Microbiology and Its Impact on History
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Questions and Answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of fungi?

  • They are motile and produce their own nutrients through photosynthesis.
  • They are nonmotile and absorb nutrients from their surroundings. (correct)
  • They are nonmotile, and reproduce by cell fission within a host cell.
  • They are noncellular and replicate by taking over host cell metabolism.

What is the primary way that viruses cause disease?

  • By directly destroying host cells through cell fission.
  • By absorbing nutrients from their environment, causing a nutrient deficiency in host cells.
  • By taking over the metabolism of a host cell to generate more viruses. (correct)
  • By releasing toxins that disrupt the normal functioning of surrounding tissues.

Which historical event is most closely associated with the bubonic plague?

  • The Industrial Revolution
  • The Renaissance (correct)
  • The Age of Enlightenment
  • The American Civil War

What was Lazzaro Spallanzani's primary contribution to our understanding of spontaneous generation?

<p>He demonstrated that sealed flasks of boiled broth did not produce microbes, challenging the theory of spontaneous generation. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What key feature of Louis Pasteur's swan neck flask experiment helped to disprove spontaneous generation?

<p>The flask allowed air to enter without allowing microbes to come in. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What significant contribution do microbes make to the Earth's atmosphere?

<p>Fixing nitrogen into usable forms for plants (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How is the scientific name of a microbe written?

<p>Genus capitalized, species lowercase, both are italicized (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of prokaryotic cells?

<p>Lack of a nuclear membrane (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which group of microbes is primarily known for being 'extremophiles'?

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

Which of the following describes a key attribute of protozoa?

<p>They are motile, single-celled organisms that are heterotrophic. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of algae in most food webs?

<p>They act as primary producers through photosynthesis. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How are microbes classified?

<p>By their genetic relatedness (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key role of microbes in human health?

<p>They provide essential vitamins (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the main conclusion of Martinus Beijerinck's research on the tobacco mosaic disease?

<p>The disease was caused by a substance small enough to pass through a filter. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of Sergei Winogradsky's research?

<p>He found microbes that feed on inorganic minerals and developed enrichment media. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the followings concepts are related to Lynn Margulis's endosymbiosis theory?

<p>The origin of mitochondria and chloroplasts from engulfed bacteria. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the key principle demonstrated by the use of cowpox matter to prevent smallpox?

<p>The idea of vaccination can stimulate the immune response (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why was the bacterial DNA polymerase found in Yellowstone National Park significant?

<p>It is used in PCR technology. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of growing microbes in pure culture?

<p>It is crucial for identification and diagnosis of the microbe (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was Carl Woese's major contribution to microbiology?

<p>The identification of archaea as a distinct form of life. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which scientist first introduced the concept of using an antiseptic?

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

What was Rosalind Franklin's primary contribution to the discovery of the structure of DNA?

<p>She produced high quality X-ray micrographs showing DNA as a double helix. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of an antibiotic?

<p>To kill microbes without harming the human host (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is the best description for endosymbionts?

<p>Microbes that live symbiotically inside a larger organism. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary contribution of Florence Nightingale to the field of medical microbiology?

<p>She quantified and identified the connection between poor hygiene and mortality using statistics (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What did James Watson and Francis Crick discover about the structure of DNA?

<p>DNA bases pair in the interior of a double helix. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a major drawback of the widespread use of antibiotics?

<p>It selects for antibiotic-resistant pathogens (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does an attenuated microbe offer immunity?

<p>By stimulating the immune system without causing disease (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What did Joseph Lister's main contribution to medical practices?

<p>He established the use of sterile environments for surgery. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which scientist identified penicillin?

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

What is an example of epidemiology in action within the provided content?

<p>Statistical analysis of disease in relation to crowding (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

What is a Microbe?

A microscopic living organism, typically a single-celled or multicellular organism that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

Prokaryotes

A living organism that lacks a nucleus, belonging to the Bacteria and Archaea domains.

Eukaryotes

A living organism that contains a nucleus, belonging to the domains Eukarya, including fungi, protozoa, and algae.

Pathogen

A microbe that causes disease or harm to a host organism.

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Microbiology

The science of studying microbes and their interactions with living organisms and the environment.

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Extremophiles

Organisms that thrive in extreme environments such as high temperatures, salinity, or acidity.

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Species

A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring.

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Scientific Classification

A classification system used to organize living organisms based on their evolutionary relationships.

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What are fungi?

Fungi are eukaryotic organisms that obtain nutrients by absorbing them from their surroundings. They can grow as single cells or as filaments, and are responsible for causing diseases, especially in those with weakened immune systems.

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How do viruses reproduce?

Viruses are non-cellular entities that consist of genetic material (DNA or RNA) enclosed in a protein coat. They lack the ability to reproduce on their own and rely on hijacking the metabolic machinery of host cells to create more viruses.

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What is spontaneous generation?

The idea that living organisms could spontaneously arise from non-living matter. This theory was challenged and eventually disproven by experiments.

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Explain Spallanzani's experiment

Lazzaro Spallanzani's experiment involved boiling meat broth in sealed flasks. No microbes were found growing in the sealed flasks while open flasks grew microbes. This supported the idea that microbes don't arise spontaneously.

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Describe Pasteur's experiment

Louis Pasteur's swan-neck flask experiment involved boiling broth in a flask with a curved neck, allowing air but not microbes to enter. This demonstrated that microbes come from the air, not spontaneously from the broth.

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Germ Theory of Disease

A scientific theory that states that specific diseases are caused by specific types of microorganisms. These microorganisms are invisible to the naked eye, hence the term "germ."

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Epidemiology

The study of the distribution, causes, and control of diseases within a population.

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Pure Culture

A method of growing microbes in a controlled environment, allowing identification and isolation of specific microorganisms.

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Koch's Postulates

A series of steps designed to establish that a particular microbe causes a specific disease.

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Vaccination

The introduction of a weakened or inactive form of a pathogen into the body to stimulate an immune response.

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Attenuation

The weakening of a pathogen, making it less likely to cause disease but still able to trigger an immune response.

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Immunity

The state of being protected from a disease by the immune system.

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Immunization

The process of stimulating the immune system through exposure to a pathogen, often through vaccination.

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Antiseptics

Chemicals that kill or inhibit the growth of microbes, but can't be taken internally.

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Antibiotics

Chemicals that can be taken internally to kill or inhibit the growth of microbes, specifically targeting harmful bacteria without harming the host.

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Culturable Microbes

Microbes that can only be grown in a lab environment, they are a small fraction of the total microbial population.

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What is Microbiology?

The study of microbes and how they interact with living organisms and the environment.

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What are Extremophiles?

A group of microbes that thrive in extreme environments, like hot springs or highly acidic conditions.

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What are Lithotrophs?

Winogradsky's discovery of microbes that obtain energy from inorganic minerals instead of organic sources.

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What is Nitrogen Fixation?

The process by which certain types of microbes take nitrogen gas from the atmosphere and convert it into usable forms for other organisms.

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What are Endosymbionts?

Organisms living inside other organisms and forming a symbiotic relationship.

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What is Endosymbiosis Theory?

The theory that eukaryotic cells evolved by engulfing bacteria, which then became mitochondria and chloroplasts.

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How is PCR Technology related to extremophiles?

The process of amplifying DNA sequences, using DNA polymerase isolated from a heat-tolerant bacteria found in hot springs.

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Study Notes

Microbes Shape Our History

  • Microbes play crucial roles in shaping our atmosphere, geology, and energy cycles.
  • They contribute to the air we breathe and fix nitrogen into usable forms for plants.
  • Microbes produce essential vitamins, including B12, and are primary producers in food webs.
  • Humans have numerous partnerships with microbes in food production, preservation, mining, and biotechnology.
  • The vast majority of microbial interactions benefit humans.

What is a Microbe?

  • Microbes are living organisms requiring microscopes.
  • Sizes range from millimeters to 0.2 micrometers (viruses are smaller).
  • Some microbes are visible without a microscope (e.g., amoebas).
  • Others form complex multicellular assemblages (e.g., mycelia, biofilms).
  • Some multicellular organisms require microscopes.

Defining Species

  • Microbes are categorized as species based on common genes and traits.
  • Scientific names include genus (capitalized) and species (lowercase) italicized (e.g., Escherichia coli).
  • Classification is based on genetic relatedness.
  • Relatedness is assessed through comparing DNA sequences in the genome.
  • The presence or absence of a membrane-enclosed nucleus is a major classification differentiator.

Eukaryotic vs Prokaryotic

  • Prokaryotes lack a nuclear membrane. Bacteria and archaea are examples.
  • Eukaryotes possess a nuclear membrane. Fungi, protozoa, and algae are examples.
  • Bacteria are 0.2-20 μm in size, ubiquitous and capable of forming single cells, filaments, or communities.
  • Archaea are genetically distinct from bacteria and are often considered extremophiles (e.g., methanogens).

What is a Microbe? -- Eukaryotic

  • Protozoa are motile single-celled organisms, either free-living or parasitic.
  • Algae contain chloroplasts for photosynthesis and form the base of the food web.
  • Fungi are non-motile, absorb nutrients, and can grow as single cells or filaments.

What is a Microbe? -- Other

  • Viruses are not cellular but contain genetic material (DNA or RNA) that takes over a host cell's metabolism to replicate.
  • Viruses can cause illnesses.

Disease and Microbes

  • Microbes have profoundly affected human history.
  • Diseases like leprosy, smallpox, bubonic plague, and HIV have caused widespread devastation.
  • Historical figures, like Catherine of Siena, have been impacted by those diseases.
  • Medical advancements like microscopes, spontaneous generation theories, and germ theory have dramatically shaped our understanding of microbes.
  • Epidemiology has evolved in efforts to understand the spread of disease

Microbes in Our Environment

  • Microbial ecologists have illustrated the vital role microbes play in geochemical cycles (e.g., nitrogen fixation).
  • Microbes are pivotal in ecosystems; some microbes demonstrate symbiotic relationships.
  • Examples of endosymbiosis include endosymbionts within animals and plants.

The Discovery of Viruses

  • Viruses were discovered by researchers studying tobacco mosaic disease.
  • These were shown to be much smaller than microbes.
  • Crystallization methodology was key in the early understanding of viruses.
  • The discovery of viruses led to new fields in biotechnology and pharmacology

The DNA Revolution

  • The X-ray crystallography of DNA, pioneered by Dorothy Hodgkin, detailed the structure of DNA and provided evidence of a double helix structure.
  • Rosalind Franklin's key X-ray micrographs and data were critical for determining the DNA double helix structure.

Antiseptics and Antibiotics

  • Development of penicillin, an antibiotic, revolutionized treatment and prevention of microbial infection.
  • Alexander Fleming's accidental discovery of penicillin marked a monumental medical advancement.
  • Antiseptics and antibiotics have enabled more efficient and successful interventions to infection
  • Antibiotic resistance has emerged as a significant threat to human and animal health.

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Microbes Shape Our History Chapter 1 Notes

Description

Explore how microbes have shaped our world through their roles in the atmosphere, geology, and various energy cycles. This quiz delves into the classification, functions, and significance of microbes in human life, including their contributions to food production and biotechnology. Test your knowledge about these essential organisms and their interactions with humans.

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