Brock Biology of Microorganisms Chapter 1 2024
1. culture: cells grown in/on nutrient medium
2. medium: liquid/solid mixture containing all required nutrients
3. cell: living compartment that interacts with the environment and other cells
4. cytoplasmic (cell) membrane: barrier that separates the inside of the cell
from the outside environment
5. cytoplasm: aqueous mixture of macromolecules, small organics, ions, and
ribosomes inside the cell
6. ribosomes: protein-synthesizing structures
7. cell wall: organelle only present in some microbes; provides extra protection
and strength
8. prokaryotes: type of cell: some Bacteria and Archaea, have no membrane-
enclosed organelles; no nucleus
9. organelles: membrane-enclosed structures within a cell
10. eukaryotes: type of cell: some plants, animals, algae, protozoa, fungi;
contains organelles; has DNA-enclosed in a membrane-bound nucleus
11. genome: a cell's full complement of genes
12. linear chromosomes (and many more, up to billions of base pairs): typical
eukaryotic DNA shape
13. circular chromosomes that aggregate in the nucleoid region: typical
prokaryotic DNA shape
14. plasmids: extrachromosomal DNA that confers special properties (like
antibiotic resistance) (found in prokaryotes)
15. metabolism: the chemical transformation of nutrients
16. enzymes: protein catalysts
17. transcription: when DNA information is converted into RNA
18. translation: when RNA is used by ribosome to make protein
19. motility: when cells move by self-propulsion
20. differentiation: when microbes modify internal structures to form specialized
cells
21. intercellular communication: when microbes respond to other microbes
22. activities of microbial cells:
-metabolism
-motility
-differentiation
1/5
, Brock Biology of Microorganisms Chapter 1 2024
-intercellular communication
-evolution
-live in microbial communities
23. 3.8-4.3 billion y.a.: When did the first cells appear on Earth?
24. ~2.6 billion y.a.: When was O2 introduced to the Earth's atmosphere?
25. ~3.6 billion y.a.: When did the first anoxygenic phototrophs appear?
26. ~0.5 billion y.a.: When did plants and animals appear on Earth?
27. three domains (distinct lineages of microbial cells: -Bacteria (prok) -
Archaea (prok)
-Eukarya (euk)
28. LUCA: last universal common ancestor
29. extremophiles: organisms that live in habitats too harsh for other life forms
(ex. hot springs, glaciers, high salt, acidity, alkalinity, pressure)
30. ecosystem: term that refers to all living organisms plus physical and chemical
constituents of their environment
31. microbial ecology: the study of microbes in their natural environment
32. microbes as disease agents: microbes that present as bacterial and viral
pathogens
33. gut microbiome: this digests complex carbohydrates in humans and
synthesizes vitamins and other nutrients (microbes involved in this)
34. biofilms: growths on submerged surfaces (ex. pipes storage tanks, implanted
medical devices)
35. industrial microbiology: microbiology involved in the massive growth of
naturally-occurring microbes to make low-cost products (ex antibiotics,
enzymes, some chemicals)
36. biotechnology: area of microbe use that genetically engineers microbes,
making high-value products in very small amounts
37. bioremediation: area of microbe use that cleans up pollutants
38. Robert Hooke: scientist to first describe microbes
39. Antoni van Leeuwenhoek: scientist to first describe bacteria using his lgiht
microscope
40. magnification: ability to make an object's image larger
2/5
1. culture: cells grown in/on nutrient medium
2. medium: liquid/solid mixture containing all required nutrients
3. cell: living compartment that interacts with the environment and other cells
4. cytoplasmic (cell) membrane: barrier that separates the inside of the cell
from the outside environment
5. cytoplasm: aqueous mixture of macromolecules, small organics, ions, and
ribosomes inside the cell
6. ribosomes: protein-synthesizing structures
7. cell wall: organelle only present in some microbes; provides extra protection
and strength
8. prokaryotes: type of cell: some Bacteria and Archaea, have no membrane-
enclosed organelles; no nucleus
9. organelles: membrane-enclosed structures within a cell
10. eukaryotes: type of cell: some plants, animals, algae, protozoa, fungi;
contains organelles; has DNA-enclosed in a membrane-bound nucleus
11. genome: a cell's full complement of genes
12. linear chromosomes (and many more, up to billions of base pairs): typical
eukaryotic DNA shape
13. circular chromosomes that aggregate in the nucleoid region: typical
prokaryotic DNA shape
14. plasmids: extrachromosomal DNA that confers special properties (like
antibiotic resistance) (found in prokaryotes)
15. metabolism: the chemical transformation of nutrients
16. enzymes: protein catalysts
17. transcription: when DNA information is converted into RNA
18. translation: when RNA is used by ribosome to make protein
19. motility: when cells move by self-propulsion
20. differentiation: when microbes modify internal structures to form specialized
cells
21. intercellular communication: when microbes respond to other microbes
22. activities of microbial cells:
-metabolism
-motility
-differentiation
1/5
, Brock Biology of Microorganisms Chapter 1 2024
-intercellular communication
-evolution
-live in microbial communities
23. 3.8-4.3 billion y.a.: When did the first cells appear on Earth?
24. ~2.6 billion y.a.: When was O2 introduced to the Earth's atmosphere?
25. ~3.6 billion y.a.: When did the first anoxygenic phototrophs appear?
26. ~0.5 billion y.a.: When did plants and animals appear on Earth?
27. three domains (distinct lineages of microbial cells: -Bacteria (prok) -
Archaea (prok)
-Eukarya (euk)
28. LUCA: last universal common ancestor
29. extremophiles: organisms that live in habitats too harsh for other life forms
(ex. hot springs, glaciers, high salt, acidity, alkalinity, pressure)
30. ecosystem: term that refers to all living organisms plus physical and chemical
constituents of their environment
31. microbial ecology: the study of microbes in their natural environment
32. microbes as disease agents: microbes that present as bacterial and viral
pathogens
33. gut microbiome: this digests complex carbohydrates in humans and
synthesizes vitamins and other nutrients (microbes involved in this)
34. biofilms: growths on submerged surfaces (ex. pipes storage tanks, implanted
medical devices)
35. industrial microbiology: microbiology involved in the massive growth of
naturally-occurring microbes to make low-cost products (ex antibiotics,
enzymes, some chemicals)
36. biotechnology: area of microbe use that genetically engineers microbes,
making high-value products in very small amounts
37. bioremediation: area of microbe use that cleans up pollutants
38. Robert Hooke: scientist to first describe microbes
39. Antoni van Leeuwenhoek: scientist to first describe bacteria using his lgiht
microscope
40. magnification: ability to make an object's image larger
2/5
