HISTORY OF MICROBIOLOGY MICROBES IN ENERGY AND NUTRITION FLOW

• The flow of energy and food through the

Microbiology earth’s ecosystems
The study of microorganisms, or microbes, a diverse – Photosynthesis: Light fueled
group of
conversion of carbon dioxide to
generally minute, simple life-forms that include
organic material
bacteria, archaea,
– Decomposition: Breakdown of dead
algae, fungi, protozoa, and viruses.
matter and wastes into simple

compounds
ORIGINS OF MICROORGANISMS

• Bacteria-like organisms have existed on earth for

about 3.5 billion years LIFESTYLES OF MICROORGANISMS
– Prokaryotes (pre-nucleus): Simple cells • Majority live a free existence, are relatively harmless
– Eukaryotes (true nucleus): Complex cells and often beneficial

• Some microorganisms have close associations with

MICROBIAL STRUCTURE other organisms
• Two cell lines – Parasites live on or in the body of another organism
– Prokaryote – microscopic, unicellular organisms, called the host and it damages the host
lack nuclei and

membrane-bound organelles
MICROBES AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
– Eukaryote – unicellular (microscopic) and
multicellular, nucleus and • Pathogens: Microbes that do harm,

membrane-bound organelles cause disease

• Viruses - Acellular, parasitic particles composed of a • Nearly 2,000 different microbes cause
nucleic acid and protein diseases

• 10 B new infections/year worldwide

• 12 M deaths from infections/year

Worldwide
HISTORY OF Lazzaro Spallanzi

MICROBIOLOGY ▪ He suggested that microorganisms

from the air probably entered

Robert Hooke (1635-1703) Needham’s solution after they are

▪ English scientist Boiled

▪ He observed a thin slice of cork

using a compound microscope Louis Pasteur

▪ He called the life’s smallest ▪ Disproved spontaneous generation

structural units were “little boxes”or Of microorganisms

“cels” ▪ Developed fermentation and

pasteurization

Anton Van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723) ▪ Dutch fabric ▪ Demonstrated the Germ Theory of
merchantant amateur scientist
Disease
▪ He was the1st to observe microorganisms using
simple microscope
• John Tyndall and Ferdinand Cohn each
▪ He called these microorganisms as “animalcules”
demonstrated the presence of heat

resistant forms of some microbes.

Theory of Spontaneous Generation
– Cohn determined these forms to be
▪ It is an early belief that ‘some forms of life could
arise from vital forces present in nonliving or heat-resistant bacterial endospores.
decomposing matter

Theory of Biogenesis • Sterility requires the elimination of all

▪ Refers to the idea that living thing scan only arise life forms including endospores and
from other living things
viruses.

Francesco Redi

▪ Opposed the theory of

Spontaneous generation

▪ Made an experiment on

maggots and decaying

meat

John Needham

▪ He claimed that microbes developed

spontaneously from the fluids

Joseph Lister Edward Jenner

▪ Introduced aseptic techniques ▪ Developed the first vaccine for

to reduce microbes in medical Smallpox

settings and prevent wound

infections PaulErhlich

▪ Involved disinfection of hands using ▪ He developed the “magic

Chemicals prior to surgery bullet

▪ Use of heat for sterilization

Alexander Fleming

Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes ▪ Developed the first

▪ Observed that mothers of home births antibiotic -Penicillin

had more infections than those who

THEGOLDENAGE OF MICROBIOLOGY
gave birth in hospitals

Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis

▪Correlated infections with physicians

coming directly from the autopsy room

to the maternity ward

Robert Koch

▪ Established Koch’s postulates

▪ Identified cause of anthrax,

TB, and cholera

▪ Developed pure

culture methods
 placement into taxonomic schemes

• Binomial (scientific) nomenclature

• Gives each microbe 2 names:

– Genus - capitalized

– species - lowercase

• Both italicized or underlined

– Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)

• Inspiration for names is extremely varied and often

imaginative!

Sometimes informative.

THE ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF MICROORGANISMS

• Phylogeny: natural relatedness between groups of

organisms

• Evolution: living things change gradually over long

period of

time

• All new species originate from preexisting species

• Closely related organism have similar features

because they evolved

from common ancestral forms

• Evolution usually progresses toward greater

complexity

• Changes favoring survival are retained & less

TAXONOMY beneficial changes are

• Taxonomy: organizing, classifying, and naming lost.

living

things THE THREE DOMAINS OF LIFE

– Formal system originated by Carl von Linné • Bacteria - true bacteria
• Concerned with: • Archaea - odd bacteria
– Classification – orderly arrangement of organisms that live in extreme
into groups
environments, high salt,
– Nomenclature – assigning names
heat, etc.
– Identification – determining and recording traits of
organisms for • Eukarya - have a
nucleus and organelles

The Evolutionary Relationships Between Earth’s • Sewage treatment using microbes

Inhabitants – treatment of water combining

Various physical and chemical processes with the

action of beneficial microbes

• Bioremediation -refers to the use of microbes to

remove underground wells, chemical spills, toxic
waste sites and oil spills

• Insect pest control-use of microbes to control pests

as alfalfa caterpillars, boll worms, cornborers, cabbage
worms, tobacco budworms and fruit leaf rollers

MODERNADVANCES • Biotechnology: Production of foods,

IN MICROBIOLOGY drugs, and vaccines using living

organisms
• Bacteriology– the study of bacteria • Genetic engineering: Manipulating the
• Mycology-the study of fungi genes of organisms to make new
• Parasitology-the study of protozoa and parasitic products
worms
• Bioremediation: Using living
• Immunology– the study of immunity
organisms to remedy an
• Virology– the study of viruses
environmental problem

• Biotechnology CURRENT APPLICATIONS OF

– use of microorganisms to produce common MICROBIOLOGY IN VARIOUS
food and chemicals PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES
• Molecular biology

– the study of how genetic information is 1. Food Technological Microbiology

carried in molecules of DNA and how DNA directs the 2. Agricultural Technological Microbiology
synthesis of proteins 3. Chemical and Fuel Technological Microbiology
• Microbial ecology 4. Medical Technological Microbiology
– the study of relationship between

Microorganisms and their environment