Microbiology is the study of microorganisms. It deals with microbial life ; living forms that cannot be prrerciated using naked eye and would require microscopes to magnify them. In 1665 when Robert Hooke observed the surface of cut cork using a light microscope, it was the first view of microscopic life. Later this formed the basis of cell theory.
Microorganisms and their cell structure :
Bacteria are prokaryotic while Fungi and protozoa are eukayotic.
Viruses are also microbes but they are neither prokaryotic nor eukaryotic. Viruses are not considered cellular, they require other cellular machinery for their replication.
Prions are regarded as proteinaceous infectious particles, which lack nucleic acids. They have been linked with diseases like Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy and Creutzfeldt Jacob Disease.
Beneficial effects of microbiology :
Integral components in our enviornment that aid in nutrient cycling.
Important in food and beverage industries.
Required for antibiotic production.
Best tools in the study of genetic manipulations and hence vital components in biotechnology.
Helpful in the prevention of invasions by pathogenic bactria. Thes role is performed by normal flora; a group of bacteria that live in perfect harmony with human host.
Detrimental effects :
Microbes cause many diaeases in whic some curabele and some are not.
But we should always remember that bacteria which are capable of causing disease represent only a small minority that inhabitat the planet.
Brancehes of Microbiology are :
Bacteriology : Deals with bacteria.
Mycology : deals with the study of fungi.
Parasitology : study of protozoa and parasitic worms (which are not really microscopic)
Virology : Deals with the study of viruses.
Microbial Genetics : Study of how microbes inherit traits like antibiotic resistance.
Nomenclature :
Like other biological names, we use the bionomial system developed by Linnaeus for bacterial nomenclature. According to this every microbe is given two names that is always capitalized and a species name that begins in lower case. The biological name of typhoid bacillus is Salmonella typhi.
Applied areas of Microbiology :
AGRICULTURAL MICROBILOGY
AQUATIC MICROBIOLOGY
INDUSTRIAL MICROBIOLOGY
MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY
SPACE MICROBIOLOGY
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
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