Microorganisms and Microbiology Flashcards
(43 cards)
What is Microbiology?
The study of living things too small to be seen without magnification
What are microorganisms/microbes?
microscopic organisms commonly called “germs, viruses, agents”
Names 7 microorganisms
Bacteria, Archaea, Protozoa, Fungi, Helminths, Viruses, Algae
What two themes does microbiology revolve around?
understanding basic processes: helps us understand unicellular and multicellular organisms
Applying that knowledge to the benefit of humans
Name 5 reasons microorganisms are important
1.oldest form of life
2. largest mass of living material on Earth
3. Carry out major processes for biogeochemical cycles
4. can live in places unsuitable for other organisms
5. other life forms require microbes to survive
How do microorganisms impact humans
can be beneficial and harmful
Name 3 positive impacts on humans from microorganisms
nitrogen-fixing bacteria, cellulose-degrading microbes in the rumen, regeneration of nutrients in soil and water, microbial transformation (cheese, yogurt, milk, pickles, breads, beers)
Name a negative impact from microorganisms
diseases and spoilage in plant and animals
Explain what microorganisms do
synthesize vitamins and other nutrients and takes up space to keep out bad organisms ; high number in GI tract, a good diet would mean no vitamins
Preservatives…?
keep food from spoiling and were thought of before the invention of the fridge
Lactic acid…
prevents the growth of microorganisms
What grows in vinegar?
nothing
Name some biofuels and how microbes play a part in the process
Methane, ethanol, hydrogen; help clean up pollutants (bioremediation)
Explain Ethanol as a biofuel
can be made from cellulose or cornstarch through fermentation by mixing glucose but it’s too expensive to produce consistently
How are microoganisms used as genetic resources?
can produce antibiotics, enzymes, and various chemicals; biotechnology allows for genetic engineering of microbes to generate things such as insulin (bc pig insulin isn’t as effective)
Name the 7 Taxonomic Microbiology areas
Bacteriology, Virology, Phycology (algae), Mycology, Protozoology, Parasitology, Immunology
Name the 7 Applied Microbiology areas
Medical, Pharmaceutical, Agricultural, Environmental, Industrial, Food, and Biotechnology
Robert Hooke
(1635-1703) first described microbes and used the word “cell”
Anton van Leeuwenhoek
(1632 - 1723) first to describe bacteria
Ernst Abbe
(1840 - 1905) created resolution- sharpness of the image [not the same as magnification]
Paul Ehrlich
(1881) created viral stain that allowed you to see microorganisms
Hans Christian Gram
(1884) created the differential stain which is the most important stain
Theory of Spontaneous Generation
(1668) Francesco Redi used flies to see if things rise from unliving things [proven wrong]
Louis Pasteur
(1822 - 1895) sterilization and aseptic technique, pasteurization of food, swan neck flask, vaccinations, and discovered microbes killing other microbes
