UNIT+6+-+MICROBIOLOGY

MICR﻿OBIOLOGY

Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are microscopic, unicellular, and cell-cluster organisms. This unit includes different types of viruses and bacteria inlcuding; types of diseases, infections, and how they reproduce. The unit objectives are Viruses and Bacteria. If you would like to find out more on Microbiology please visit http://www.suite101.com/microbiology.

People To Know:

Anton Van Leeuwenhoek- He was the first to observe living bacteria and record it.

Alexander Flemming- He discovered penicillin.

Edward Jenner- He pioneered the vaccination for small pox by using cow pox.

Edward Koch- He found that the anthrax microbe produces spores that can live for a long time. He also identified the germ that caused blood poisoning and septicaemia.

Iwanowski- He showed that diseased tobacco plants could transmit the disease to other plants. He discovered viruses.

Joseph Lister- "The father of antiseptic surgery," he said that the wound itself had to be cleaned with an antiseptic. He also determined that microbes in the air caused diseases to spread in wards.

Louis Pastuer- He discovered how to kill bacteria in drinks by heating up the liquid (pasteurisation) and discovered where the bacteria came from.

Semmelweis- He found a way to kill germs and drop the mortality rate in hospitals by making doctors wsah their hands after surgery and cleaning surgical instruments in a chlorine solution.

Terms To Know:

Antibiotic ~ It is not a virus. It is a compound that blocks the growth and reproduction of bacteria.

Archaebacteria ~ They have different membrane liquids and no peptidoglycan. They are like eukatyotes and are less common of the two. Live in extremely harsh environments.

Capsid ~ It is a virus's protein coat. The top part of a virus that includes the head, DNA/RNA, and the tail sheath.

Endospore ~ It is a bacteria structure which allows them to survive in harsh conditions.

Eubacteria ~ They live in the human intestines, and almost everywhere, and they also have a cell wall and a cell membrane. They are more common of the two types. Contains DNA/RNA, a pili, and peptidoglycan.

Faculative Anaerobe ~ They can live with or without oxygen.

Lysogenic infection ~ When a virus integrates its DNA into the DNA of the host cell, and the viral genetic info replicates along with the host cell's DNA.

Lytic Infection ~ It is when a virus enters a cell and makes copies of itself, which causes the cell to burst.

Methanogens ~ They are a type of archebacteria that produces methane gas.

Obligate Anaerobe ~ It doesn't need oxygen to grow.

Obligate Anerobe ~ It requires a constant supply of oxygen.

Peptidoglycan ~ A carbohydrate that is part of the cell wall only in bacteria.

Pili ~ Is cell to cell contact.

Plasmid ~ A circle of DNA outside of the DNA.

Prokaryote ~ The smallest and most common microorganism. It is unicellular and lacks a nucleus. They are reffered to as bacteria.

Retrovirus ~ Is a virus who's genetic info is copied backwards. The RNA is less stable and the special enzyme is called reverse transcriptase.

Reverse Transcriptase ~ The special enzyme of the retrovirus.

Vaccine ~ Preparation of weakened or killed pathogens.

Virus ~ They are infectious particles of protein and nucleic acid.

Works Cited:

Wikipedia.org - microbiology picture and definition. Notes- glossary of terms