CELLULAR LIFE - All cells have the following

• Has a membrane that separates the cell from the outside world
• Contains a nucleic acid as its genetic material (DNA or RNA)
• Use their genetic material to produce protein – structural or functional as enzymes and
hormones
• Are composed of basic chemical as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, nucleic acids, vitamins, &
minerals
• Regulate the flow of nutrients and wastes entering and leaving the cell
• Reproduce and are the result of reproduction
• Require a source of energy
• Interact with their environment

CELLULAR VS. ACELLULAR

• Acellular – Viruses do not have cellular components, nor do they grow or metabolize organic
materials. They generally consist of a piece of nucleic acid encased in protein which must use
the cellular components of a living cell to reproduce. Prions (proteinaceous infectious
particles) are infectious agents composed primarily of protein which induce
the existing polypeptides in host cells to take on its form. Eukaryotic Animal Cell Eukaryotic Plant Cell
• Cellular – bacteria and Archaea are prokaryotic cells while algae, fungi, and protozoa have
eukaryotic cells.
Surface of Cell:
PROKARYOTIC VS EUKARYOTIC CELLS
• Cell Wall – commonly found in plants cells – protection & support
• Plasma Membrane – control of substances coming in and out
• Cilia - sweep materials across the cell surface
• Flagellum - enables a cell to propel and move in different directions
Cytoplasm – between plasma membrane and nucleus – many organelles
• Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the passageway for transport of materials within the cell
• Synthesis of lipids – modification of newly formed polypeptide chains
• Ribosomes are the site of protein synthesis
• Golgi apparatus- Final modification of proteins & lipids Packing of materials for secretion of
the cell
• Mitochondria are the site of aerobic cell respiration-ATP production
• Lysosomes contain enzymes to digest ingested material or damaged tissue
• Chloroplasts – store chlorophyll – photosynthesis light reaction
• Vacuoles – storage – increase cell surface area
• Centrioles - organize the spindle fibers during cell division
• Cytoskeleton – cell shape, internal organization, cell movement & locomotion

Nucleus: - control center of the cell

• Nuclear membrane – membrane around nucleus – controls movement in an out

Comparison • Nucleolus – assembly of subunits of ribosomes.
• Prokaryotic – single celled microorganism (archaea and bacteria) with nuclear material but no • DNA - encoding of heredity information
nuclear membrane or membrane bound organelles • RNA – transcription and translation of DNA coding into proteins
• Eukaryotic – most cells – with organized nucleus and membrane bound organelles

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Organelles of Microbial Origin Measuring bacterial growth:

• Eukaryotic cells are structurally and biochemically more complex than Eukaryotic cells Optical Density: using a spectrophotometer to measure the turbidity (cloudiness) of a bacterial
• There is strong evidence to suggest that Eukaryotic cells came from aggregates of Prokaryotic culture
cells that became interdependent and eventually fused into a single larger cell. Plate counts: dilute and plate bacterial cultures, count the number of colonies that form to
• Nuclear material – is found in both Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells determine Colony Forming Units per mL (CFU/mL)
• Mitochondria –have DNA similar to that of a Prokaryotic cell and can reproduce independent Quantifying DNA or Protein: extract DNA and protein from bacterial culture and quantify
of the rest of the Eukaryotic cell. using laboratory assays
• Chloroplasts – also have DNA similar to that of a Prokaryotic cell and can reproduce
independent of the rest of the Eukaryotic cell. Isolation of bacteria
Streaking for isolation: spread a heavy streak of cells with a sterile stick or loop; re-sterilize stick or
BACTERIA loop with flame, pull cells from previous streak, and dilute by dragging stick or loop across plate;
Composite of possible structures for bacterial cell repeat until cells sufficiently diluted to form isolated colonies.
• Consist of only one cell – a prokaryotic cell
• Live in all environments – even above boiling point Serial dilution and plating: dilute culture 10-fold (ex: 1mL of culture into 9mL of fresh medium);
and below freezing point transfer same volume of first dilution to a second tube with the same amount of fresh media,
• Are basically three shapes – spherical , rod, and generating a 100-fold dilution, continue until 106 dilution has been made; spread volumes of each
spiral or helical dilution on plates; count colonies that form; determine Colony Forming Units per mL of medium
• Exist as individuals or cluster together to form pairs, (CFU/mL).
chains, squares, or other groupings
Streaking for isolation:
• Some are photoautotrophic - make their own food
as plants and give off oxygen – Cyanobacteria are
also aerobic – use oxygen for respiration Purple
and green bacteria
are anaerobic
• Some are chemoautotrophic - synthesize their own food using energy from chemical reactions
– important for recycling in nitrogen and sulfur cycles
• Some have flagella - rotates like a tiny outboard motor, others secrete a slime layer and move
over surfaces like slugs, while others are immobile.
• Some form spores

MICROBIAL GROWTH CURVE

Serial dilution and plating:

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 BACTERIAL SHAPES, GRAM + AND GRAM -
BACTERIAL SHAPES

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• Gram positive bacteria
• • stain purple under Gram stain
• • have a thick bilayer wall of the
polymer peptidoglycan.
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Gram negative bacteria
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• stain red
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• have a thin layer of this polymer and an additional lipopolysaccharide outer layer, LPS,
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• often endotoxic - capable of initiating inflammation and cell-mediated immune responses
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• e.g., Salmonella, Shigella, and Escherichia.
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• ARCHAEA
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• • Are Prokaryotic
• • Similar to bacteria in many characteristics
• Cell walls lack peptidoglycan + other differences
• Origin very old - during formation of the earth
• Extremely tolerant to heat, acid, and toxic gases
• Found in extreme habitats in anaerobic environments to produce
methane, high salt concentrations or hot acid environments
• Involved in carbon & nitrogen cycles, assist in digestion, & can be
used in sewage treatment
• bacillus is rod-shaped
• coccus is ball-shaped ALGAL PROTISTS (ALGAE)
• spirilium is spiral-shaped diatoms
• vibrio is comma-shaped • Are Eukaryotic
• cocco-bacillus is ovoid-shaped • Found in fresh and salt water environments
• other combinations • Can live on rocks, trees, and in soils with enough moisture
• Can carry on photosynthesis – produce large amount of oxygen
for life on earth
• Diatoms, Volvox, Clamydomonas , Spirogyra
• Shells of diatoms – silica – mined to make abrasives
• Algal blooms can use up oxygen in water – harming other organisms as fish

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ANIMAL-LIKE PROTISTS (PROTOZOA) BENEFICIAL VS HARMFUL MICROBES

Amoeba
• Protozoa means “little animal” – act like tiny animals - Eukaryotic Beneficial vs. Harmful Bacteria
• Hunt other microbes for food • Most are beneficial (over 99%) contribute to the quality of human life
• Mainly feed on bacteria, also other protozoa and some algae • They live in every environment on earth
• Digest food in digestive organelles • Microbes are important in ecological systems
• Ciliates, Amoebaes, Flagellates – organized by mode of • They are important to biogeochemical cycles
transportation • Human digestion depends upon them
• Amoeba, Paramecium, Euglena are examples • They are important to the food industry and the productions of many products
• Most are not harmful – a few are harmful • Microbes help with wastewater and oil spill cleanup
• Certain protozoa can cause dysentery and malaria • A small minority of microbes cause disease
FOOD PRODUCTION
FUNGI Yeast • Milk into yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, cheese
• Aid in production of chocolate, bread products, wine, beer, tea
• Cellular level, more like animals than plants – Eukaryotic • Pickling process to make pickles from cucumbers and sauerkraut from cabbage
• Can’t synthesize their own food FOOD SPOILAGE AND DECOMPOSITION OF FOOD
• Single celled as yeast or multicellular clusters as molds & mushrooms • Microbes play a key role – bacteria and fungi – in food spoilage and decomposition
• Multicellular ones form filament like strands – hyphae • Many types can live at low temperatures as mold on food in the refrigerator
• Grow best in slightly acidic environment – can grow in low moisture • Food preservation techniques as salt and high acid affect microbes
• Live in soil, on plants & animals, in fresh & salt water
• One teaspoon of topsoil has about 120,000 fungi FERMENTATION PRODUCTS
• Baker’s yeast for bread and brewing, some fungi are used for antibiotics, others are • Carbon dioxide – bread making using baker’s yeast
decomposers in the ecosystem • Alcohol – wine making and brewing using yeast
• Some cause disease in humans, animals and plants – ruin ¼ to ½ of fruits & vegetables per year • Lactic Acid – lactic acid bacteria ferment milk into products as yogurt
INDUSTRIAL USES
VIRUSES • Microbes (fungi and bacteria) are used to make antibiotics
• Algae are being used to make petroleum
• Are acellular • Yeast and bacteria are used in producing medicines
• Consists of a piece of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) encased in protein MICROBIAL ECOLOGY
and in some cases a membrane-like envelope • Major producers in aquatic environments
• They come in many shapes • Decomposers – bacteria and fungi – in many ecosystems
• Found anywhere there are cells to infest • Key role in Biogeochemical cycles to recycle carbon, nitrogen, carbon, water
• Exist to reproduce – must take over a suitable host cell • Natural pest killers in gardens and on crops
• Uses the cell machinery of the host cell to reproduce • Breakdown oil from oil spills
• Serve as natural water treatment
PRIONS • Can cause some ecological problems as red tide and algal blooms
• proteinaceous infectious particles, associated with a number of diseases such as • Involved in many symbiotic relations as lichens, human digestion, rumens of cows
o Creutzfeld-Jacob disease (CJD) in humans • Key in maintaining ecological balance on Earth
o Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS) in humans WASTEWATER MICROBIOLOGY
o Alpers syndrome (in infants), • Microbes play a key role in drinking water and waste treatment facilities
o Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI) in humans • Are involved in natural waterways
o Kuru in humans
• Involved in maintaining septic tanks
o Scrapie in sheep,
o Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) or Mad Cow Disease in cattle • Coliform bacteria as E. coli can contaminate water making it unsafe
o Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in wild ungulates such as Mule deer and elk MICROBIAL DISEASES
• These diseases are characterized by loss of motor control, dementia, paralysis, wasting and • There are many agents of infectious diseases
eventually death. • Microbes acting as agents are prions, viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, parasitic worms
• Examples of common diseases for each to follow

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