BIOL 1011 Chapter : Chapter 1
Document Summary
Giovanni and venter- microbiologists exploring microorganisms in the ocean"s ecosystem and their dominant role on this planet. Genome: the complete set of genetic information in a cell, organism, or virus. Microbiology: embraces a biologically diverse group of usually small life forms, encompassing primarily microorganisms/microbes (bacteria, fungi, algae, and protozoa) and viruses. 50% of the oxygen we breathe: 100 billion microbes colonize our skin and grow in our mouth, ears, nose, throat, and digestive tract. Majority are known as microbiota, beneficial in helping us resist disease and regulating development and nutrition: pathogens (disease causing agents) are rare but have made an impact on humanity for some epidemics: plague, cholera, and small pox. Even with today"s antibiotics and vaccines, pathogens still concern us aids, swine, etc: we are dependent on microbes. Although the study of microorganisms began in earnest with the work of. Pasteur and koch, they were not the first to report microorganisms. 200times: he communicated his observations through letters to.
