Microbiology

Microbe – Small Organisms that are visible only under the microscopes

Groups of Microbes: Bacteria, Archaeal, & Eukaryotes

Difference:

1. Bacteria – Lacks nuclei and membrane-bound organelles such as

mitochondria and chloroplasts
 Ex: Bacteria in intestines – E. Coli
 Shapes: Rods, Spheres, and Spiral
 5 x 1030 On Earth; Can be found everywhere
2. Archaeal – Also Lacks nuclei and membrane-bound organelles such as mitochondria and
chloroplasts
 Originally and erroneously classified as Bacteria at first
 Evolutionarily closer to Eukaryotes
 Often found in extreme environments because they love extreme
environments; “Extremophiles”; ex. Hot Springs
 But you can find them in soils, oceans, marshlands, and in us like in our
colon, mouth, intestine, and skin
 Ex. Pyrococcus Furiosus
3. Eukaryotes –
 Types Of Eukaryotes: Fungi, Protists (Slime molds, microscopic algae, protozoa)
 Fungi
o Types of Fungi: Filamentous (In your moldy fruits or bread)
Yeasts ( Singles Cells) Ex: Saccharomyces Cerevisiae / Baker’s Yeasts
(Unicellular)
Mushrooms (Made of mycelia, Not really a microbe because you can
see them, but they are still fungi; They are also heterotrophs = they get
their nutrition sources outside ‘cause they can’t make them)
o Most are filamentous –Mycelia (Small Strands) & Hyphae (Smaller strands that make up
the mycelia)
o Their Cell membrane/wall has Chitin (polymer of sugars) above them unlike plants or
bacteria; Above the chitin are beta glucans (Layers of sugar); At the very top is manno-
proteins
 Protists: Protozoa
o Diverse group of unicellular eukaryotes = Has only one cell
o Common Ex: Paramecium (a ciliate)
o May be found in Pond waters
o Human Pathogens may be:
Flagellates (Trypanosoma = agents of sleeping sickness)
 Amoeba (Entamoeba = Agents of diarrheal disease) – Known to cause human
diseases
Ciliates (Balantidium) – Can cause GI disease
Apicomplexa (Plasmodium = agents of malaria, Toxoplasma = agents of
toxoplasmosis)

MICROBES ARE ANCIENT