Chapter 1: An Invisible World – Study Guide (BIOL 2420)
🔑 TERMS TO KNOW (with memory cues)
* Acellular – Not made of cells (e.g., viruses)
* Bacteriology – Study of bacteria
* Binomial nomenclature – Two-name system (Genus + species) for naming organisms
* Domain – Highest taxonomic level (Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya)
* Eukaryote – "You" are eukaryotic = has nucleus and organelles
* Helminth – Parasitic worms (multicellular eukaryotes)
* Immunology – Study of immune system
* Microbe / Microorganism – Tiny living things, too small to see unaided
* Microbiology – Study of microscopic organisms
* Mycology – Study of fungi
* Parasitology – Study of parasites
* Pathogenic – Disease-causing
* Phylogeny – Evolutionary relationships tree
* Prokaryote – No nucleus (e.g., bacteria, archaea)
* Protozoology – Study of protozoa
* Taxonomy – Naming and classifying organisms
* Virology – Study of viruses
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💡 CONCEPTS TO UNDERSTAND
✅ Are all microbes harmful?
* No! Most are beneficial: digest food, make vitamins, decompose waste, produce oxygen, and make food (e.g., yogurt).
🕵️♂️ How did ancient people suspect microbes existed?
* Spoiled food, disease transmission, fermentation—all hinted at "invisible agents."
👨🔬 Why is Antonie van Leeuwenhoek important?
* Called “Father of Bacteriology & Protozoology” because he:
* Created powerful simple microscopes
* First to see bacteria & protozoa, calling them “animalcules”
🌳 What is a phylogenetic tree?
* A "family tree" showing how organisms are related.
* Based on genetics, anatomy, biochemistry, and evolution
🧪 What is taxonomy?
* System to classify and name organisms.
🧬 Taxonomic levels (big → small):
Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
(Mnemonic: Dear King Philip Came Over For Good Spaghetti)
🧾 Which levels name a species?
* Genus + Species (e.g., Escherichia coli)
📜 Who invented this system?
* Carl Linnaeus
✍️ How to format species names:
* Italicized (or underlined when handwritten)
* Genus capitalized, species lowercase: Staphylococcus aureus
🌍 What are the 3 domains?
1. Bacteria – prokaryotes
2. Archaea – prokaryotes
3. Eukarya – eukaryotes (animals, fungi, protozoa, plants)
➡️ Carl Woese proposed this system.
🧫 Are viruses in any domain?
* No! They’re acellular (not made of cells)
📖 What is Bergey’s Manual used for?
* Classifying and identifying bacteria
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🔬 MAJOR GROUPS OF MICROORGANISMS
Group
Cell Type
Uni-/Multicellular
Example
Bacteria
Prokaryotic
Unicellular
E. coli
Archaea
Prokaryotic
Unicellular
Halobacterium
Fungi
Eukaryotic
Uni or Multi
Yeasts, molds
Protozoa
Eukaryotic
Unicellular
Amoeba
Algae
Eukaryotic
Uni or Multi
Diatoms, seaweed
Helminths
Eukaryotic
Multicellular
Tapeworms, roundworms
Viruses
Acellular
Neither
Influenza virus
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🧪 FIELDS OF MICROBIOLOGY
Field
Focus
Bacteriology
Study of bacteria
Mycology
Study of fungi
Protozoology
Study of protozoa
Parasitology
Study of parasites
Virology
Study of viruses
Immunology
Study of immune system
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📚 Suggested Review Questions from OpenStax
* Multiple Choice: #1, 3, 6, 8–14
* Fill-in-the-Blank: #18, 20–25
* Short Answer: #27–29
* Critical Thinking: #36–39
(You can find answers in the textbook or ask if you want them explained!)