[1] Introduction to Microbiology

• Study of microorganisms

  Microbiology
• Small

  Micro
• Living organisms

  Bios
• Organism with a diameter of 1mm or less

  Microorganisms
• Microorganisms can be found virtually everywhere: soil, plants, animals, algae, food, humans, wastes, etc.

  Ubiquitous
• Categories of microorganisms

  Bacteria, viruses, fungi, archaea, algae, protozoa
• Study of bacteria - smallest, simplest single-celled organisms

  Bacteriology
• Study of fungi - organisms that include both microscopic and larger forms (molds, yeasts & mushrooms, puffballs)

  Mycology
• Study of viruses - minute, noncellular particles that parasitize cells

  Virology
• Help humans digest food and are closely tied to human immune health

  Gut bacteria
• Dietary components produced by or based on microorganisms can potentially support a healthy gut microbiome

  Fermented foods and probiotics
• Microorganisms help store carbon and produce half of the oxygen that we breathe
• Lactic acid bacteria isolated from fermented food has antimicrobial properties and effect against E.coli
• Soil microorganisms support plant growth by fixing nutrients and decomposing organic matter
• Microorganisms can contribute to energy production by generating biogas
• Microorganisms are used in the treatment of wastewater and the remediation of polluted sites
• Microorganisms are used in the production of pharmaceuticals, like antibiotics and vaccines
• Antibiotics from microbes: streptomycin from Streptomyces griseus bacteria and penicillin from Penicillium mold
• Microorganisms have environmental benefits, and medical and food production purposes.
• Microorganisms play an important role in the manufacturing and preservation of foods, e.g. yoghurt, pickles or kimchi.
• Microorganisms produce compost and recover nutrients from food wastes
• Atmospheric gases contribute to mineral formation
• Decomposition help in recycling nutrients
• Oxygen production by microorganisms aid photosynthesis
• Microbes sustain a living support network for all the Earth's habitats
• Microorganisms that are always present on or in a person and usually do not cause any disease, and serve as barriers to infectious agents

  Normal flora
• Techniques that deliberately alter the genetic makeup of organisms

  Genetic engineering and recombinant DNA technology
• Used to mass-produce human hormones and other drugs, create totally novel substances, and develop

  Genetic engineering and recombinant DNA technology
• Concerned with industrial uses of Microbiology microbes in production of alcoholic beverages, vitamins, NH2-acids, enzymes, and other drugs.

  Industrial Microbiology
• Study of relationships of microbes and crops and on control of plant diseases and improvement of yields

  Agricultural Microbiology
• Deals with interaction of microorganisms and food in relation to food processing, food spoilage, food borne disease and their prevention

  Food microbiology
• Deals with production and maintenance in quality control of dairy products

  Dairy microbiology
• Study of microorganisms found in fresh estuarine and marine waters

  Aquatic microbiology
• Deals with the role of aerospora in contamination and spoilage of food and dissemination of plant and animal diseases through air

  Air Microbiology
• Deals with exploration for microbial life in outer space

  Exomicrobiology
• Causative agents of disease, diagnostic procedure for identification of causative agents, preventive measures

  Medical microbiology
• Deals with the immune system that protects against infection and to study serology (study of serum and other body fluids) reactions

  Immunology
• Concerns with monitoring, control and spread of diseases in communities

  Public Health Microbiology
• Scientific manipulation of living organisms especially at molecular and genetic level to produce useful products

  Biotechnology
• Nature’s most abundant and ubiquitous microorganisms; lack special structures such as nucleus and organelles; classify as bacteria and archaea

  Prokaryotic Cells