Microbiology Chapter 1

Describe the characteristics of Bacteria, Archae, and Eukarya.

Bacteria: prokaryotic, have a nucleoid region with no membrane-bound organelles, cell walls contain peptidoglycan, Archae: prokaryotic, have no peptidoglycan, and have no membrane-bound organelles. Ususally found in extreme conditions. Eukarya: eukaryotic, have membrane-bound organelles, contain no peptidoglycan, and have nuclear membranes and a nucleus.

Tyndall

Dicovered that different broths require different boiling times.

Cohn

Discovered the heat-resistant form of bacteria

Redi

Disproved spontaneous generation for large organisms

What is Rubeola, Epidemic Parotitis, and Pertussis?

Measles, Mumps, and Whooping cough. These are re-emerging diseases.

How are names written in binomial nomenclature?

Names are written by genus (capitalized) and species (lowercase). Together they are both italicized or underlined.

What is the difference between nomenclature and binomial?

Nomenclature is the naming of an object. Binomial nomenclature is a two-part naming system that consists of a genus and species name.

What percent of microbial species can be grown in the laboratory?

1%, or 6,000 species out of 1 million

What happened during the Golden Age of Microbiology?

1875-1918; when most pathogenic organisms were identified. This identification prompted the development of antibacterials and vaccines.

What led to the outbreak of measles within the past few years?

An irrational fear of vaccines, leading to lax views on vaccination.

What structures were present in the hay infusions used in experiments on spotaneous generation that made them difficult to sterilize?

Endospores

Cells that have membrane bound organelles are characteristic of what group?

Eukaryotes

What is genetic engineering and bioremediation?

Genetic engineering is manipulating organisms for medical, industrial, and research uses. Bioremediation is using microorganisms to degrade harmful chemicals.

What is the Germ Theory of Disease and who promulgated it?

Robert Koch developed the Germ Theory of disease, which states that specific diseases are caused by specific micro-organisms.

Worldwide vaccination has almost entirely eradicated what disease?

Smallpox, no reported cases since 1977.

What is the idea of Spontaneous Generation?

The idea that life forms can arise from non-living material (e.g. worms from meat)

Which are the microbial members of the domain Eukarya?

algae, fungi, and protozoa

Why are microorganisms wonderful organisms to study?

because they display the same fundamental metabolic and genetic properties as higher-life forms

During John Needham's time, what type of boiling was thought to kill all organisms?

brief boiling

Bacteria present on our skin, in our mouth, digestive tract, and urinary tract are called what?

Normal microbiota or normal flora

Cell types which lack membrane bound organelles are characteristic of?

Prokaryotes, bacteria and archae.

Algae and Protozoa are collectively called what?

Protists

What vital role do microorganisms play in maintaining all life forms on earth?

They convert N2 to forms other organisms can use. Plants produce o2 during photosynthesis, digesting cellulose to prevent organic "pile-up", and digesting cellulose in ruminant animals, and degrading sewage and wastewater.

Explain the work of Tyndall and Ferdinand Cohn and why it was significant?

Tyndall and Cohen discovered that different broths need different boiling times to be sterilized. Tyndall discovered that bacteria exists in two forms, ones that are killed by heat, and heat-resistant bacteria. Cohn discovered endospores, and Koch discovered anthrax. This is important because it taught scientists that reproducing experiments must be as close as possible to the original, "trivial" differences are important.

What are the contributions of John Tyndall?

Tyndall discovered that different broths require specific boiling times, and that their are heat-resisitant and regular bacteria.

What are the non-living members of the microbial world?

Viruses, viroids, and prions.

Van Leeuowenhoek

Was the first to see microorganisms

Why were some scietists not successful in reproducing in Pasteur's work?

Because their broth conained endospores. Pasteur made broths from yeast and sugar extract, which contained no endospores. They also did not recreate everything as closely as possible.

What are the contributions of Father Spallanzi?

He concluded that broths could be contaminated by air-borne micro-organisms.

What are the contributions of Francesco Redi?

He disproved spontaneous generation with his experiment with meat and flies.

What are the contributions of Louis Pasteur?

He disproved the "vital force" claim by conducting experiments to analyze air-borne micro-organisms by filtering air through cotton and exposing it to broth, and experiments involving bacteria growing in a swan-necked flask.

What are the contributions of van Leeuowenhoek?

He made it possible to see micro-organisms using a piece of carved glass for magnification.

Ulcer and cardiovascular disease are caused by what microbes?

Helicobacter pylori

Why was Pasteur's work important in ending the theory of Spontaneous Generation?

His experiments with the swan-necked flask showed concept of air-borne micro-organism contamination. This disproved the thought that un-heated air or broths contained a "vital force".

How have micro-organisms made life comfortable for humans?

Microorganisms have helped in food production (using yeast to ferment beer, yogurt, cheese, adding probiotics to food.), biodegradation (through bioremediation), and biotechnology (using bacteria to synthesize insulin, ethanol, antibiotics.)

What are emerging and re-emerging diseases? Give examples and their causes.

New or unidentified diseases, accounted for by lifestyle changes or first-time exposure (moving to the country) (ex. multi-drug resistant malaria, lyme disease, Hep C). Re-emerging diseases are diseases that were under control but have come back because of relaxed view on vaccination, multi-drug resistant diseases, and changes in the characteristics of a population (ex. measles, mumps).

Describe the history of the bubonic plague, smallpox, and the cause of these diseases.

The bubonic plague(from rats) and smallpox( brought to the indians from the spaniards) killed people because they had never been exposed to them before.

What are viruses, viroids, prions: their compositions & what disease do they cause?

Viruses- nucleic acid (either DNA or RNA) packaged in a protein coating, they kill the cells they multiply in (ex. Flu) Viroids- short, single pieced of RNA with no protein coating. They are responsible for plant diseases. Prions-infectious protein, misfolded versions of normal cellular proteins found in the brain which are responsible for chains of misfolded proteins called fibrils, which inhibit normal brain function.