General Characters Of Microorganisms

1. 1. • Microorganisms are very small organisms which cannot be seen with the unaided eye. •
Bacteria, fungi, protozoa, algae, viruses are examples. • Some are pathogenic “germ” ; refers to a
rapidly growing cell. What are Microorganisms?
2. 2. • Ubiquitous • Only form of life for over half of earths entire history so show them some
respect!!!! • Humans have co-evolved with microbes. • In earth’s early history microbes were
responsible for creating an oxygen based atmosphere. Impact of Microbes on Earth
3. 3. Microbes are very, very old12 6 39 Our planet is over 4 billion years old
4. 4. Evolutionary Timeline
5. 5. • Eukaryotic Species – A group of closely related organisms that breed among themselves •
Prokaryotic species – A population of cells with similar characteristics – Clone population of cells
derived from a single cell – Strain genetically different cells within a clone • Viral Species –
Population of viruses with similar characteristics that occupies a particular ecological niche
Terminology in Micro Bio
6. 6. • Prokaryotic cells – No nucleus – No membrane bound organelles – Cell wall – Mode of
transportation • Eukaryotic cells – Nucleus – Membrane bound organelles – Usually no cell wall –
exception fungi Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic
7. 7. • First contained two kingdoms – Plants and animals • Eventually a third kingdom was added –
Protista • Finally Whittaker proposed the fourth kingdom for bacteria and a fifth kingdom for
fungi A History of Phylogenetic Trees
8. 8. Bacteria Algae Protozoa Fungi Virus Groups of Microbes
9. 9. Bacterial Taxonomy Based on Bergey’s Manual • Bergey’s Manual of Bacteriology – five
volume resource covering all known procaryotes – classification based on genetic information –
phylogenetic – two domains: Archaea and Bacteria – five major subgroups with 25 different phyla
10. 10. Taxonomic Hierarchy Domain Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species Binomial
system of nomenclature Dumb Kings Play Chess On Funny Green Squares
11. 11. • Bacteriology is the study of bacteria • Mycology is the study of fungi • Parasitology is the
study of protozoa and parasitic worms • Recent advances in genomics, the study of an organism’s
genes, have provided new tools for classifying microorganisms Modern Studies
12. 12. Classification of bacteria is ‘murky’
13. 13. 3 common shapes Some unusual shapes also: Classification based upon anatomical features
14. 14. Typical bacteria measure 2-8 m in length and 0.2-2 m in width. Form associations such as
chains, clusters, and tetrads.
15. 15. Other unusual bacteria Spirochetes Cell wall-less Stalked Filamentous Streptomyces
Myxobacteria fruiting bodies Classification based upon anatomical features
16. 16. Gram Positive v/s Gram Negative Hans Christian Gram -- 1884 -- Crystal violet Gram positive
structure -- thick layer of peptidoglycan Gram negative structure -- inner vs outer membranes --
lipopolysaccharides and endotoxins Classification based upon staining
17. 17. Why study Bacterial Cell Structure? Mechanisms of virulence Drug development
Identification Some cell exterior structures cell wall cell membrane (lipid bilayer) capsule
flagellum pilli
18. 18. Cell wall • Made up of peptidoglycan. •Responsible for the rigidity of bacterial cell.
19. 19. Cell Membrane Structure Inner to cell wall, there is a delicate cytoplasmic membrane which
surrounds the cytoplasm. Phospholipid bilayers Membrane proteins Membrane fluidity
Membranes of thermophilic archaebacteria
20. 20. Bacterial Flagella Prokaryotic vs eukaryotic Arrangements monotrichous lopho- amphi- peri-
Bacterial Flagella
21. 21. ‘Run and Tumble’ pattern How do flagellated bacteria move?
22. 22. Fimbriae and Pili Fimbriae adhesion to surfaces Pili (pilus) genetic recombination
23. 23. Endospores Bacillus species can form spores. It is produced within the cell, one spore is
formed within a single bacterial cell. It is resistant to heat, UV light, most chemicals and
desiccation. When conditions are favorable, the spore germinates and produces a fresh vegetative
cell.
24. 24. Made of polysaccharides which protects bacteria from phagocytes. Capsule
25. 25. Ribosome is made up of RNA and protein. It is a factory of protein synthesis. Ribosome
26. 26. An invagination of cell membrane which helps in cell division. Mesosome
27. 27. Nucleoid (Genetic material) Unlike virus, bacteria have both DNA and RNA. It contains
genetic charateristics. Nucleoid
28. 28. Nutritional Requirements Microorganisms require about ten elements in large quantities,
because they are used to construct carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Several other
elements are needed in very small amounts and are parts of enzymes and cofactors.
29. 29. Microbial Growth Conditions 1. Macronutrients 2. Micronutrients 3. Growth factors 4.
Environmental factors: temperature; pH; Oxygen et al.
30. 30. Microbial Nutrition 1. Macronutrients: required in large amounts, including: carbon, oxygen,
hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus (Components of carbonhydrates, lipids, proteins, and
mucleic acids ); potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron (cations and part of enzymes and
cofactors). 2. Micronutrients: Microbes require very small amounts of other mineral elements,
such as iron, copper, molybdenum, and zinc; these are referred to as trace elements. Most are
essential for activity of certain enzymes, usually as cofactors. Contaminants in water, glassware,
and regular media components often are adequate for growth.
31. 31. Growth Factors Amino acids are needed for protein synthesis. Purines and pyrimidines for
nucleic acid synthesis. Vitamins are small organic molecules that usually make up all or part
enzyme cofactors; And only very small amounts are required for growth. (1)amino acids, (2)
purines and pyrimidines, (3) vitamins
32. 32. Nutrition Based Classification of Bacteria Phototrophs • The organisms which depend on
sunlight as a major source of energy are called phototrophs Chemotrophs • Other organisms which
use chemicals as a source of energy are called chemotrophs. Heterotrophs • Hetrotrophs may
either use sunlight or chemical compouds as energy source
33. 33. Nutritional Types of Microorganisms • Lithotrophs:- Use reduced inorganic substances as their
electron source. • Organotrophs:- Extract electrons from organic compounds.
34. 34. Autotrophs Photoautotrophs Chemoautotrophs Hetrotrophs Photohetrotrophs
Chemohetrotrophs Nutrition Based Classification cont.
35. 35. Major nutritional type Sources of energy, hydrogen/electrons, and carbon Representative
microorganisms Photoautotroph (Photolithotroph) Light energy, inorganic hydrogen/electron(H/e-
) donor, CO2 carbon source Algae, Purple and green bacteria, Cyanobacteria Photoheterotroph
(Photoorganotroph) Light energy, inorganic H/e- donor, Organic carbon source Purple nonsulfur
bacteria, Green sulfur bacteria Chemoautotroph (Chemolithotroph) Chemical energy source
(inorganic), Inorganic H/e- donor, CO2 carbon source Sulfur-oxdizing bacteria, Hydrogen
bacteria, Nitrifying bacteria Chemoheterotroph (Chenoorganotroph) Chemical energy source
(organic), Organic H/e- donor, Organic carbon source Most bacteria, fungi, protozoa Nutritional
types of microorganisms
36. 36. Mixotrophic: many purple nonsulfur bacteria 1. No oxygen: photoorganotrophic heterotrophs
2. Normal oxygen: oxidize organic molecules and function chemotrophically. 3. Low oxygen:
photosynthesis and oxidative metabolism
37. 37. Temperature Based Classification of BacteriaPsychrophiles Love to grow in the range of 0
degree Celsius - 25 degree Celsius Mesophiles Love to grow between 25 degree Celsius - 40
degree Celsius Thermophiles Love to grow in the range of 40 degree Celsius - 85 degree Celsius
Some species even grow at 98 degree Celsius as in hot sulfur spring
38. 38. pH Based Classification of Bacteria Acidophiles Neutrophiles Alkalophiles • Love to grow in
the range of pH between 0-6 • Love to grow between 6-8 pH • Love to grow at pH above 8
39. 39. Environmental conditions for microbial growth Some microbes require Oxygen - Aerobic
Some microbes live in Oxygen poor environment - Anaerobic
40. 40. Obligate aerobes Must grow in the presence of air They can not carry out fermentation
Microaerophilic bacterium Grow well in low concentrations of oxygen Killed by higher
concentrations of oxygen Facultative anaerobe Perform both fermentation and aerobic respiration
Can survive in the presence of oxygen Obligate anaerobes Grow in the absence of molecular
oxygen Some of these are killed by oxygen Further Classification based on Environmental
conditions
41. 41. Microbial Reproduction
42. 42. Binary fission
43. 43. In 24 hours some species of bacteria can go from one cell to 16,777,216 cells. Speed of
reproduction
44. 44. • Can and do change over time. • Bacterial populations adapt to changes in the environment.
Microbial populations