role of microbiology

1. Tortora Chapter 1
Microbial world and you

2. Overview of microbiology
Microbial diversity
• Bacteria
• Archaea
• Fungi
• Algae
• Protozoa
• Branches of microbiology
History of microbiology

3. Branch of biology that studies microorganisms
Microorganisms or microbes- minute living things that
individually are too small to be seen with unaided eye

4. Bacteria (Bacteriology)
Viruses (Virology)
Fungi (Mycology)
Parasites (Parasitology)
Algae (Phycology)
Protozoan (Protozoology)

5. Bacteria Viruses Fungi
Parasites Algae Protozoa

6.  Bacteriology
 Virology
 Mycology
 Parasitology
 Immunology
 Epidemiology
 Environmental Microbiology
 Biotechnology

7. Bacteria (singular: bacterium) are relatively
simple, single-celled (unicellular) organisms.
Prokaryotes- genetic material enclosed in a
special nuclear membrane (Greek word- pre-
nucleus)
Cell wall- peptidoglycan
Several shapes:
Round, Rod like
Spherical or ovoid
Spiral

8.  Archaea:
• Prokaryotes
• They have cell wall but wall lack peptidoglycan.
• Extreme environments- Hot springs, hot sulfurous water
Fungi:
• Eukaryotes
• Unicellular (yeast) or multicellular (molds, mushrooms)
• Cell wall chitin
Protozoa:
• Unicellular eukaryotic
• Move by pseudopodia, flagella, cilia
• E.g. Amoeba, Euglena
Algae:
 Photosynthetic eukaryotes
 Cell wall- cellulose
Viruses:
 So small- electron microscope
 Acellular (not cellular)
 Protein coat
 Nucleic acid (either DNA or RNA)

9.  Beneficial
 Help maintain balance of living organisms and chemicals in environment
 Soil microbes- help breakdown wastes and incorporate nitrogen gas from
air
 Play role in photosynthesis- food generating process
 Intestinal microbes- help in digestion + synthesis of some vitamins
e.g vitamin B for metabolism, vitamin K for blood clotting
 Synthesis of certain chemical products- acetone, alcohols, organic acids,
enzymes, many drugs
 Food industries- cheese, yogurt, pickles, alcoholic beverages
 Harmful
 Pathogens, disease causing, spoilage of food

10. Bacteria are primary decomposers - recycle nutrients
back into the environment
Maintain the balance of living organisms and chemicals
in our environment
Marine and fresh water microorganisms-food chain
Soil microbes- breakdown waste and nitrogen cycle
photosynthesis

11. Microbes produce various food products
cheese, pickles, green olives
yogurt, soy sauce, vinegar, bread
Beer, Wine, Alcohol
Helps in digestion and synthesis of enzymes
Example: E. coli
B vitamins - for metabolism
Vitamin K - blood clotting
Microbes are used to produce Antibiotics
-Mold -Penicillium notatum (Penicillin)

12. Bacteria used to produce substances
-Cellulose
-
Microbial antagonism
-role of microbial flora
Insect Pest Control
-Using bacteria to control the growth of insects
-Bacillus thuringiensis
-caterpillars

13. Bioremediation
-Using microbes to clean up pollutants and toxic
wastes
-Pseudomonas sp.
-Bacillus sp.
Commercial Applications
-production of vitamins (B2 & B12),
-organics acids (lactic acid, acetic acid)
-enzymes (protease, lipase, peptidase)
-alcohol (acetone, butanol)

14. Recombinant DNA Technology, Gene Therapy, Genetic
Engineering
Bacteria can be manipulated to produce enzymes and
proteins they normally would not produce
Insulin
Human Growth Hormone
Interferon

15. Bacterial
Pneumonia
Meningitis
Tuberculosis
Typhoid Fever
Cholera
Strept throat
Whooping Cough
Viral
Fungal