BIOL 2051 Chapter : Chapter 1
Document Summary
Chapter 1: microbial life: origin and discovery: what is microbiology? the study of organisms too small to be seen with the naked eye. Some are pathogens but most are harmless or beneficial. Genetically engineered crops (soybean plants: food industry (beer, wine, bread, yogurt, pickles, chocolate, genetic engineering insulin, growth hormone, vitamins. Crops resistant to pests, heat, pesticides, herbicides, etc: keep us alive recycle nutrients. Degrade organic matter: cause disease (most microbes are not pathogenic) Hiv, colds, std"s, food poisoning, flu: microbiologists study bacteria, viruses, protozoans, fungi, algae, diatoms, and more. What is a microbe: organism that requires microscope to be seen, microbial cells size 0. 2 um to mm; (viruses are much smaller, contradictions super-sized cells thiomargarita namibiensis is the size of a fruit fly head. Microbial communities in biofilms microbes have specialized functions and act as multicellular organism. Viruses are non-cellular and are considered to be microbes they are not fully functional cells: 6 major groups studied by microbiologists.
