Micro - Intro, History and Nomenclature

Organisms that are too small to be seen with the naked eye

Refers to a rapidly growing cell

Means disease-causeing

• Decompose organic waste 
• Are producers in the ecosystem by photosynthesis 
• Produce industrial chemicals (ethanol/Acetone)
• Produce fermented food (Vinegar, cheese, bread)
• Produce products used in manufacturing (cellulase) and treatment (insulin)

A genus of fungi called Trichoderma 

• The naming of Organisms 
• Carolus Linnaeus (Carl von Linne)
• Latinized

• 1) Genus - Capitalized 
• 2) Species (Specific epithet)

Both names should be underlined separately or italicized (if typing)

• Honors the discoverer, Theodor Escherich 
• Describes the bacterium's habitat - Large intestine, or colon

• Name describes the clustered (staphylo-) spherical (cocci) cells
• Also describes the gold-colored (aureus) colonies

• Bacteria
• Archea
• Fungi
• Protozoa
• Algae
• Viruses
• Multicellular animal parasites

• Bacteria
• Archaea
• Eukarya

• Carl Woese in 1978
• Classified by rRNA analysis

• Prokaryotic- NO nucleus
• Unicellular 
• Contain cell wall made of peptidoglycan 
• Some are photosynthetic 
• Autotrophic and heterotrophic

• Prokaryotic - No nucleus
• Unicellular 
• Cell wall lacks peptidoglycan 
• Extremophiles - Ability to survive in extreme conditions

• Thermophiles- Extreme heat 
• Halophiles- High salt content 
• Methanogens- Produce methane

• Eukaryotic - Contains nucleus 
• Multicellular (Molds /Mushrooms)
• Unicellular (Yeasts)
• Cell wall made of chitin
• Heterotrophic

• Eukaryotic - Contains Nucleus 
• Multicellular 
• Unicellular 
• NO cell wall/ ONLY cell membrane
• Few are photosynthetic
• Move using flagella, cilia, or pseudopods or use carrying host/environment

• Eukaryotic - Contains nucleus
• Both multi and unicellular 
• Cell wall made from cellulose 
• Photosynthetic 
• They are classified based on theri pigment (red, green, brown)

• Acellular - No living cellular structure
• Must have a living host 
• May contain DNA or RNA
• Contain capsid(protein coat)/No cell wall
• Some are enveloped for disguise  others are "naked"

• Eukaryotic 
• Multicellular 
• No cell wall
• Heterotrophic only
• May have some microscopic stages to its lifetime

• Protists (Slime molds, algae, protozoa)
• Fungi
• Plants
• Animals

1673 by Anton van Leeuwenhoek

All living things are composed of cells and come from preexisting cells 

Robert Hooke

Rudolf Virchow

The hypothesis that living organisms arise from nonliving matter; a "vital force" forms life

The hypothesis that the living organisms arise from preexisting life

• in 1861 disproved spontaneous generation
• Microbes in air can contaminate 
• Air does not create microbes 
• Credited with aseptic technique

• Between 1857-1914
• Due to rapid advances and Pasteurs theory of biogenesis

When yeasts turn sugar into alcohol without air.

With air alcohol is converted into acetic acid by bacteria

The process of heating the product to kill potentially harmful bacteria.

Developed to expand the lifespan of beer and wine

• Advocated hand washing between patients 
• Therefore incidence dropped from 35% to 1%

• Surgeon/ Applied germ theory to medical practices 
• Cleaned instruments between surgeries 
• Knew phenol (Carbolic acid) killed bacteria 
• Used carbolic acid as chemical control

That microorganisms might cause disease

• Proved bacteria cause disease 1876
• Discovered Bacillus anthracis which causes anthrax

A sequence of experimental steps for directly relating a specific microbe to a specific disease

• Created the 1st vaccine 
• Used a mild version of a disease (Cowpox) to give the body an immunity to a much more harsh disease (smallpox).

In 1928 discovered the fungus Penicillium created an antibiotic that killed S. aureus 

In 1940 Penicillin was tested and clinically produced