Chapter 1: Microorganisms and the Effects on Living Things

1.1

Classification of Microorganisms

Microorganisms / microbes = minute organisms that cannot be seen with the

naked eye but can be seen with microorganism

1. Can be grouped based on:

(a) Size
(b) Shape
(c) Method of reproduction
(d) Nutrition
(e) Habitat

Microorganis
ms

bacteria

fungi

protozoa

Viruses

algae

Bacteria
1. Are very simple unicellular organisms which are most abundant
Structure
Glycogen
granule
Nucleic
material
Flagellum

Cell membrane

Slimy capsule
Cell wall

Cytoplasm
Characteristics

Function/characteristics
To store food

Made of DNA scattered in the cytoplasm

Control cell processes
No nuclear membrane surrounding it
Threadlike
Use to help bacteria move
Only found in certain bacteria
Semi-permeable
Controls movement of substances in and out of the
cell
Only found in certain bacteria
Provides extra protection and prevents dehydration
Made of proteins, sugars and lipids
Provides protection and maintains the shape of the
cell
Contains glycogen granule, fats and proteins

(a) Size: micrometre/micron

(b) Location: damp places
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 In the soil, air, water, plants and animals

(c) Shapes: coccus (spherical), bacillus (rodlike), Spirillum (spiral), vibrio
(Comma)
Coccus

Cause gonorrhoea

Bacillus

Inflammatory discharge from the

urethra or vagina
Cause tuberculosis

Spirillu
m
Parasitism
Obtain nutrients from
another living organisms
(host)
Vibrio
Examples:

Infection diseases at the lung

(d)
It has 3 groups
Causes syphilis
Saprophytism
Autotrophism
Chronic
diseases
that
is contracted
Obtain
nutrients
from
dead Small group of bacteria
chiefly
by infection
during sexualthat contain chlorophyll can
and decaying
organisms
intercourse
manufacture their own food
Cause
cholera
Example: bacteria on
through photosynthesis
decaying carcasses
Infections and fatal bacteria disease
Examples:
at the small intestine from infected
Sulphur and iron bacteria
water supplies

Tuberculosis bacteria
obtain food from patients
lung tissues
Cause vomiting and diarrhea
NOTE:
saprophytism are heterotrophs

parasitism and

(e) Respiration:
Aerobic respiration
Need oxygen to respire

Anaerobic respiration
Bacteria that do not need oxygen to
respire

(f) Reproduction:
Asexually (binary fission): at favourable environment
Asexually (Sporation): at unfavourable environment
Sexually (Conjugation): at unfavourable environment

binary fission

Conjugation

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 Asexual reproduction

Sexual reproduction

At favourable environment

At unfavourable environment such as

extreme temperature, droughts and lack
of food

Parental cell divides into 2

identical daughter cells
Reproduction rate: fast

It forms spores, cell wall becomes thick

and hibernate
When the environment is favourable,
bacteria cell wall splits open and the
bacteria grow and reproduce through
binary fission
DNA is transferred from one bacterium

to another

Sporation
Unfavourable environment: extreme temperature, drought & lack of food:
Bacterial cell wall forms spores
Cell wall becomes thick and hibernate
When condition becomes favourable again, the bacterial cell wall splits open
and the bacteria grow and reproduce through binary fission

Fungi
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1. Group of non-green plants

Do not contain chloroplast
2. Exists as unicellular spherical organisms (Eg: yeast) or as multicellular
organisms (Eg: Mucor)

Characteristics:
(a) Location: dark and damp place such as decaying organic matter or in the
living organisms
(b) Are heterotrophs (obtain food through saprophytism and parasitism)
Saprophytism
Live on dead hosts Absorb nutrients
from decomposed tissues of the host with
the help of hyphae
Example:
Mucor
(c) Reproduction:

Parasitism
Parasites which live on another living
hosts and absorbs nutrients from the host
Examples:
Bracket fungi from tree bark
Phytophora species from potato plants

Asexual reproduction
Spore formation (cell division)
- At the end of the vertical hyphae
- Cell division occurs in the sporangium to produce
many spores
- When the sporangium is ripe, it bursts open and
disperse the spores and lands in a suitable place, it
germinates to produce a new mycelium

Sexual reproduction
Conjugation
Takes place when
surrounding condition is
not suitable
Fusion takes place
between hyphae to form a
spore which can withstand
unfavourable condition

Budding
- A bud that is formed on the parental cells and it grows
into a new cell.
- Occurs when there is a good supply of food

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Protozoa
1. Biggest unicellular microorganisms
Characteristics:
(a) Has animal characteristics
Shapes

Location
Nutrition

Reproductio
n

Oval (Eg: Paramecium)

Round (Eg: Plasmodium)
Indefinite shapes
Water ( Amoeba)
Inside a host (plasmodium cause malaria)
Saprophytism
Parasitism
Autotrophism

Asexual reproduction: Binary fission Amoeba

Sexual reproduction: Conjugation Paramecium

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Viruses
1. Smallest microorganisms
seen from electron microscope
2. Live inside the hosts (Parasitism)
3. Different from bacteria because they:
(a) Do not have nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membranes and cell organelles
(b) Do not carry out respiration, nutrition, response to stimuli, growth and
excretion and reproduction
(c) Can be crystallized
4. Structure:
(a) Consists of genetic material that made up of either DNA or RNA and
has protein coat that surrounds it
(b) Shapes: rod, spherical, tadpole-shaped and cubic
5. Causes disease in human, animals and plants
Eg: AIDS, influenza

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Algae
1. Simple plant which do not have real root, stems and leaves
2. May be unicellular (Chlamydomonas) and multicellular (Spirogyra)
3. Location: bright, damp or moist (eg: soil and tree barks, soil, fresh water or
sea water)
4. Structure:
(a) A nucleus
(b) Cytoplasm
(c) Cellulose cell wall
(d) Chloroplast
(e) Flagella
5. Nutrition: autotrophs
6. Reproduction
Asexual reproduction: binary fission, spore formation and
fragmentation
Sexual reproduction: conjugation

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Comparisons among the characteristics of microorganisms

Characteristic
Size

Bacterium

Fungus

Shape

0.2-10
Sphere, rod,
spiral, comma

10-100
Various
shapes

Type of the cell

Unicellular

Unicellular/multicel
lular

Reproduction
method

Binary fission
Conjugation

Nutrition

Habitat

Protozoan

Virus

Alga

5-250
Various shape
Can change
shapes
Unicellular

0.02-0.4
Rod, shape,
cuboid, vibrio

spore formation
budding
Conjugation

Binary fission
Conjugation

Multiply inside of
a host

spore formation
budding
Conjugation
Binary fission
Fragmentation

Parasitism
Saprophytism
Autotrophism

Parasitism
Saprophytism

Parasitism
Saprophytism
Autotrophism

Parasitism

Autotrophism

Damp places

Damp places

Water/soil/in
living organisms

In living cells

Damp/wet places

Non-cellular

1-10 000
Oval, round,
filamentous ,
network
Unicellular
Multicellular

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1.2

Factors Affecting Microorganisms growth

Temperature
Microorganism are in active at
low temperature

Nutrients

Nutrients

To provide energy
for growth

37 C is the optimum
temperature for most
microorganism growth and
reproduction

Temperatu
re

Humidity
Factors
affecting
micrrorgani
sm growth

pH Value

Types:

(a) Saprophytes
(b) Parasites
(c) Autotrophs

Light

Microorganisms ae killed at
high temperature but spores
are only killed at 120 C

pH Value
LIGHTS
pH 7 = most suitable pH
value for microorganisms
growth

Grow rapidly in the

dark

Most bacteria- prefer

alkaline condition

UV rays can kill most

microorganisms

Except Lactobacillus =
acidic condition

Some may require

light to carry
photosynthesis (Eg:
algae and autotropic

Microorganism needs
water for biochemical
Humidity processes

When
thebiochemical
environment is
Water
= for
dry, the microorganism
processes
will change into spores
Optimum
humidity =
25-he
and hibernate
until
40%
environment is
favourable
When environment is
dry: sporation occurs

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