1: The Microbial World and You

LEARNING OBJECTIVES CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

1-1 List several ways in which microbes affect
our lives.
Describe some of the destructive and beneficial actions
of microbes.
1-2 Recognize the system of scientific
nomenclature that uses two names: a genus and a
specific epithet.
Distinguish a genus from a specific epithet.
1- Differentiate the ma!or characteristics of
each group of microorganisms.
"hich groups of microbes are pro#aryotes$ "hich are
eu#aryotes$
1-% List the three domains. "hat are the three domains$
1-& '(plain the importance of observations
made by )oo#e and van Leeuwenhoe#.
"hat is the cell theory$
1-* +ompare spontaneous generation and
biogenesis.
"hat evidence supported spontaneous generation$
1-, -dentify the contributions to microbiology
made by .eedham/ 0pallanzani/ 1irchow/ and
2asteur.
)ow was spontaneous generation disproved$
1-3 '(plain how 2asteur4s wor# influenced
Lister and 5och.
0ummarize in your own words the germ theory of
disease.
1-6 -dentify the importance of 5och4s
postulates.
"hat is the importance of 5och4s postulates$
1-17 -dentify the importance of 8enner4s wor#. "hat is the significance of 8enner4s discovery$
1-11 -dentify the contributions to microbiology
made by 'hrlich and 9leming.
"hat was 'hrlich4s :magic bullet;$
1-12 Define bacteriology, mycology,
parasitology, immunology, and virology.
Define bacteriology, mycology, parasitology,
immunology, and virology.
1-1 '(plain the importance of molecular
genetics and molecular biology.
Differentiate microbial genetics from molecular biology.
1-1% List at least four beneficial activities of
microorganisms.
.ame two beneficial uses of bacteria.
1-1& .ame two e(amples of biotechnology that
use recombinant D.< technology and two
e(amples that do not.
Differentiate biotechnology from recombinant D.<
technology.
1-1* Define normal microbiota and resistance. Differentiate normal microbiota and infectious disease.
1-1, Define biofilm. "hy are biofilms important$
1-13 Define emerging infectious disease.
"hat factors contribute to the emergence of an infectious
disease$
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CHAPTER SUMMARY
Microbes in Our Lives (p. 2)
1. Living things too small to be seen with the unaided eye are called microorganisms.
2. =icroorganisms are important in maintaining 'arth4s ecological balance.
. 0ome microorganisms live in humans and other animals and are needed to maintain good health.
%. 0ome microorganisms are used to produce foods and chemicals.
&. 0ome microorganisms cause disease.
Naming and Classifying Microorganisms (pp. 26)
Nomenclature (p. 2)
1. -n a nomenclature system designed by +arolus Linnaeus >1,&?/ each living organism is assigned two
names.
2.@he two names consist of a genus and a specific epithet/ both of which are underlined or italicized.
Types of Microorganisms (pp. 36)
Bacteria (pp. 34)
. Bacteria are unicellular organisms. Aecause they have no nucleus/ the cells are described as
prokaryotic.
%. @he three ma!or basic shapes of bacteria are bacillus/ coccus/ and spiral.
&. =ost bacteria have a peptidoglycan cell wallB they divide by binary fission/ and they may possess
flagella.
*. Aacteria can use a wide range of chemical substances for their nutrition.
Archaea (p. 4)
,. Archaea consist of pro#aryotic cellsB they lac# peptidoglycan in their cell walls.
3. <rchaea include methanogens/ e(treme halophiles/ and e(treme thermophiles.
Fungi (p. 4)
6. Fungi >mushrooms/ molds/ and yeasts? have eu#aryotic cells >cells with a true nucleus?. =ost fungi are
multicellular.
17. 9ungi obtain nutrients by absorbing organic material from their environment.
Protozoa (pp. 4, 6)
11. Protooa are unicellular eu#aryotes.
12. 2rotozoa obtain nourishment by absorption or ingestion through specialized structures.
Algae (p. 6)
1. Algae are unicellular or multicellular eu#aryotes that obtain nourishment by photosynthesis.
1%. <lgae produce o(ygen and carbohydrates that are used by other organisms.
Viruses (p. 6)
1&. !iruses are noncellular entities that are parasites of cells.
1*. 1iruses consist of a nucleic acid core >D.< or R.<? surrounded by a protein coat. <n envelope may
surround the coat.
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Multicellular Animal Parasites (p. 6)
1,. @he principal groups of multicellular animal parasites are flatworms and roundworms/ collectively
called helminths.
13. @he microscopic stages in the life cycle of helminths are identified by traditional microbiological
procedures.
Classification of Microorganisms (p. 6)
16. <ll organisms are classified into Bacteria/ Archaea/ and "ukarya. 'u#arya include protists/ fungi/
plants/ and animals.
A Brief History of Microbiology (pp. 616)
The First Observations (p. 7)
1. Robert )oo#e observed that cor# was composed of :little bo(es;B he introduced the term cell >1**&?.
2. )oo#e4s observations laid the groundwor# for development of the cell theory/ the concept that all
living things are composed of cells.
. <nton van Leeuwenhoe#/ using a simple microscope/ was the first to observe microorganisms >1*,?.
The Debate over Spontaneous Generation (p. 8)
%. Cntil the mid-1337s/ many people believed in spontaneous generation/ the idea that living organisms
could arise from nonliving matter.
&. 9rancesco Redi demonstrated that maggots appear on decaying meat only when flies are able to lay
eggs on the meat >1**3?.
*. 8ohn .eedham claimed that microorganisms could arise spontaneously from heated nutrient broth
>1,%&?.
,. Lazzaro 0pallanzani repeated .eedham4s e(periments and suggested that .eedham4s results were due
to microorganisms in the air entering his broth >1,*&?.
3. Rudolf 1irchow introduced the concept of biogenesis: living cells can arise only from pree(isting cells
>13&3?.
6. Louis 2asteur demonstrated that microorganisms are in the air everywhere and offered proof of
biogenesis >13*1?.
17. 2asteur4s discoveries led to the development of aseptic techni#ues used in laboratory and medical
procedures to prevent contamination by microorganisms.
The Golden Age of Microbiology (pp. 911)
11. @he science of microbiology advanced rapidly between 13&, and 161%.
Fermentation and Pasteurization (p. 9)
12. 2asteur found that yeast ferment sugars to alcohol and that bacteria can o(idize the alcohol to acetic
acid.
1. < heating process called pasteuriation is used to #ill bacteria in some alcoholic beverages and mil#.
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.
The Germ Theory of Disease (pp. 9, 11)
1%. <gostino Aassi >13&? and 2asteur >13*&? showed a causal relationship between microorganisms and
disease.
1&. 8oseph Lister introduced the use of a disinfectant to clean surgical wounds in order to control
infections in humans >13*7s?.
1*. Robert 5och proved that microorganisms cause disease. )e used a seDuence of procedures/ now called
$och%s postulates >13,*?/ that are used today to prove that a particular microorganism causes a
particular disease.
Vaccination (p. 11)
1,. -n a vaccination/ immunity >resistance to a particular disease? is conferred by inoculation with a
vaccine.
13. -n 1,63/ 'dward 8enner demonstrated that inoculation with cowpo( material provides humans with
immunity to smallpo(.
16. <bout 1337/ 2asteur discovered that a&irulent bacteria could be used as a vaccine for fowl choleraB he
coined the word vaccine.
27. =odern vaccines are prepared from living avirulent microorganisms or #illed pathogens/ from isolated
components of pathogens/ and by recombinant D.< techniDues.
The Birth of Modern Chemotherapy: Dreams of a Magic Bullet (pp. 1213)
21. 'hemotherapy is the chemical treatment of a disease.
22. @wo types of chemotherapeutic agents are synthetic drugs >chemically prepared in the laboratory? and
antibiotics >substances produced naturally by bacteria and fungi to inhibit the growth of other
microorganisms?.
2. 2aul 'hrlich introduced an arsenic-containing chemical called sal&arsan to treat syphilis >1617?.
2%. <le(ander 9leming observed that the Penicillium fungus inhibited the growth of a bacterial culture. )e
named the active ingredient penicillin >1623?.
2&. 2enicillin has been used clinically as an antibiotic since the 16%7s.
2*. Researchers are tac#ling the problem of drug-resistant microbes.
Modern Developments in Microbiology (pp. 1316)
2,. Bacteriology is the study of bacteria/ mycology is the study of fungi/ and parasitology is the study of
parasitic protozoa and worms.
23. =icrobiologists are using genomics/ the study of all of an organism4s genes/ to classify bacteria/ fungi/
and protozoa.
26. @he study of <-D0/ analysis of the action of interferons/ and the development of new vaccines are
among the current research interests in immunology.
7. .ew techniDues in molecular biology and electron microscopy have provided tools for advancing our
#nowledge of virology.
1. @he development of recombinant D.< technology has helped advance all areas of microbiology.
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.
Microbes and Human Welfare (pp. 1618)
1. =icroorganisms degrade dead plants and animals and recycle chemical elements to be used by living
plants and animals.
2. Aacteria are used to decompose organic matter in sewage.
. Bioremediation processes use bacteria to clean up to(ic wastes.
%. Aacteria that cause diseases in insects are being used as biological controls of insect pests. Aiological
controls are specific for the pest and do not harm the environment.
&. Csing microbes to ma#e products such as foods and chemicals is called biotechnology.
*. Csing recombinant D.</ bacteria can produce important substances such as proteins/ vaccines/ and
enzymes.
,. -n gene therapy/ viruses are used to carry replacements for defective or missing genes into human
cells.
3. Eenetically modified bacteria are used in agriculture to protect plants from frost and insects and to
improve the shelf life of produce.
Microbes and Human Disease (pp. 1821)
1. 'veryone has microorganisms in and on the bodyB these ma#e up the normal microbiota/ or flora.
2. @he disease-producing properties of a species of microbe and the host4s resistance are important
factors in determining whether a person will contract a disease.
. Aacterial communities that form slimy layers on surfaces are called biofilms.
%. <n infectious disease is one in which pathogens invade a susceptible host.
&. <n emerging infectious disease (")*+ is a new or changing disease showing an increase in incidence
in the recent past or a potential to increase in the near future.
'ontributions to the field of microbiology by the follo,ing indi&iduals are noted in this chapter-
+arolus Linnaeus established the system of
nomenclature for naming organisms
+arl "oese devised a system of classification
for grouping organisms into domains
Robert )oo#e laid the groundwor# for
development of the cell theory
<ntoni van Leeuwenhoe# was the first to observe
microorganisms using a simple
microscope
9rancesco Redi demonstrated that maggots
appeared on decaying meat only
when flies were able to lay eggs
on the meat
8ohn .eedham claimed that microorganisms
could arise spontaneously from
heated nutrient brothB claimed a
:vital force; was necessary for
spontaneous generation
Lazzaro 0pallanzani suggested that .eedham4s results
were due to microorganisms in the
air entering his broth
<nton Laurent Lavoisier showed the importance of o(ygen
to life
Rudolf 1irchow introduced the concept of
biogenesis: living cells can arise
only from pree(isting cells
Louis 2asteur demonstrated that microorganisms
are in the air everywhere and
offered proof of biogenesisB
discoveries led to the development
of aseptic techniDues used in
laboratory and medical procedures
to prevent contamination by
microorganismsB found that yeast
ferment sugars to alcohol and that
bacteria can o(idize the alcohol to
acetic acidB techniDue of
pasteurization is named after him
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<gostino Aassi originally proved one sil#worm
disease was caused by a fungusB
he and 2asteur later found that a
more recent sil#worm infection
was caused by a protozoan
-gnaz 0emmelweis demostrated that physicians
who did not disinfect their
hands routinely transmitted
infections
8oseph Lister used phenol red >carbolic acid?
to successfully treat surgical
wounds thereby proving a
connection with microbes and
surgical infection
Robert 5och proved that microorganisms
cause diseaseB he used a
seDuence of procedures/ now
called 5och4s postulates/ that
are used today to prove that a
particular microorganism causes
a particular disease
'dward 8enner demonstrated that inoculation
with cowpo( material provides
humans with immunity to
smallpo(
2aul 'hrlich introduced an arsenic-
containing chemical called
salvarsan to treat syphilis
<le(ander 9leming observed that the Penicillium
fungus inhibited the growth of a
bacterial culture. )e named the
active ingredient penicillin
Microbes in .ur /i&es
+haim "eizmann discovered the process by which
microbes produce acetone and
butanol
Modern *e&elopments in Microbiology

Rebecca Lancefield
Dmitri -wanows#y
"endell 0tanley
2aul Aerg
Eeorge Aeadle
'dward @atum
Fswald <very
+olin =acLeod
=aclyn =c+arty
8oshua Lederberg
8ames "atson
9rancis +ric#
9ranGois 8acob
8acDues =onod
=artinus Aei!erin#
0ergei "inograds#y
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THE LOOP
@he chapter defines organisms studied in microbiology. @opics introduced in the overview of microbiology
can be covered in more depth by reading the following sections:
Aioremediation pp. / ,,&
+lassification +hapter 17
'merging infectious diseases pp. %1*H%13
-ndustrial microbiologyIbiotechnology +hapters 6 and 23
5och4s postulates pp. %7%H%7*
1accines pp. &71H&7*
Aiofilms pp. 1*2H1*
ANSWERS
Review
1. 2eople came to believe that living organisms arose from nonliving matter because they would see flies
coming out of manure and maggots coming out of dead animals/ and see microorganisms appear in
liDuids after a day or two.
2. a. +ertain microorganisms cause diseases in insects. =icroorganisms that #ill insects can be effective
biological control agents because they are specific for the pest and do not persist in the
environment.
b. +arbon/ o(ygen/ nitrogen/ sulfur/ and phosphorus are reDuired for all living organisms.
=icroorganisms convert these elements into forms that are useful for other organisms. =any
bacteria decompose material and release carbon dio(ide into the atmosphere that plants use. 0ome
bacteria can ta#e nitrogen from the atmosphere and convert it into a form that can be used by
plants and other microorganisms.
c. .ormal microbiota are microorganisms that are found in and on the human body. @hey do not
usually cause disease and can be beneficial.
d. Frganic matter in sewage is decomposed by bacteria into carbon dio(ide/ nitrates/ phosphates/
sulfate/ and other inorganic compounds in a wastewater treatment plant.
e. Recombinant D.< techniDues have resulted in insertion of the gene for insulin production into
bacteria. @hese bacteria can produce human insulin ine(pensively.
f. =icroorganisms can be used as vaccines. 0ome microbes can be genetically engineered to produce
components of vaccines.
g. Aiofilms are aggregated bacteria adhering to each other and to a s solid surface.
. a. 1/ d. 2 g. %
b. 3 e. & h. ,
c. 1/ %/ & f.
%. a. , d. 2 g. 1
b. % e. *
c. f. &
&. a. 11 g. 17 m. ,
b. 1% h. 2 n. &
c. 1& i. 1 o. *
d. 1, !. 12 p. 3
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e. #. 13 D. 1
f. 6 l. % r. 1*
*. Erwinia amylovora is the correct way to write this scientific name. 0cientific names can be derived
from the names of scientists. -n this case/ Erwinia is derived from 'rwin 9. 0mith/ an <merican plant
pathologist. 0cientific names also can describe the organism/ its habitat/ or its niche. E. amylovora is a
pathogen of plants >amylo J starch/ vora J eat?.
,. a. B. thuringiensis is sold as a biological insecticide.
b. Saccharomyces is the yeast sold for ma#ing bread/ wine/ and beer.
3.
Critical Thinking
1. 2asteur showed that life comes from pree(isting life. @he microorganisms that produced chemical and
physical changes in beef broth and wine came from a few cells that entered the liDuids from dust/
containers/ or the air. <fter showing that microorganisms could both grow on and change organic
matter/ 2asteur and others began to suspect that diseases were the result of microorganisms growing on
living organic matter.
2. 0emmelweis had observed an increased incidence of fever when medical students wor#ed in obstetrics/
as compared to the incidence during the students4 summer brea#. @he medical students were carrying
bacteria from the autopsy room. Lister observed that compound bone fractures could result in death/
whereas recovery from simple fractures occurred without incident.
. @here are manyK +hec# the dairy section for fermented products/ such as sour cream/ yogurt/ and
cheese. 2rotein supplements often are yeasts. Aread/ wine/ and beer are products of yeasts and some
bacteria. 0auer#raut is cabbage that has been fermented by lactobacilli. 1inegar is produced by
bacterial growth on ethyl alcohol >wine?. Lanthan/ a thic#ener in many foods/ is made by
Xanthomonas bacteria.
%. 9actors contributing to infectious disease include mutations in e(isting organisms/ spread of diseases to
new areas/ ecological disturbances such as deforestation/ lac# of immunization/ pesticide resistance/
and antibiotic resistance.
Clinical Applications
1. a. @reatment with penicillin suggests a bacterial cause/ because only bacterial diseases are treatable
with this drug. @he summer onset also suggested an infectious disease/ perhaps related to an
outdoor activity such as swimming or contact with mosDuitoes or tic#s.
b. Lyme disease.
c. @he tic# vector is more active during these months. <dditionally/ people spend more time
outdoors and potentially in contact with tic#s during these months.
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2. 2asteur showed that microbes were omnipresent and were responsible for :diseases; >i.e./ spoilage? of
foodB Lister reasoned that these microbes might be responsible for diseases of people. .either Lister
nor 2asteur proved that microbes caused diseases. 5och provided a repeatable proof to demonstrate
that a microbe causes a disease.
CASE STUDY: ARE ULCERS AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE?
Background
-n 1631/ the following information came to the attention of Aarry =arshall/ a gastroenterologist at the
Royal 2erth )ospital in <ustralia. )ousehold members of ulcer patients do not develop antibodies against
Helicobacter. )owever/ clinical staff involved in obtaining biopsy samples from ulcer patients develop
antibodies against Helicobacter. -f acid-suppressive therapy is combined with antibiotics/ ulcers usually do
not recur. =arshall concluded that ulcers are an infectious disease.
Questions
"hat caused =arshall to reach his conclusion$ "hat additional proof would be needed$
The Solution
@he presence of antibodies against Helicobacter is evidence of current or prior infection by the organism.
'(change of bacteria of the intestinal and s#in microbiota/ which is normal among household members/
does not transmit Helicobacter, but direct contact with stomach contents does. =arshall collected the
additional proof by demonstrating 5och4s postulates. )ealthy volunteers were inoculated with
Helicobacter; they developed symptoms of the diseaseB and the Helicobacter was recovered from them.
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