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40307 Microbiologia | 2021-22

Aula 2
O mundo microbiano

Âmbito da microbiologia
Microscopia e as origens da microbiologia
Cultivo de microrganismos: contribuições para a construção do
conhecimento
Biologia molecular: uma perspetiva unificadora

Brock Biology of Microorganisms, 15th Ed. Chapter 1

https://pubhtml5.com/fkzf/nqar

Microbiology:
the study of microorganisms
Prokaryotes Bacteria

Cellular Fungi (yeasts)

Unicellular
Protozoa

Microalgae
Eukaryotes
Microorganisms

Fungi (molds)
Pluricellular
Helminths

Acellular Viruses

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Microbial cells: structure and activities

Prokaryote

Eukaryote
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Microbial cells: structure and activities

Structure Activities
• Cell wall • Metabolism
• Cytoplasmic membrane – Enzymes
• Cytoplasm • DNA replication
• Ribosomes • Gene expression
• DNA genome – Transcription
– Translation
• Motility
Eukaryotes
• Differentiation
• Nucleus
• Intercellular communication
• Organelles
• Genetic exchange
• Evolution

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How small is “micro”?

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Nano- and micro-sizes

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Nano- and micro-sizes

1 µm

Nanoarchaeum equitans
200-500 nm

Epulopiscium Thiomargarita
fishelsoni namibiensis
200-700 µM 100–300 μm
(up to 750 µM)
Mycoplasma haemofelis
100-300 nm

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Well succeeded products of evolution

Extremophilic microbes are the sole colonizers of inouspitous habitats

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Complex and diverse communities

Human cells/Microbial cells - a 1:1 ratio

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In nature: tiny titans

Small
Abundant
Ubiquitous
Organized in complex communities
Regulated by biotic and abiotic factors
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Major players in biogeochemical cycles, adaptation and evolution
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In the lab: cultures and colonies

Liquid culture Solid culture

Microbial culture: collection of cells “grown” in or on a culture medium

Colonies: visible aggregate of cells originating from a single cell
Most microbes existing in nature cannot be cultivated in the laboratory
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The origins of life

1 Gya = 109 ya
Earth ~4.6 Gya
Microbial cells 3.8-4.3 Gya
Anoxygenic phototrophs ~3.6 Gya
Oxygenic phototrophs ~2.8 Gya

80% of the history of life is exclusively microbial Stromatolites

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The endosymbiont theory

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The 3 Domains of Life

Eukarya

400 000 ya
Carl Woese (80’s)

1.6-2.5 Ga
LECA – last eukaryotic common ancestor

~2.7 Ga LUCA – last universal common ancestor

1 Gya = 109 ya
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Microorganisms and human affairs

Infectious diseases
Bioremediation Health and disease
Resistance to antibiotics
Wastewater treatment
Microbiome balance
Waterborne diseases

Environment
Agriculture and animal
farming

Biofouling Biofertilizers
Biotechnology Biocontrol agents
Biofuel Compost
Warfare Probiotics

Industry Food
Fermented foods
Food spoilage
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Historic perspective

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Microscopy revealed
microbial cell details

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Microscopy

Robert Hooke Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

(1635-1703) (1632–1723)

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Improving contrast in light microscopy

Differential stains - the Gram protocol

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Improving contrast
Phase contrast Dark field Fluorescence

Differential interference contrast Confocal scanner laser

3-D imaging
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Improving magnification and

resolution
Transmission electron Scanning electron
microscopy microscopy

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Cultivating microorganisms:
answering important questions
• Does spontaneous generation occur?
• What is the nature of infectious disease?

Louis Pasteur Robert Koch

1822-1895 1843-1910
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The defeat of spontaneous generation

Louis Pasteur
• Killing microbes with heat
• Sterilization techniques
• Aseptic techniques
• Vaccines for anthrax, fowl
cholera, rabbies

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The germ theory of disease

Robert Koch
• Causative agents of diseases
• Pure cultures
• Culture media
• Colonies
• Taxonomy

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Huanglongbing – citrus greening disease

A presumptive causative agent of HLB: Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus

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Microbial diversity in the environment

Martinus Beijerinck (1851-1931)
• Enrichment and selective cultures
• Rhizobia
• Sulphate-reducing and sulphate
Beijerinckia indica
oxidizing bacteria
• Tobacco mosaic virus

Sergei Winogradski (1856-1953)

• Chemolithotrophy
• Aerobic nitrogen-fixing bacteria
• Nitrification Winogradskyella sp.

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The contribution of molecular biology

From elephant to butyric acid bacterium – it

is all the same!
Albert Jan Kluyver (1888-1956)

What is true for E. coli is also true for the

elephant
Jacques Monod(1910-1976)

Comparative biochemistry
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The tree of life is based on rRNA genes

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Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya

are evolutionarily related

Carl Woese (1928-2012)

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Culture-independent methods reveal

the extent of microbial diversity

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Bacteria 2016

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