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Microbiology P1 - chapter 1-Humans and the Microbial World

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Terms in this set (20)

  • Major groups of microorganisms
    Prokaryotes: Bacteria and Archaea. Eukaryotes: Algae, Fungi, Protozoa. Acellular microbes: Viruses.
  • Size range of microorganisms
    Viruses are very small (~20 nm), some protozoa are large (~5 mm), and bacteria are about 1 µm (0.001 mm).
  • Why study microbiology?
    Microbes produce oxygen, fix nitrogen, recycle organic waste, are part of the food chain, produce food and pharmaceuticals, and play a role in human immunity.
  • Microbial role in environmental cleanup
    Certain bacteria like Clostridium bifermentans degrade explosives like TNT, and Pseudomonas helps clean oil spills.
  • Microbes in food production
    Yeasts and bacteria ferment cacao seeds to produce chocolate; microbes also produce beer, wine, pickles, and cheese.
  • Microbes in industry
    Bacteria like Alcaligenes eutrophus can produce biodegradable plastics; enzymes from bacteria help soften denim fabric.
  • Microbes as biocontrol agents
    Certain bacteria are used as insecticides to control crop diseases.
  • Robert Hooke's contribution to microbiology
    Used a crude microscope to view cells, starting the cell theory that all living organisms are composed of cells.
  • Antoni van Leeuwenhoek's contribution
    Built microscopes to view living microorganisms, which he called 'animalcules'.
  • Spontaneous generation vs Biogenesis
    Spontaneous generation: life arises from non-living matter. Biogenesis: life arises only from pre-existing living matter.
  • Louis Pasteur's experiment
    Used swan-necked flasks to disprove spontaneous generation and developed aseptic technique.
  • Pasteur's fermentation discovery
    Yeasts convert sugar to alcohol anaerobically; bacteria convert alcohol to vinegar; pasteurization kills bacteria to prevent spoilage.
  • Germ theory of disease
    Microbes cause chemical and physical changes and are responsible for diseases, replacing earlier beliefs of supernatural causes.
  • Joseph Lister's contribution
    Used phenol to disinfect surgical instruments and wounds, reducing infections and leading to antiseptic techniques.
  • Robert Koch's postulates
    Steps to prove a specific microbe causes a specific disease, demonstrated with anthrax in cows.
  • Louis Pasteur and vaccination
    Weakened or killed microbes can induce immunity, demonstrated with fowl cholera.
  • Edward Jenner's vaccine
    Developed smallpox vaccine using cowpox to induce immunity.
  • Paul Ehrlich and selective toxicity
    Proposed chemicals could target microbes without harming the host; discovered salvarsan to treat syphilis.
  • Alexander Fleming's discovery
    Discovered penicillin, the first antibiotic, produced naturally by mold to inhibit bacterial growth.
  • Microbial nomenclature
    Genus and species names are Latinized, italicized or underlined; genus capitalized, species lowercase, e.g., Escherichia coli.