Microbial World (Lec. 1)

Question 1

List several ways in which microbes affect our lives

Answer 1

There would be no life on earth without microbes. They play a crucial role in human digestion, produce essential vitamins, and help the immune system.

Question 2

List at least four beneficial activities of microorganisms

Answer 2

Decompose organic waste, incorporate N2 into organic compounds, generate O2 by photosynthesis, ferment foods, digest food in the large intestine, help the immune system.

Question 3

Define bacteriology

Answer 3

study of bacteria

Question 4

Define mycology

Answer 4

study of fungi

Question 5

Define parasitology

Answer 5

study of disease-causing parasites (protozoa and helminths)

Question 6

Define virology

Answer 6

Study of viruses

Question 7

Define immunology

Answer 7

study of the immune system

Question 8

Differentiate the major characteristics of each group of microorganisms (including viruses)

Answer 8

Bacteria: prokaryotes, peptidoglycan cell wall, asexual reproduction, can be chemotrophs and phototrophs, sometimes motile
Archaea: prokaryotes, cell wall with no PG, asexual reproduction, chemotrophs, often extremophiles, sometimes motile
Fungi: eukaryotes, can be uni- or multicellular, chitin cell wall, asexual and sexual reproduction, chemotrophs, not motile
Algae: eukaryotes, uni- or multicellular, cellulose cell walls, asexual and sexual reproduction, phototrophs, sometimes motile
Protozoa: eukaryotes, unicellular, no cell wall, asexual and sexual reproduction, chemotrophs and phototrophs, sometimes motile
Parasitic worms: eukaryotes, multicellular animals, no cell walls, asexual and sexual reproduction, chemotrophs, sometimes motile
Viruses: no domain, acellular, no cell wall, do not reproduce independently (obligate intracellular parasites), no independent metabolism, not motile

Question 9

Convert between units of metric measurements: centi, milli, micro, nano, and pico

Answer 9

centi = 10^-2
milli = 10^-3
micro = 10^-6
nano = 10^-9
pico = 10^-12

Question 10

List the taxonomix hierarchy from domain to species

Answer 10

Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species

Question 11

Demonstrate proper usage of the binomial nomenclature system

Answer 11

All italicized, genus capitalized