1. UNIT 4: MICROBIOLOGY!

2. WHAT ARE MICRO-ORGANISMS?
Extremely tiny living thing!
Cannot be seen with the naked eye!
Short form:
“Microbe”
Live ANYWHERE you can think of!
Extremely common
Make up more than 1/3 the total mass of ALL LIVING ORGANISMS ON EARTH!!!

3. HUNDREDS of species of microbes
… and I mean EVERYWHERE
MICROBES CAN LIVE:
In our mouths:
HUNDREDS of species of microbes
Over 6 BILLION microbes
Inside us or on us (and other organisms)
Most are beneficial to our health
Some can be harmful to our health
In rocks and ice
High in the atmosphere
Deep below the ocean surface, and below the bottom of the ocean
In extremely hot conditions (e.g. Volcanoes, hydrothermal vents)
In extremely salty or acidic conditions

4. MICROBIOLGY “Micro” + “biology”:
The field of biology that studies microscopic organisms.
Morphology
Shape and other structural features of an organism.
With microbes, this deals with identifying overall shape and cell structure.
Steps for Studying Micro-organisms
Specimen Collection
Collecting samples that may contain microbes
Sources could be soil, water, food products, or body fluids (blood, urine, feces, etc.)
Inoculation and Incubation
Inoculation: collected microbes are placed in nutrient-rich liquids or jelly-
like substances.
Incubation: provides the right environment (temperature, humidity, etc.) for
the microbes to grow.
Inspection
After some time being incubated, populations of microbes are inspected and analyzed.
Microscope: you can see the microbes’ morphology up close.
Agar plate: you can see how populations grow.

5. Class Discussion: What do we know about Microbiology so far?
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6. Class Discussion: Can you remember some of the parts of a cell?
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7. Recall: there are two main types of cells:
Cell Structure
Recall: there are two main types of cells:
Eukaryotic
Prokaryotic
No nucleus
No membrane-bound organelles
Usually have cell walls
Example: Bacteria
Contain a nucleus
Membrane-bound organelles
Examples: Animal & Plant Cells

8. Classifying Life on Earth
All life on Earth is Classified into Three Groups called Domains
Each domain is further classified into Kingdoms

9. Scientific Names
Every organism that has been discovered has been given a scientific name.
Dog Example:
The domestic dog has been selectively bred over thousands of years: behaviours, sensory capabilities, and physical attributes.
Scientific Name: Canis lupus familiaris
Genus: Canis
Starts with a Capital Letter
Written in italics
Species: lupus familiaris
Does not have a capital letter
Also written in italics
Sometimes, short forms are used: C. lupus familiaris

10. Domain
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species