Part I –

IntroductionMICROBIOLOGY

Why study microbiology?

PURPOSE

?Educated Patient

Educated Future Parent

Curiosity

BACTERIA ARE ALMOST EVERYWHERE AND IN ASTONISHING NUMBERS!

Organisms from Archaebacteria and Eubacteria outnumber ALL the members of the other 4 Kingdoms COMBINED

Bacteria have a greater combined weight than ALL THE OTHER LIVING organisms on earth

Bacteria THRIVE in places where no other organisms were thought to exist

A single GRAM of common soil can contain 1-100 MILLION bacteria cells

Every cubic meter of air contains 100-20,000 bacteria cells

FUN FACTS!

Most people hear the word “bacteria” and think of germs and disease

While SOME species of bacteria cause disease (pathogenic), MOST (along with Fungi) are the primary decomposers on this planet and dispose of TONS of waste

Decomposers secrete chemicals that break down dead/decaying material so they may be reused by plants and other organisms

BACTERIA FACTS

A FEW PATHOGENIC BACTERIA…

Staphylococcus aureus

Streptococcus pneumoniae

Escherichia coli

Clostridium botulinum

Yersinia pestis

Clostridium difficile

Vibrio cholerae

Domain Prokarya

Kingdom Archaebacteria

Kingdom Eubacteria

CLASSIFICATION

3 Main Groups:

Thermoacidophiles

Methanogens

Halophiles

KINGDOM ARCHAEBACTERIA

COMPARISON – ARCHAEBACTERIA AND EUBACTERIA

Archaebacteria Eubacteria

BACTERIA SHAPES

Draw shapes:

BACTERIA STRUCTURE

Bacterial cell walls are made of large molecules called peptidoglycans

The thickness, composition of the cell walls are unique to each speciesScientists are able to observe the thickness (and type) through a process called Gram’s Stain

On the outside of the cell walls are layers of sticky carbs called the capsuleThese allow bacteria to stick to surfaces and protect the cell from bad conditions

BACTERIAL CELL WALLS AND CAPSULES

The structure of a bacteria will often dictate:Symptoms of an infectionwhat antibiotic is used to treat the infection

Antibiotic used will target the cell wall/capsule to kill the bacteria

WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

BACTERIA MEMORY GAME

Play 1 round and Copy down!