Lecture 2 Notes (Part 1) Flashcards
What are bacteria?
They are microscopic unicellular living organisms
(most > 0.5- < 5.0um) with no organelles
Why cant you catch a virus with a standard filter?
Viruses are too small and they will fall right through
What does bacteria have a complete set of?
RNA
- they can reproduce themselves
What are viruses?
They are microorganisms ( < 0.2um) with no capacity to generate their own energy
What do viruses lack?
A complete set of RNA
Mimivirus
Isolated from bacteria and large virus identified through typhus via rickettsia toxin
What are the 2 hypothesis’s that emerged from a virus?
- Parasites losing ability to live freely
2. Gained genes to live as a virus
Where can bacteria and viruses be found?
EVERYWHERE
What do bacteria have a great ability to do?
Gain energy
What do the building blocks of life form a variety of in the environment? (7)
- Soil
- Freshwater
- Marine
- Hydrothermal vents
- Hot springs
- Volcanoes
- Plants/fungus
What are the 3 building blocks of life?
- Carbon
- Nitrogen
- Phosphorus
What does bacteria have the ability to do since they can evolve new physiologies?
Ability to colonize very different, very harsh environments
What are the 6 characteristics of bacteria?
- Self-feeding or nutrition
- Self-replicating
- Differentiation
- Chemical signalling
- Movement
- Evolution ** MOST IMPORTANT**
Sporulation
Is the formation of nearly dormant forms of bacteria
Quorum sensing
Is a system of stimuli and response correlated to population density
How do autotrophic organisms derive their energy? (2)
- Light (photoautotrophs)
2. Chemical oxidation (chemoautotrophs)
Why do autotrophic organisms derive carbon?
For synthesis of organic molecules and polymer from CO2 or carbonate
How do heterotrophic organisms derive their energy? Give 4 examples
From the oxidation of organic molecules
- Glucose
- Acetate
- Cellulose
- Lipids
What type are most pathogenic bacteria?
heterotrophic
- require some form of carbon
What was Liebigs the founder of?
Agriculture chemistry by his research on plant and animal nutrition
- research on understanding chemical factors that influence the growth of plants for agriculture purposes
What are field of crops limited by?
Nutrients
What do plants assimilate N as? (2)
- NH4
2. NO3
What lead to the use of chemical fertilizer in agriculture?
Discovery of Haber-Bosch process of chemical reduction of N2 to NH3
What was Liebig wrong about?
He thought that plants assimilated N via gaseous ammonia in a similar fashion that they assimilate Co2 via photosynthesis
