Microbiology Chapter 1 Vocab
Eucaryotes (Eukaryotes)
A cell that differs from a prokaryotic cell chiefly by having a nuclear membrane and membrane bound organelles.
Genetic Engineering
A field involving deliberate alterations (recombinations) of the genomes of microbes, plants, and animals through special technological processes.
Protozoa
A group of typically single celled, eukaryotic organisms. Obtain nourishment by absorption or ingestion through specialized structures.
Photosynthesis
A process occurring in plants, algae, and some bacteria that traps the sun's energ and converts it to ATP in the cell. This energy is used to fix CO2 into organic compounds.
Nomenclature
A set system for scientifically naming organisms, enzymes, anatomical structures, etc.
Recombinant DNA
A technology, also known as genetic engineering, that deliberately modifies the genetic structure of an organism to create novel products, microbes, animals, plants, and viruses.
Germ Theory of Disease
A theory first originating in the 1800s which proposed that microorganisms can be the cause of disease. The concept is actually so well established in the present time that it is considered fact.
Cell Theory
All living things are composed of cells. Determined by Robert Hooke and used for further investigations
Pathogen
Any agent, usually a virus, bacterium, fungus, protozoan, or helminth, that causes disease.
Biogenesis
Belief that living things can only arise from preexisting living cells
Bacteria
Category of prokaryotes with peptidoglycan in their cell walls and a single, circular chromosome, and widely distributed in the earth's habitats.
Synthetic Drugs
Chemotherapy agent prepared in the laboratory
Antibiotics
Chemotherapy agent produced naturally by bacteria and fungi to prevent growth or other organisms
Spontaneous Generation
Early belief that living things arose from vital forces present in nonliving or decomposing matter. Introduced by Aristotle
Pasteurization
Heating process used to kill bacteria in some alcoholic beverages and milk
Domain
In levels of classification, the broadest general category to which an organism is assigned. Members of a domain share only one or a few general characteristics.
Microorganism
Living things too small to be seen with the unaided eye. These are important because they maintain the earth's ecological balance
Fungi
Multicelluar eukaryotic organism which may take different forms. Obtain nutrients by absorbing material from their environment.
Eubacteria
Non-archaea prokaryotes...true bacteria.
Viruses
Noncellular entities composed of nucleic acid surrounded by a protein coat.
Eukarya
One of the three domains of living organisms that contains all eukaryotic organisms.
Louis Pasteur
Person to resolve the issue of spontaneous generation. With a series of experiments , he demonstrated that microorganisms are present in the air and can contaminate solutions, but the air does not create microorganisms. Also showed that microorganisms can be present in nonliving matter and can be destroyed by heat
Carl Woese
Person who developed a system of classification based on the cellular organization of organisms. 1) Bacteria 2) Archaea 3) Eukarya
Christian Gram
Person who developed the Gram - stain technique, which differentiates between microbes by changing the color
John Needham
Person who did believe in spontaneous generation and wanted to prove it. Heated broth and poured them into flasks, finding microorganisms in both.
Francesco Redi
Person who didn't believe in spontaneous generation and wanted to prove it. Did experiments with decaying meat and maggots to prove this wasn't true. Ruined the life of scientists
John Tyndall
Person who discovered that bacteria existed in two forms. Research resulted in a method of sterilizing liquid by heating it to boiling point on successive days
Rudolf Virchow
Person who introduced the concept of biogenesis
Joseph Lister
Person who introduced the use of a disinfectant to clean surgical wounds in order to control infections in humans
Robert Koch
Person who proved that microorganisms cause disease. Used a sequence of procedures (Koch's Postulates) that are used today to show that a particular organism causes a particular disease
Edward Jenner
Person who wanted to protect people from smallpox. Infected healthy person with disease and observed results. Person got mild form of disease, but never got actually sick. We call this vaccination now
Lazzaro Spallanzani
Person who wanted to prove Needham wrong. Decided that the microbes that appeared came from the air.
Robert Hooke
Person who was able to see individual cells ( reported that life's smallest structural units were little boxes [cells]). This discovery helped the beginning of cell theory.
Algae
Photosynthetic, plantlike organisms which generally lack the complex structure of plants, they may be single or mult cellular and inhabit diverse habitats such as marine and freshwater environments, glaciers, and even hot springs.
Scientific Method
Principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge, involving the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experimentation, and the formulation and testing of a hypothesis.
Archaea
Prokaryotic single-celled organisms of primitive orgin that have unusual anatomy, physiology, and genetics, and live in harsh habitats.
Prokaryotes
Small cells lacking special structures such as a nucleus and organelles. All prokaryotes are microorganisms.
Molecular Biology
Studies how genetic information is carried in molecules of DNA
Microbial genetics
Studies the mechanisms by which microorganisms inherit traits
Aseptic Techniques
Techniques that prevent contamination by unwanted organisms. This is now the standard practice in laboratory and medical procedures
Chemotherapy
The chemical treatment of a disease
Anton van Leeuwenhoek
The first person to actually observe live microorganisms. Made basic microscopes and examined stuff to see what was inside. Drew what is believed to be bacteria
Multicellular Animal Parasites
The microscopic stages in a life cycle. The principal groups of multicellular animal parasites.
Immunity
The protection from disease provided by vaccination
Genomics
The study of an organisms genes. Used to classify bacteria, fungi, and protozoa
Bacteriology
The study of bacteria
Mycology
The study of fungi
Parasitology
The study of parasitic protozoa and worms
Biotechnology
The use of microbes or their products in the commercial or industrial realm.
Bioremediation
The use of microbes to reduce or degrade pollutants, industrial wastes, and household garbage.
Fermentation
Yeast ferments sugars to alcohol in the absence of air (Basically the process of stuff spoiling)
Microbiology
a specialized area of biology that deals with living things ordinarily too small to be seen without magnification, including bacteria, archaea, fungi, protozoa and viruses.