Microbio 211 lecture notes - Jan 24(first day of class Office Hours 4:45-5:30 Either in SHW 12 or patio area(Main Read the boxes in the textbook(case

Jan 24 (first day of class) Office Hours 4:45-5:30 Either in SHW 12 or patio area (Main) Read the boxes in the textbook (case studies). Will probs be some test questions Microbiology is everywhere ● Why are bees disappearing? Fungus attacking hives and killing off bees. Global warming makes it worse. ● Bats dying off bc of fungal disease as well ● Microbes are important ● Micro= really really small ● Only one bacteria you can see with the naked eye. Umbrella of Microbiology ● Bacteria ● Archaea ● Fungi ● Protists ● Algae ● Nonliving relm: ○ Viruses ○ Prions Rocks in the picture in lecture slide are stromatolites (dead, fossilized remains). ***Test question: remember that virtually stromatolites are NOT living!!!!*** Cyanobacteria: ● Green bc it does photosynthesis. ● Releases oxygen. ○ Important because they provided oxygen for atmosphere. ○ Important bc w oxygen you can make ATP (with aerobic cellular respiration), which allows cells to become more complex. Nutrient Cycling ● When a living thing dies, all the stuff that makes up an organism is going to get recycled. ● The decomposers break down living stuff, returning nutrients to the soil. Jan 29

***READ CASE STUDIES in the book** What is microbiology and why do we care? ● Stromatolites (bacteria) ● bacteria was the earliest form of life. ● Cyanobacteria (green, photosynthesis, creates oxygen). These bacteria were most similar to cyanobacteria. ○ The oxygen was a big deal because it makes it easier to make energy. ● We have finite resources on this planet, so we need to recycle them. When a living thing dies, bacteria decompose the organism. ● Microbiology= the study of microbes What are microbes? ● Listeria ○ Positive agent of gastric intestinal distress (food poisoning) ● Amoeba Proteus ○ Very deadly ● Diatoms ○ Silica in cell walls (building block of glass) ○ Gorgeous under microscope ○ Important for pools and for nutrient cycling ● Human pinworm ○ Tiny worm ○ Eggs = incredibly small and lightweight (virtually impossible to get rid of them) ● Treponema pallidum ○ Spirochaete (shape of Treponema pallidum on slide) ○ Causes syphilis ● Neurospora crassa ○ Yeast (fungi) ○ Fungal infections are hard to get rid of ■ Their cells are like human cells ○ Selective toxicity- a drug is toxic towards one kind of organism but not the other ■ There isnt enough difference between our cells and their cells to use selective toxicity ● Human Papillomavirus ○ HPV ○ Over 30 diff strains of HPV. Easily 80% of our population is infected with HPV. ○ At least 5 of the 30 plus strains are known to cause cancer ○ Not just cancer in females ○ Technically we have a vaccine against cancer bc HPV causes cancer Why we care about microbiology ● ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

○ MRSA ○ Resistant to most antibiotics (hard to treat) ○ Going septic or suffering from sepsis, this means the bacteria has gotten into the bloodstream and is moving through the body (very dangerous) ○ VRSA (vacamasion? resistance staff virus)