Microbio chp 1-4, 6

• Describe the process of the Scientific Method

  - Make an observation and ask a question about it

  - Develop a testable explanation called a hypothesis

  - Design experiments to test the hypothesis

  - Include a control to help rule out alternative explanations

  - Do the experiment, collect and analyze data

  - Draw a conclusion

  - Communicate methods, results, and conclusions
• Benefits of commercial microorganisms

  - food production = baking bread using yeast, fermentation of grains to produce beer, fermentation of milk -> yogurt, cheeses, buttermilk

  - Biodegradation = degrade environmental pollutants, lessen damage from oil spills, bioremediation (use of microorganisms to hasten the decay of pollutants)
• Benefits of environmental microorganisms

  - recycling of nutrients

  - oxygen production through photosynthesis

  - nitrogen fixation

  - decomposers of material
• Benefits of human health microorganisms


  microorganisms can help humans by helping break down food in the body, i.e. food digestion in the intestines.
• Names of newly recognized more common diseases

  - COVID-19 = caused by SARS-CoV2 virus

  - Ebola virus disease

  - Congenital Zika Syndrome

  - Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)

  - Certain types of Influenza

  - Lyme Disease

  - AIDS

  - Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome

  - Mad Cow Disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy)
• Prokaryotes


  do not have membrane bound nucleus, i.e. bacteria and archaea
• bacteria


  - single-celled organisms that lack a nucleus; prokaryotes

  - cylindrical (bacillus), spherical (coccus), or spiral shape

  - peptidoglycan rigid cell wall

  - many move with flagella

  - energy from photosynthesis

  - divides by binary fission; can result in groups of cells that stick to each other in specific arrangements (i.e. staphy-, strepto-, singular)
• archaea


  - single-celled prokaryotes similar in size, shape, and properties to bacteria

  - cell walls do not have peptidoglycan

  - ribosomal RNA sequences differs

  - domain or kingdom of single celled microorganisms

  - extremophiles: high salt concentration, temp
• eukaryotes


  - have a membrane-bound nucleus

  - single-celled or multicellular

  - fungi, algae, protozoa, and helminths

  - crucial decomposers, secrete enzymes onto organic materials and then take in the released nutrients
• Fungi

  eukaryote; ranges from from single celled yeast to multicellular filamentous molds
• Hyphae


  eukaryote; filament of mold create a mat called mycelium (can maximum absorption of water and loads of reproduction)
• Spores


  eukaryote; filamentous molds spread by the release of microscopic spores (conidia)
• Acellular Infecting Agent

  features of acellular microbes (viruses, viroids, prions)
• Viruses


  - infect living cells, referred to as hosts

  - all forms of life can be infected by different types

  - nucleic acid packaged in protein coat

  - obligate intracellular agents = multiplying using host cell machinery and nutrients, inactive outside of host
• Prions


  - infectious proteins: misfolded versions of normal cellular proteins found in the brain

  - misfolded version in contact with the normal version causes it to also misfold

  - abnormal proteins form fibrils

  - resistant to usual sterilization procedures
• Viroids


  - consists of a short piece of RNA

  - obligate intracellular agents

  - cause a number of plant disease
• Elements


  consist of one type of atom
• atom


  basic unit of matter
• Molecules


  group of atoms bonded together, i.e. O2
• Compounds


  two or more elements bonded together
• Neutron


  A small particle in the nucleus of the atom, with no electrical charge
• Proton


  A subatomic particle that has a positive charge and that is found in the nucleus of an atom
• Electron


  A subatomic particle that has a negative charge
• Atomic Number


  the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom
• Mass Number


  the total number of protons and neutrons in a nucleus
• Atomic Mass


  The average mass of all the isotopes of an element
• valence electrons


  The electrons in the outermost shell of an atom; these are the electrons involved in forming bonds.
• Ionic Bonds


  metal + nonmetal
• Covalent Bonds


  nonmetal + nonmetal
• Hydrogen Bonds


  Very weak bonds; occurs when a hydrogen atom in one molecule is attracted to the electrostatic atom in another molecule, i.e. H + F, H + O, H + N
• Ion


  an atom that has gained or lost one or more electrons
• Anion

  atom that gained an electron or more, negatively charged
• Cation


  atom that lost an electron or more, positively charged
• Non-Polar Covalent Bond


  equal sharing of electrons
• Polar Covalent Bond


  unequal sharing of electrons; difference in electronegativity
• Mole


  - 6.022 x 10²³ particles of an element

  - a mole of a substance has the same number of particles as a mole of any other

  - measured in grams
• Molarity


  the number of moles of solute per liter of solution
• Synthesis reaction


  two or more substances combine to form another substance

  A + B -> AB
• Decomposition Reaction


  a chemical change in which a single compound is broken down into two or more simpler products

  AB -> A + B
• Exchange Reaction


  Chemical reaction in which bonds are both made and broken; atoms become combined with different atoms

  AB + CD -> AC + BD