Chapter 1
Part I INTRODUCTION TO MICROBIOLOGY
1 The Evolution of Microorganisms and Microbiology
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
This chapter introduces the field of microbiology and discusses the importance of microorganisms not only as causative agents of disease, but also as important contributors to food production, antibiotic manufacture, vaccine development, and environmental management. It presents a brief history of the science of microbiology and an overview of the microbial world. The origin of life and microbial evolution is put in the context of microbial phylogenies.
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter you should be able to:
• define the science of microbiology and describe some of the general methods used in the study of microorganisms
• discuss the historical concept of spontaneous generation and the experiments that were performed to disprove this erroneous idea
• discuss how Koch’s postulates are used to establish the causal link between a suspected microorganism and a disease
• describe some of the various activities of microorganisms that are beneficial to humans
• describe prokaryotic and eukaryotic morphology and the distribution of microorganisms among the three domains in which living organisms are categorized
• discuss the origin of life, the RNA world, and the evolution of microorganisms
CHAPTER OUTLINE
I. Microbiology—Introduction
A. Microbes are found everywhere and are indispensable for cycling of essential elements on earth
B. Most microbes are beneficial to society by producing foods, oxygen, and commercial products, and by enhancing human health; some microbes cause disease
II. Members of the Microbial World
A. Microbiology is the study of organisms too small to be clearly seen by the unaided eye (i.e., microorganisms); these include viruses, bacteria, archaea, protozoa, algae, and fungi
B. Some microbes (e.g., algae and fungi) are large enough to be visible, but are still included in the field of microbiology; while
1 The Evolution of Microorganisms and Microbiology
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
This chapter introduces the field of microbiology and discusses the importance of microorganisms not only as causative agents of disease, but also as important contributors to food production, antibiotic manufacture, vaccine development, and environmental management. It presents a brief history of the science of microbiology and an overview of the microbial world. The origin of life and microbial evolution is put in the context of microbial phylogenies.
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter you should be able to:
• define the science of microbiology and describe some of the general methods used in the study of microorganisms
• discuss the historical concept of spontaneous generation and the experiments that were performed to disprove this erroneous idea
• discuss how Koch’s postulates are used to establish the causal link between a suspected microorganism and a disease
• describe some of the various activities of microorganisms that are beneficial to humans
• describe prokaryotic and eukaryotic morphology and the distribution of microorganisms among the three domains in which living organisms are categorized
• discuss the origin of life, the RNA world, and the evolution of microorganisms
CHAPTER OUTLINE
I. Microbiology—Introduction
A. Microbes are found everywhere and are indispensable for cycling of essential elements on earth
B. Most microbes are beneficial to society by producing foods, oxygen, and commercial products, and by enhancing human health; some microbes cause disease
II. Members of the Microbial World
A. Microbiology is the study of organisms too small to be clearly seen by the unaided eye (i.e., microorganisms); these include viruses, bacteria, archaea, protozoa, algae, and fungi
B. Some microbes (e.g., algae and fungi) are large enough to be visible, but are still included in the field of microbiology; while