Chapter 1

Introduction to microbiology

Fazlena Hamzah Faculty of Chemical Engineering, UiTM Shah Alam

History and scope of microbiology

Microbiology
the study of microorganisms, which are microscopic, unicellular, and cell-cluster organisms Too small to be seen with the unaided eye
Microorganisms are very diverse
archaea

fungi,

protists

bacteria,

microscopic plants (green algae);

 Microbes are also exploited by people in biotechnology, both in traditional food and beverage preparation, and in modern technologies based on genetic engineering pathogenic microbes are harmful, since they invade and grow within other organisms, causing diseases that kill people, other animals and plants.

How microbe affect our life

Maintain the balance of living organism and chemicals in our environment e.g Marine and ocean microorganism form the basic of the food chain in ocean, lake, river etc Soil microbe help break down wastes and incorporate nitrogen gas from the air into organic compound, thereby recycling chemical elements in the soil, water and air. Microbe in intestinal for digestion and synthesis of some vitamins require by body included some B vitamin(metabolism) and K vitamin (blood clotting)

 Food industry producing vinegar,sauerkraut, pickles,alcohol beverages, green olives, soy source, buttermilk, cheese, yogurt and bread Microbe excreted enzyme that used for producing of cellulose, digestive aids, drain cleaner, therapeutic substances such as inculin

Naming and classifying Microorganism

Genus name + species name
Capitalized Both name are underlined or italic

Escherichia coli or E.coli Staphylococcus aureus

History of microorganism
Robert Hooke
Start : 1665 using crude microscope on thin slice of cork Claims: - lifes smallest structure units were little boxes or cell Theory: -all living things are composed of cells. Lack in staining techniques that would see microbe clearly

van Leeuwenhoek
First person who actually observe live microorganisms through magnifying lenses Highest magnification about 300X(time) Describe detail drawing of animalcules in rainwater, his own feces and in material scraped from teeth. (bacteria and protozoa)

 Spontaneous Generation Conflict: - From earliest times, people believed that Living organisms could developed from nonliving or decomposing matter. - The SGT was challenged by Redi, Needham, Spallanzani - Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) settled the conflict once for all; heated the necks of flasks and drew them out

Role of Microorganisms in Disease: - Bassi showed that silkworm disease was caused by a fungus. - Berkeley and Pasteur showed that Microorganisms caused disease. - Joseph Lister developed system for sterile surgery - Robert Koch (1843 1910) established the relationship between Bacillus anthracis and anthrax; also isolated the bacillus that causes tuberculosis.

- Charles Chamberland (1851-1908) discovered viruses and their role in disease.

 Kochs Postulates: - Microorganism must be present in every case of the disease but absent from healthy individuals. - The suspected microorganism must be isolated and grown in pure cultures. - The disease must result when the isolated microorganism is inoculated into a healthy host.

- The same microorganism must be isolated from the disease host.

Isolation of Microorganisms:

- During Kochs studies, it became necessary to isolate suspected bacterial pathogens.

- He cultured bacteria on the sterile surfaces of cut, boiled potatoes Not satisfactory. - Regular liquid medium solidified by adding gelatin gelatin melted @ T>28C. - Fannie Eilshemius suggested use of agar; 100C to melt, 50 C to solidify.

- Richard Petri developed petri dish, a container for solid culture media.
Louis Pasteur (1822 1895):

- Developed vaccines for Chickenpox, anthrax, rabies - Demonstrated that all fermentations were due to the activities of specific yeasts and bacteria.

- Developed Pasteurization to preserve wine during storage. Important: Foods - Discovered that fermentative microorganisms were anaerobic and could live only in absence of oxygen. Other Developments - Winogradsky made many contributions to soil microbiology; discovered that soil bacteria could oxidize Fe, S and ammonia to obtain energy. - Isolated Anaerobic nitrogen-fixing bacteria; studied the decomposition of cellulose. - Together with Beijerink, developed the enrichment-culture technique and the use of selective media.

- Early 40s, Microbiology established closer relationship with Genetics and Biochemistry; microorganisms are extremely useful experimental subjects.
- e.g. Study of relationship between genes and enzymes; evidence that DNA is the genetic material; - Recently, Microbiology been a major contributor to the rise of Molecular Biology. - Studies on Genetic code; mechanisms of DNA, RNA, and Protein synthesis; regulation of gene expression; control of enzyme activity. - Development of Recombinant DNA Technology and Genetic Engineering.

- Many microbiologists are primarily interested in the biology of microorganisms, while others focus on specific groups; - Virologists - viruses - Bacteriologists - bacteria - Phycologists algae - Mycologist -fungi - Protozoologists protozoa

- Medical Microbiology: deals with diseases of humans and animals; identify and plan measures to eliminate agents causing infectious diseases. - Immunology: study of the immune system that protects the body from pathogens. - Agricultural Microbiology: impact of microorganisms on agriculture; combat plant diseases that attack important food crops. - Food and Dairy Microbiology: prevent microbial spoilage of food & transmission of foodborne diseases (e.g. salmonellosis); use microorganisms to make food such as cheeses, yogurts, pickles, beer, etc. - Industrial Microbiology: using microorganisms to make products such as antibiotics, vaccines, steroids, alcohols & other solvents, vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, etc. - Genetic Engineering: Engineered microorganisms used to make hormones, antibiotics, vaccines and other products. - Since viruses are acellular and possess both living and nonliving characteristics, they are considered neither prokaryotic nor eukaryotic. They will be discussed in separate section of the course.

Basic groups of microbes

Domain(superkingdom) organisms
Eukarya

Kingdoms
Protists
Fungi
Slime mold, protozoa and algae Unicellular yeast, multicellular molds and mushroom

Eukaryote

Plants
Animals

Mosses, ferns, conifers and flowering plants

Sponges, worms, insects and vertebrates

Monera

Unicellular and colonial including Eubacteria(true bacteria) and cynobacteria (blue green algae)

Prokaryote

King Philips Come Over For Good Soup

Biological organization
Domain Kingdom Phylum

Class

Order

Family

Genus

species

Bacteria

Viruses
Microorganism type

Archaea

Algae

Fungi

Protozoa

Type of microorganism
Bacteria
Relatively simple, unicellular organisms Genetic materia is not enclosed in a special nuclear membrane Type: bacillus, coccus, and spiral (corkscrew and curved), star shape or square Individual may for pair, chains, cluster or other grouping Enclosed in cell walls that are composed of carbohydrate and protein complex (peptidoglycan). Reproduce by binary fision(dividing into two equal cell)

 Archaea
Consist of prokaryote cells, they lack peptidoglycan in cell wall Habitats in extreme conditions Groups: methanogens (produce methane as waste product); extreme halophile (salty environment) and extreme thermophile (hot sulfurous water such as hot springs)

Fungi
Eukaryote, genetic material surrounded by a special envelope or nuclear membrane Unicellular or muticellular Multicellular: mushroom

 Protozoa

Viruses

Unicellular, eukaryotic Move using pseudopods, flagella or cilia Variety in shape and live either as free entities or as parasites Reproduce by sexual or asexual

Algae
Photosynthetic eukaryotes Variety of shapes Reproduce by sexual or asexual Cell wall composed of carbohydrate cellulose

So small mostly can be seen with an electron microscope Acellular cell (not cellular) Simple structure, caontain a core made of only one type nucleic acid (DNA or RNA). Core might surrounded with protein coat or envelope. Reproduce only using cellular machinery of other organism Outside living hosts they are inert.

Composition of the Microbial World:

Procaryotes:
-relative simple morphology and lack true membrane delimited nucleus -mostly unicellular organisms without a nucleus -Most prokaryotes are bacteria -Bacteria, which are made of prokaryotic cells, almost always have a cell wall.

Animal cell
Eucaryotes: -morphologically complex with a true membrane enclosed nucleus -may be variously unicellular or multicellular

CBE 531 : MICROBIOLOGY AND CELL BIOLOGY

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Plant Cell
Cells Eucaryotes: of plants, fungi and protists are also eukaryotic Plant cells, which are eukaryotic, have cell walls as well, but the eukaryotic animal cells do not.

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