Microbiology Exam 1 Flashcards
the study of organisms and agents too small to be seen clearly by the unaided eye
microbiology
What do microbes in our lives do?
decompose organic waste, generate oxygen by photosynthesis, produce chemical and fermented products
Knowledge of microorganisms allows humans to:
prevent food spoilage and disease, and understand causes and transmission of disease to prevent epidemics
Who established the system of scientific nomenclature?
Carolus Linnaeus
What year did Carolus Linnaeus establish the system of scientific nomenclature?
1735
What is scientific nomenclature?
Each organism has two names: the genus and the specific epithet
What does nomenclature look like?
The genus is capitalized and the specific epithet is lowercase
What are some characteristics of bacteria?
they’re prokaryotes, single-celled and have peptidoglycan cell walls
How do bacteria divide?
by binary fission
What are some characteristics of archaea?
They’re prokaryotes, lack peptidoglycan cell walls and often live in extreme environments
Examples of archaea?
Methanogens, extreme halophiles and extreme thermophiles
What are some characteristics of fungi?
They’re eukaryotes, have chitin cell walls, and absorb organic chemicals for energy.
What are some characteristics of protozoa?
They’re eukaryotes, they absorb/ingest organic chemicals, and may be motile via pseudopods, cilia, or flagella
How do protozoa live?
They’re free-living or they can be parasitic
What are some characteristics of viruses?
They’re acellular, consist of DNA or RNA core, and their core is surrounded by a protein coat.
What does a viruses’ coat look like?
It may be enclosed in a lipid envelope
How do viruses spread?
They’re replicated only when they are in a living host cell, they’re inert outside living hosts
What are some characteristics of multicellular animal parasites?
they’re eukaryotes, multicellular animals, and not strictly microorganisms
Who was the first person to observe microorganisms under a microscope?
Antony van Leeuwenhoek
living organisms can develop from non living matter
spontaneous generation
what’s interesting about spontaneous generation?
up until the 17th century, it was the primary hypothesis to explain how life arises
What did Francesco Redi prove?
Used decaying meat to disprove spontaneous generation of maggots
What did Pasteur prove?
He disproved spontaneous generation by the famous swan necked flask experiment
What was the Miller-Urey experiment?
It produced amino acids and did not produce protein nor a cell. It did not explain how single cell organisms evolve into multicellular organisms but it does show evidence for a Designer.