What is Microbiology?

Is the study of very small living organisms. Organisms called microorganisms or microbes. Microorganisms are said to be ubiquitous, meaning they are virtually everywhere. Microbiology is the Science that studies Microorganisms. Microorganisms, roughly, are those living things that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. Microorganisms cannot be distinguished Phylogenetically from Macroorganisms For example, many fungi are microorganisms, as well as all bacteria, all viruses, and most protists. Microbiology is more a collection of techniques: Aseptic technique Pure culture technique Microscopic observation of whole organisms A microbiologist usually first isolates a specific microorganism from a population and then cultures it (i.e., in pure culture). Microorganisms are very diverse in all their aspects: appearance, metabolism, physiology, and genetics. They are far more diverse [in these terms] than plants and animals. It is generally believed that microorganisms have existed on earth for several billion years, and over time, plants and animals have evolved from microorganisms.

Who was your first microbiology instructor?

Mother Germs Disease-causing microorganisms are technically known as Pathogens. Only about 3% of known microbes are capable of causing disease. Microorganisms that do not cause disease are Nonpathogens. Pathogens are microbial enemies. Nonpathogens are microbial allies.

Microbial World

Viruses Bacteria (Eubacteria) and Archaeabacteria Fungi (Yeasts and Molds) Protozoa

Microscopic Algae

Relationship of Microbes Microbial World- organisms (living things) >bacteria (prokaryotes) >archaea (prokaryotes) >eucarya - eukaryotes -> algae (unicellular or multicellular), protozoa (unicellular), fungi (unicellular or multicellular), helminths (multicellular) -infectious agents (non-living things) >viruses >viroids >prions Benefits

Maintain balance of environment (microbial ecology) Basis of food chain Nitrogen fixation Photosynthesis Digestion, synthesis of vitamins Manufacture of food and drink Genetic engineering Synthesis of chemical products Recycling sewage Bioremediation: use microbes to remove toxins (oil spills) Use of microbes to control crop pests Normal microbiota

Harmful Effects

Cause disease (basis for bioterrorism) Food spoilage

Pioneers of Microbiology

Robert Hooke, UK (1665) Proposed the Cell Theory Observed cork with crude microscope All living things are composed of cells

Spontaneous generation Some forms of life could arise spontaneously from non-living matter

Francesco Redi, IT (1668) Redis experiments first to dispprove S.G.

Anton van Leeuwenhoek, DE (1673) First observed live microorganisms (animalcules)

Schleiden and Schwann, DE

Formulated Cell Theory: cells are the fundamental units of life and carry out all the basic functions of living things

Pasteur, FR and Tyndall, UK (1861) Finally disproved S.G. Louis Pasteur (1822-1895), Chemist Fermentation (1857) Pasteurization: heat liquid enough to kill spoilage bacteria (1864) Vaccine development rabies Proposed the germ theory of disease Proposed aseptic techniques (prevent contamination by unwanted microbes) Director of Pasteur Institute, Paris (1894)

Joseph Lister, UK (1867)

-Used phenol (carbolic acid) to disinfect wounds

-First aseptic technique in surgery -Robert Koch, DE (1876) -Postulates Germ theory (1876) -Identified microbes that caused anthrax (1876), tuberculosis (1882) and cholera (1883) -Developed microbiological media & streak plates for pure culture (1881)

Kochs Postulates

The specific causative agent must be found in every case of the disease. The disease organism must be isolated from the lesions of the infected case and maintained in pure culture. The pure culture, inoculated into a susceptible or experimental animal, should produce the symptoms of the disease. The same bacterium should be re-isolated in pure culture from the intentionally infected animal.

Branches of Microbiology

Bacteriology: study of bacteria Mycology: study of fungi Immunology: study of immunity Edward Jenner, UK: developed vaccination (1798) Metchnikoff, RU: discovered phagocytes (1884) Paul Ehrlich, DE: theory of immunity (1890)

Virology: study of viruses

Beijerinck, NE: discovered intracellular reproduction of TMV; coined the term virus (1899)

Parasitology: study of protozoa and parasitic worms Chemotherapy

-Treatment of disease by using chemical means

-Antibiotics produced naturally -Synthetic drugs -Paul Ehrlich (1878) used arsenic compounds to fight disease magic bullet Alexander Fleming, Scotland (1928) discovered penicillin Selman Waksman, Ukraine (1944) discovered streptomycin

Problems Toxicity of drugs => Selective toxicity Resistance of bacteria to drugs

Recombinant DNA Technology

-Recombinant DNA -Genetic engineering/biotechnology -Microbial genetics mechanism by which microbes inherit genes -Molecular biology structure and function (expression) of genes -Molecular epidemiology/diagnostics

Biotechnology

-GMOs/GEMs for industrial, pharmaceutical and agricultural applications -Improvements of agriculture (plants and animals) -Gene therapy: inserting a missing gene or replacing a defective one in human cells