CHAPTER 1

• What are the major groups of organisms studied in microbiology?


  Bacteria, Archaea, Algae, Fungi, Viruses, Protozoans
• What are the characteristics of bacteria?


  • Unicellular microorganisms with varying shapes
  • Lack nucleus and membrane-enclosed organelles (prokaryotic)
  • Absorb nutrients or photosynthesize
  • Have a peptidoglycan layer
• What distinguishes Archaea from Bacteria?


  • Similar to bacteria but belong to the same Kingdom Monera
  • Unicellular and lack a nucleus
  • Many are extremophiles
  • Not proven to cause diseases in humans
• What are extremophiles?


  Organisms that prefer extreme environments
• What are the characteristics of algae?


  • Unicellular or multicellular organisms with a defined nucleus
  • Photosynthesize their own food
  • Many can move
  • Important food source for other organisms
• What are the characteristics of fungi?


  • Multicellular (molds) or unicellular (yeasts)
  • Absorb nutrients from the environment
  • Classified as saprophytes
  • Decomposers of dead organisms
• What diseases can fungi cause?


  Ringworms and vaginal yeast infections
• What are the characteristics of viruses?

  • Obligate intracellular parasites
  • Acellular pathogens composed of nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins
  • Replicate through their nucleic acid
  • Can display properties of living organisms in host cells
• What are viroids?

  Viruses composed of nucleic acid without a protein coating
• What are protozoans?


  • Usually single-celled eukaryotes
  • Obtain food by engulfing smaller microorganisms
  • Most can move, but those causing human diseases cannot
  • Have pellicles instead of cell walls
• What is microbial taxonomy?


  • Classification of microorganisms
• What is bacteriology?


  • Study of bacteria
• What is phycology?


  • Study of algae
• What is mycology?


  • Study of fungi
• What is virology?


  • Study of viruses
• What is protozoology?


  • Study of protozoa
• What is microbial metabolism?


  • Chemical reactions that occur in microbes
• What is microbial genetics?


  • Transmission and action of genetic information in microorganisms
• What is microbial ecology?


  • Relationships of microbes with each other and with the environment
• What is immunology?


  • How host organisms defend themselves against microbial infection
• What is epidemiology?


  • Frequency and distribution of diseases
• What is infection control?


  • Control of nosocomial infections
• What is etiology?


  • Causes of disease
• What is chemotherapy?


  • Development and use of chemical substances to treat diseases
• What is food and beverage technology?


  • Protecting humans from disease organisms in foods
• What is environmental microbiology?


  • Maintaining safe drinking water and controlling pollution
• What is industrial microbiology?


  • Applying knowledge of microorganisms to manufacture products
• What is pharmaceutical microbiology?


  • Manufacturing antibiotics, vaccines, and health products
• What is genetic engineering?


  • Using microorganisms to synthesize useful products
• What did Hippocrates observe about diseases?

  • Diseases can be transmitted by clothing or objects
• Who was Anton van Leeuwenhoek?


  • First to observe microorganisms using lenses he made
• What did Carolus Linnaeus develop?


  • General classification (taxonomy) for all living organisms
• What did Robert Hooke discover?


  • Discovered plant cells while observing cork
• What is the unified cell theory?


  • All living things are composed of cells; cells are the basic unit of life
• What did Rudolf Virchow state about cells?


  • "Omnis cellula e cellula," meaning every cell originates from another cell
• What is the germ theory of disease?


  • Microorganisms can invade and cause disease
• What did Lazzaro Spallanzani demonstrate?


  • No organisms could develop spontaneously from boiled broth
• What did Louis Pasteur develop?


  • Swan-necked flask and pasteurization technique
• What is pasteurization?


  • Heat treatment to eliminate harmful microorganisms in liquids
• What vaccines did Louis Pasteur develop?


  • Vaccines against anthrax, rabies, and fowl cholera