INTRODUCTION TO

MICROBIOLOGY
 OBJECTIVES

• State three harmful effects and four beneficial effects associated with the activities of
microorganisms.
• Define microbiota and microbiome.
• Briefly describe two different beneficial things the human microbiome does for the normal
function of our body.
• State several diseases associated with a change in our "normal" microbiota.
• List and recognize a description of the each of the 5 basic groups of microbes.
 WHAT IS MICROORGANISMS

• Technically a microorganism or microbe is an organism that is microscopic. the study of

microorganisms is called microbiology.
• Microorganisms can be bacteria, fungi, archaea or protists. the term microorganisms does not
include viruses and prions, which are generally classified as non-living.
 WHY VIRUSES ARE NON-LIVING?

• Most virologists consider them non-living, as they do not meet all the criteria of the generally
accepted definition of life.
• For instance, most viruses do not respond to changes in the environment, which is a definitive
trait for living organisms.
• In addition, viruses can replicate themselves only by infecting a host cell. They therefore cannot
reproduce on their own.
 WHAT ARE PRIONS?

• Prions are a recently discovered infectious agent.

• They are proteins that are folded abnormally (folding is a property of proteins enabling them to
take on a shape that is critical for their function), and which can convert normally folded proteins
to abnormally folded ones.
 THERE ARE FIVE BASIC GROUPS OF
MICROORGANISMS
• Bacteria are typically unicellular, microscopic, prokaryotic organisms that reproduce by binary fission.

• Fungi (yeasts and molds) are typically unicellular, microscopic, eukaryotic fungi that reproduce
asexually by budding. Molds are typically filamentous, eukaryotic fungi that reproduce by producing
asexual reproductive spores.
• Viruses are typically submicroscopic, acellular infectious particles that can only replicate inside a living
host cell. The vast majority of viruses possess either DNA or RNA, but not both.
• Protozoa are typically unicellular, microscopic, eukaryotic organisms that lack a cell wall.
• Algae are typically eukaryotic microorganisms that carry out photosynthesis.
The size of a virus is very small relative to the size of cells and
organelles.
 THE BIG PICTURE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES

• The microbe's side of the story - why some microbes have more potential to be harmful
• The body's side of the story - ways in which the body is able to defend itself naturally against
infectious disease agents
• Ways in which we can artificially help the body defend itself by removing the microbes or
enhancing body defenses
• Relationship between the human microbiome and human health
BENEFITS OF MICROBIAL ACTIVITY
 FOOD PRODUCTION

• Nature uses microorganisms to carry out

fermentation processes, and for thousands of
years mankind has used yeasts, moulds and
bacteria to make food products such as bread,
beer, wine, vinegar, yoghurt and cheese, as
well as fermented fish, meat and vegetables.
ENERGY PRODUCTION AND CLEANING UP THE
ENVIRONMENT

• The discovery of electrogenic bacteria present

in the human gut and the understanding of
their electrogenic capacity opens up
possibilities of bacterial powered implantable
batteries and provide a novel biosensing
platform to monitor human gastrointestinal
health.
 SUSTAINING AGRICULTURE

• The beneficial influences of microorganisms on

plant growth include nitrogen fixation,
acquisition and uptake of major nutrients,
promotion of shoot and root growth, disease
control or suppression and improved soil
structure.
• Some of the commonly promoted and used
beneficial microorganisms in agriculture
worldwide include rhizobia, mycorrhizae,
azospirillum, bacillus, pseudomonas,
trichoderma, streptomyces species and many
more.
 PRODUCTION OF USEFUL NATURAL GENE
PRODUCTS OR PRODUCTS FROM
BIOENGINEERING
• Over the past several decades, the use of genetically
engineered microorganisms (GEMs, often referred to
as Genetically Modified Microorganisms or GMMs)
has become widespread in the production of food
processing aids and other food ingredients.
• GEMs are advancing food production by increasing
efficiency, reducing waste and resource requirements,
and ultimately enabling beneficial innovations such as
the cost-effective fortification of food with essential
nutrients, vitamins, and amino acids, and delivery of
tailored enzymes to achieve unique food processing
capabilities.
 THE HUMAN MICROBIOTA AND MICROBIOME

• Thousands of different microbial species colonize

the human body, and are essential for our
survival.
• The human microbiota consists of the 10-100
trillion symbiotic microbial cells harbored by
each person, primarily bacteria in the gut; the
human microbiome consists of the genes these
cells harbor.
• Microbiome projects worldwide have been
launched with the goal of understanding the roles
that these symbionts play and their impacts on
human health
 THE MICROBIOME AIDS IN THE FOLLOWING

• The digestion of many foods

• The regulation of many host metabolic
pathways.
• Metabolic disorders
END OF DISCUSSION
 REMINDERS

• 1. QUIZ NEXT SYNCHRONOUS CLASS

• ASSIGNMENT WILL BE POSTED IN THE GOOGLE CLASSROOM
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