Microorganisms - Overview

Question 1

Microbiology

Answer 1

This is the study of organisms to small to be seen clearly by the unaided eye.

Question 2

What does microbiology study?

Answer 2

Viruses: Non-cellular
Prokaryotes: Bacteria/Archaea
Eukaryotes: Protists, Algae and Fungi.

Question 3

What do Pathogens do?

Answer 3

Cause infectious disease with roles in biogeochemical cycles.

Question 4

Who are most vulnerable to pathogens?

Answer 4

Impoverished and children.

Question 5

Which micro-organisms are major causes of death?

Answer 5

Malaria, Tuberculosis and Cholera.

Question 6

How are microorganisms controlled?

Answer 6

Vaccinations, antibiotics, personal hygeine or control measures.

Question 7

What are examples of recently emerging Diseases?

Answer 7

COVID-19, Influenza, Monkeypox…

Question 8

Pathogen

Answer 8

A biological agent with the capacity to cause disease in a host.

Question 9

What benefits do microorganisms provide?

Answer 9

Food and gut biome, mental health.

Question 10

What are problems with microorganisms?

Answer 10

Food spoiling and disease.

Question 11

How are bacteria grown in a lab?

Answer 11

Agar plate

Question 12

What are the three domains?

Answer 12

Eukaryotes, Prokaryotes and Archaea

Question 13

What are the characteristics of Archea?

Answer 13

tRNA and rRNA
No PG cell walls
Linked lipids built by phytanyl chains
Unsual habitats.

Question 14

What are the important properties of cells?

Answer 14

Compartmentalizaiton
Metabolism
Growth
Evolution
Motile
Differentation
Communication

Question 15

What are the sizes of microbes?

Answer 15

Viruses 0.01-0.2 microns
Bacteria 0.2-5 microns
Eukaryotes 5-100 microns
Yeast 5-10 microns
Protists 50-100 microns

Question 16

Why is cell size important?

Answer 16

In cell volume/surface area ratio, smaller cells having faster growth and higher evolution rates.

Question 17

What alternate structures might bacteria have?

Answer 17

Capsule/Slime Layer and Inclusions

Question 18

What are the functions of cell membrnaes?

Answer 18

Seperation from the envrionment
Selective permeability
Respiration/Photosynthesis
Proton motive force

Question 19

What are examples of clustered bacteria?

Answer 19

Diplococci
Streptococci
Clump of Cocci

Question 20

How do Archae/Mycobacteria differ?

Answer 20

Contain mycolic acids, where Archae have s-layer of proteins/glycoproteins and pseudomurein.

Question 21

Why is GNB/GPB differentiation important?

Answer 21

Allows for gram statining with Crystal Violet, Iodine, Ethanol and Safranin

Question 22

Why dont bacteria lyse archae?

Answer 22

Lacking of PG cell wall.

Question 23

What external structures may be found in bacteria?

Answer 23

Capsule, Fimbriae, Pili and Flagella.

Question 24

What do cell inclusions often store?

Answer 24

Glycogen, Hydroxybutyrate, Polyphosphate granules and Sulphur granules, or magnetosomes.

Question 25

Why are gas vesicles important in aquatic bacteria?

Answer 25

Buoyancy in cyanobacteria.

Question 26

Why are endospores important?

Answer 26

Survive through thousands of years, highly resistance to heat, drying and radiation.