lect1

Question 1

what are some reasons life may not exist the way it does today (understanding life on earth)?

Answer 1

foundation for all life on earth—we have evolved from bacteria

difficult to survive without microorganisms–fix nitrogen, oxygen production, degrade materials

genetic model–genetic and metabolic processes are similar

help us digest starches & generate metabolites

Question 2

what are beneficial applications of bacteria?

Answer 2

food production– yogurt, cheese

bioremediation–degrade PCBS, clean up oil spills

synthesize products— biofuel, antibiotics, aa, medications (insulin)

Question 3

how do microorganisms help us understand infectious disease and improve health)?

Answer 3

diseases can be directly or indirectly passed

caused by bacteria, virus, fungus

can be used as weapons–intentional release of microbes to sicken or kill people

Question 4

what is golden age of micro?
how has public health increased ?

Answer 4

1800-1900

many bacteria identified
work on viruses began

improvements of human health–sanitation, vaccines, antibiotics

Question 5

how were plagues and small pox controlled?

Answer 5

small pox—vaccination

plagus–sanitation (rodent control), antibiotics, bacterium mutation?

Question 6

are emerging diseases really new and what causes them? give examples

Answer 6

some of them— evolution of infections agents that were unable to infect humans

climate changes

changes in human behavior–population increase, poverty, travel increase

EX: COVID, HIV/AIDS, swine flu, SARS, ebola, Mpox, lymes

Question 7

what are re emerging disease? what is this due to?

Answer 7

disease that were under control but increase again

decline in vax rates

pathogens can become resistant (malaria, tuberculosis)
weak immune systems (drugs, elderly, HIV/AIDS)

Question 8

what is gut microbiota?

Answer 8

everywhere on and in our body
they are fungi, arches, viruses, and bacteria

Question 9

what does each body sit have?

Answer 9

own microbiome
-dry or moist
-anaerobic or aerobic

Question 10

how does human gut microbiome benefit us?

Answer 10

protects health—fement of fibers and carbs that we can’t do ourselves

makes metabolites- like fatty acids and vitamins

prevent diseases by competing with pathogens for nutrients

variation!!

Question 11

what causes variation in microbiota?

Answer 11

stress, diet, pills, geography, lifecycle

Question 12

what are links between microbiota and human health?

Answer 12

association with bowel disease, cardiovascular, diabetes, colon cancer, obesity