Microbiology Chapter One Review

Chapter 1

Microbiology:

A Human Perspective

Seventh Edition

Chapter 1. Human and the Microbial World

Overview

This chapter is an introduction to microbiology with a discussion of some of the major events that have

been important in the development of the science. The origin and discovery of microorganisms is

explored and the concept of two cell types, prokaryotic and eukaryotic, is introduced. The impact of

microorganisms on humans is explored as well as the roles of these organisms is the biological world.

The three domains are introduced and various kinds of microorganisms included in them are described.

Obligate intracellular parasites, which are not included in the domains, are introduced as well as

binomial nomenclature. The chapter concludes with a discussion of microbial size.

Objectives

1. Define microbiology and describe its scope

2. Briefly describe the theory of spontaneous generation

3. List the types of organisms encountered in the study of microbiology

4. List ten important roles of microorganisms

5. Distinguish between emerging diseases and re-emerging diseases and list some examples of

each

6. Explain why microorganisms are useful model organisms for study

7. List the three domains and the major characteristics of each

8. List and describe the kinds of microorganisms in each of the domains

9. Demonstrate how to correctly write the scientific name of an organism

10. Distinguish among a virus, a viroid and a prion

11. Describe the size range of microorganisms

Microorganisms are the foundation for all life on earth. It has been said that the twentieth century was

the age of physics. Now we can say that the twenty-first century will be the age of biology and

biotechnology, with microbiology as the most important branch.

The Origin of Microorganisms

The First Microorganisms

Where did microorganisms really come from? No one knows, but many theories abound.

The progenitors of microorganisms no longer exist, but is seems...