their environment
Where can microbes live?W
Everywhere! Frozen temperatures, high salinity, low pH and high pressure
What is cell theory?
All living things are composed of one or more cells
In what type of living things is genetic material found in the nucleus?
Eukaryotic cells; also contains organelles in the nucleus
Is genetic material of prokaryotic cells found in the nucleus?
NO
What are characteristics of life?
Cells have homeostasis, ability to reproduce, respond to their environment, have metabolism, evolve through evolution
What are examples of prokaryotic cells?
Bacteria & Archae
What are examples of eukaryotic cells?
Protozoa, fungi and algae
What are examples of non-living, acellular microorganisms?
Viruses & prions
What is the basic study of microbiology used for?
To study microorganisms to understand basic biological purposes
What is applied microbiology used for?
To answer specific questions
Ex. to develop new drugs, or new ways of waste management
What are subdisciplines of applied microbiology?
Medical microbiology, food microbiology, industrial microbiology
What is a microbial culture?
A growth of one or more species of microorganisms in a laboratory setting
What is a mixed culture?
A culture with more than one species of microbe
What is a pure culture?
A culture with a single species that needs to be purified to be identified
What are cultures grown in?
Cultures are grown in or on different types of media, which support different types of nutrient growth
What is a solid culture media?
Agar
What is a liquid culture media?
Broth
Who developed the pure culture technique?
Robert Koch in 1881
What is the pure culture technique based on?
A theory that a colony arises from a single bacterial cell
How are pure culture techniques formed?
They are formed by isolating a single colony to form a pure culture
What is the streak plate technique?
A technique most often used to isolate pure colonies from a mixed population
What pattern is used in the streak plate technique?
A zig zag pattern is repeated across the surface of the agar in four quadrants
