Microbes in Our Lives
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Questions and Answers

Which group of bacteria is known for producing methane as a waste product?

  • Methanogens (correct)
  • Unicellular bacteria
  • Extreme thermophiles
  • Extreme halophiles

What substance primarily composes the cell walls of true fungi?

  • Peptidoglycan
  • Cellulose
  • Keratin
  • Chitin (correct)

What movement structure do protozoa like amoebae use to move?

  • Filaments
  • Flagella
  • Pseudopods (correct)
  • Cilia

In which type of environment would you typically find extreme halophiles?

<p>Extremely salty environments (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do fungi obtain nourishment?

<p>By secreting enzymes to absorb organic material (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic feature of slime molds?

<p>Characteristics of both fungi and amoebas (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a common method of movement for protozoa?

<p>Swarming (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of cell structure characterizes eukaryotes, including fungi and protozoa?

<p>Distinct nucleus with nuclear membrane (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What process did Pasteur develop to prevent spoilage in wine and beer?

<p>Pasteurization (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the main cause of souring in wine and beer as discovered by Pasteur?

<p>Bacteria converting alcohol into vinegar (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Before Pasteur's work, how were effective treatments for diseases commonly discovered?

<p>By trial and error (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What concept explains the relationship between microorganisms and the causes of many diseases?

<p>The germ theory of disease (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What misconception about disease did people hold before the acceptance of germ theory?

<p>Diseases were a punishment for individual crimes (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

During Pasteur's time, what was one believed cause of disease apart from microorganisms?

<p>Foul odors from sewage (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role do yeasts play in the fermentation process identified by Pasteur?

<p>They convert sugars to alcohol (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was Pasteur's initial motivation for studying fermentation and spoilage?

<p>To find methods for food preservation (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What did Pasteur's unique flask design achieve?

<p>It permitted air entry while trapping airborne microorganisms. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a major consequence of Pasteur's discoveries regarding microbial life?

<p>Heat can be used to destroy microbial life. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about aseptic techniques is true?

<p>They originated from Pasteur's experiments. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was disproven by Pasteur's experiments regarding spontaneous generation?

<p>Microorganisms can arise from nonliving materials through mystical forces. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What time period is referred to as the Golden Age of Microbiology?

<p>1857 to 1914. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following advancements occurred during the Golden Age of Microbiology?

<p>The establishment of microbiology as a science. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of microbiology was significantly improved during the Golden Age?

<p>Microscopy and culturing techniques. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role did immunity play according to microbiologists during the Golden Age?

<p>It was understood to prevent and cure diseases. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What did John Needham attribute the presence of microorganisms in nutrient fluids to?

<p>Spontaneous generation from the fluids (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was Lazzaro Spallanzani's contribution to the debate on spontaneous generation?

<p>He sealed flasks before boiling to prevent contamination. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which scientist proposed the concept of biogenesis in opposition to spontaneous generation?

<p>Rudolf Virchow (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What experiment did Louis Pasteur conduct to demonstrate his findings about microorganisms?

<p>He placed broth in long-necked flasks bent into S-shaped curves. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was one criticism of Spallanzani's experiments regarding microbial growth?

<p>The flasks lacked enough oxygen for microbial life. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What did Anton Laurent Lavoisier demonstrate that contributed to the understanding of life?

<p>The necessity of oxygen for living organisms. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary conclusion of Louis Pasteur's experiments?

<p>Air contains microorganisms that can contaminate living matter. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of Needham's findings eventually led to the theory of biogenesis?

<p>The idea that life can only originate from preexisting life. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What enzyme does MRSA produce that destroys β-lactam antibiotics?

<p>β-lactamase (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In which region was West Nile encephalitis first diagnosed?

<p>West Nile region of Uganda (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary vector for the transmission of the West Nile virus?

<p>Mosquitoes (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What infectious agent is responsible for bovine spongiform encephalopathy?

<p>Prion (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What significant public health issue was associated with E. coli O157:H7?

<p>Bloody diarrhea (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is true?

<p>CJD can be related to variant BSE. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was a common source of infection for cattle leading to the BSE epidemic?

<p>Infected cattle feed prepared from sheep (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How did the West Nile virus first appear in North America?

<p>Carried by mosquitoes from infected birds (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary objective of Edward Jenner's experiment?

<p>To find a way to protect people from smallpox. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic of the fowl cholera bacterium did Pasteur discover?

<p>It could lose its virulence when cultured for extended periods. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the protection from disease gained through vaccination or recovery from the disease?

<p>Immunity (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the initial discovery that led to Jenner's successful vaccination against smallpox?

<p>The inability of milkmaids to contract smallpox after cowpox. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by the term 'avirulent' in the context of Pasteur's findings?

<p>A microorganism incapable of causing disease. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What significant role did Edward Jenner's experiment play in the field of microbiology?

<p>It laid the groundwork for understanding vaccination and immunity. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which disease was eradicated largely due to vaccination techniques pioneered by Jenner?

<p>Smallpox (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the word 'vacca', the root of the term vaccination, refer to?

<p>A cow. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Chemoautotroph

Bacteria that obtain nutrients from inorganic substances.

Photoautotrophic bacteria

A type of bacteria that can produce their own food through photosynthesis.

Archaea

Prokaryotic organisms that lack peptidoglycan in their cell walls and are often found in extreme environments.

Methanogens

Archaea that produce methane gas as a byproduct of their metabolism.

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Extreme halophiles

Archaea that thrive in extremely salty environments.

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Extreme thermophiles

Archaea that thrive in extremely hot, often sulfurous environments.

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Fungi

Eukaryotic organisms that have a distinct nucleus and can be unicellular or multicellular.

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Yeasts

Single-celled fungi.

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Spontaneous Generation

The idea that living organisms can arise from non-living matter.

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Needham's Experiment

John Needham's experiment that seemed to support spontaneous generation. He heated nutrient broth, then sealed it in flasks, and observed microbial growth.

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Spallanzani's Experiment

Lazzaro Spallanzani's experiment that challenged spontaneous generation. He sealed broth in flasks before heating, preventing microbial growth.

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Biogenesis

A theory that states that living cells can only arise from pre-existing living cells.

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Pasteur's Experiment

Louis Pasteur's experiment that definitively refuted spontaneous generation. He used swan-neck flasks to demonstrate that microbes in the air contaminate broth.

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Abiogenesis

The process by which living organisms are created from non-living matter.

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Vital Force

A mysterious force that Needham believed was responsible for spontaneous generation, destroyed by heat and prevented by seals.

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Nutrient Broth

A substance that provides nutrients for the growth of microorganisms.

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Fermentation

A process where yeasts convert sugars into alcohol in the absence of air.

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Pasteurization

The process of heating liquids, like beer, wine, or milk, to kill bacteria that cause spoilage.

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Germ Theory of Disease

A theory stating that microorganisms, such as bacteria, are responsible for causing disease.

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Spoilage Microorganisms

Harmful microorganisms that can cause food to spoil, like bacteria that turn alcohol into vinegar.

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Pasteur's Swan-neck Flask Experiment

Pasteur's experiment utilizing a swan-neck flask, where broth was exposed to air but not airborne microorganisms, proving that life does not spontaneously generate from nonliving matter.

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French Merchants and Pasteur

A group of scientists studying the relationship between microbes and disease.

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Aseptic Techniques

Techniques that prevent contamination by unwanted microorganisms during laboratory or medical procedures.

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Yeast and Fermentation

Scientific investigation that links the activity of a microorganism to changes in organic materials.

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Golden Age of Microbiology

The period from 1857 to 1914 marked by rapid advancements in microbiology, especially with the contributions of Pasteur and Koch.

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Microorganisms and Disease

The idea that microbes could cause disease in plants and animals.

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Punishment Theory of Disease

The belief that disease was a punishment for wrongdoing.

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Microbiology

The study of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa.

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Sterilization

A process that kills microorganisms, often by heat, to prevent contamination.

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Immunity

The ability of an organism to resist infection by microorganisms.

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Vaccine

A substance that stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies against a specific disease.

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Vaccination

A process that uses cowpox to protect against smallpox.

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Avirulent

The weakened form of a disease-causing agent, used in vaccines.

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Virulence

The ability of a disease-causing agent to cause illness.

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Viral Relationship

The close resemblance of two viruses, such as cowpox and smallpox, allowing one to induce immunity against the other.

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Cross-Immunity

The process by which a weakened version of a disease-causing agent, such as cowpox, can induce immunity against the original disease, such as smallpox.

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Pasteur

A scientist who discovered that bacteria can lose their virulence, leading to the development of vaccinations.

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Jenner

The scientist who pioneered vaccination, using cowpox to protect against smallpox.

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MRSA Infection

A bacterial infection caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which produces an enzyme that destroys antibiotics.

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West Nile Encephalitis (WNE)

Inflammation of the brain caused by the West Nile virus, transmitted by mosquitoes that feed on infected birds.

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Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)

A contagious prion disease affecting cattle, leading to neurological damage and death. Also known as 'mad cow disease'.

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Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)

A human prion disease that affects the brain, often linked to consumption of contaminated beef.

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E. coli O157:H7

A strain of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria that is prevalent in the intestines of cattle and can cause bloody diarrhea when it grows in the human gut.

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Surgical Drainage

A surgical procedure to remove pus from an infected area, often used to treat abscesses caused by MRSA.

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β-Lactamase

An enzyme produced by bacteria like MRSA, which breaks down antibiotics, making them ineffective.

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Prion Disease

A severe, often deadly, disease caused by the prion protein that attacks the nervous system and leads to brain damage and death.

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Study Notes

Microbes in Our Lives

  • Microbes, also called microorganisms, are tiny living things, too small to be seen with the naked eye
  • They include bacteria, fungi, protozoa, algae, and viruses
  • Microbes play crucial roles in ecosystems and human lives, including waste decomposition, nutrient cycling, and the synthesis of essential vitamins
  • They also have various commercial applications such as producing vitamins, chemicals, enzymes, etc.
  • Microbes are significant in the food industry, producing vinegar, sauerkraut, pickles, soy sauce, cheese, yogurt, bread, and alcoholic beverages
  • They also create therapeutic substances like insulin and aids in cleaning products
  • Some microbes cause diseases such as AIDS and other infections, but most microbes are beneficial
  • Microorganisms are critical in maintaining chemical and biological balance in the environment

Types of Microorganisms

  • Bacteria: unicellular prokaryotes (lacking a nucleus), with rod-like, spherical, or spiral shapes
  • Archaea: unicellular prokaryotes, resembling bacteria in some ways, but with distinct cell wall structures and adaptations to extreme environments
  • Fungi: eukaryotes (with a nucleus), including yeasts (unicellular) and molds (multicellular), that absorb dissolved nutrients
  • Protozoa: unicellular eukaryotes, moving by pseudopods, flagella, or cilia, and absorbing dissolved nutrients or engulfing other microbes
  • Algae: photosynthetic eukaryotes, often unicellular, that require sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide for photosynthesis
  • Viruses: acellular entities consisting of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) and protein coat, requiring a host cell's machinery for reproduction

Nomenclature

  • Scientific names are Latinized and use two components
    • A genus (plural: genera), always capitalized
    • A specific epithet (species name), not capitalized
  • Names are italicized or underlined

Clinical Case: A Simple Mosquito Bite?

  • Zendaya experiences a red sore on her wrist, likely a bacterial infection (staph)
  • A doctor suspects a bacterial infection and prescribes cephalosporin (a β-lactam antibiotic)
  • The white blood cell count signifies infection, which was likely a skin infection.

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Explore the fascinating world of microbes and their vital roles in our ecosystems and daily lives. From bacteria to fungi, learn how these microorganisms contribute to food production, waste decomposition, and even medical applications. Understand the balance they maintain and their impact on both health and the environment.

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