MICROBES

Slide 2 Slide 3 Slide 4 -6 Slide 7 -8 Microbe Types Growing Microbes Bacteria Viruses

Slide 9-10
Slide 11-12 Slide 13

Fungi
Growing and controlling Microbe way of life

Slide 14-15
Slide 16 Slide 17-18

Harmful Microbes
Bodies defences Control and resistance

Slide 19
Slide 20 Slide 21-22

Respiration
Helpful Microbes Nutrient cycles

MICROBE TYPES
Micro-organisms are also called microbes. little life forms

Micro is short for microscopic. There are three main types of microbe: Bacteria Fungi Viruses

Check out their comparative sizes...

GROWING MICROBES
Bacteria and fungi can be cultured (grown) on an agar plate.

Agar is a jelly made from seaweed that has nutrients added so the microbes have plenty of food.
Swab Petri dish Nutrient agar

Plates can have microbes added very easily. Anything that may have been contacted by microbes can be used to inoculate (add microbes to) the plate. We will do one control for the whole class. You may like to inoculate your plate from more than one source. Keep track of which is which:
3 4

BACTERIAL STRUCTURE
Bacteria are single celled organisms, and smaller than most plant and animal cells. The are unique life forms as they have no nucleus. Like plants, bacteria have a cell wall that lets them keep their shape.

They also have a cell membrane. Inside is the cytoplasm.

This includes the genetic material, which may be DNA or similar. The cell may also have plasmids, extra bits of genetic information. There is an outer slimy capsule, which stops it drying out. The flagellum (plural flagella), help propel the wee fella about.

BACTERIAL REPRODUCTION
Bacteria use a process called Binary Fission

two bits

split

Genetic information is copied

in which they replicate their genetic information and divide into 2 new cells.

The cell begins to divide

2 bacteria are formed

This makes their growth in ideal conditions incredibly fast.

BACTERIAL FEEDING
Bacteria feed using a process called Extra-cellular Digestion.

In this they secrete a digestive enzyme,

which digests the food particles, and then they absorb the nutrients. Yummy! secrete Food (substrate) digest absorb

VIRUSES
Viruses are tiny, non-cellular microbes. They are always pathogens (disease causing), because they harm other living things to reproduce.

Like all living things Bacteria and Fungi carry out MRS GREN processes.
Viruses are not really living things at all. They cant move by themselves, they can't reproduce without other cells, they don't respire, or excrete, or feed. Structure: Viruses are very simple. They have genetic material (DNA or RNA) enclosed in a protective protein coat. They may also have some apparatus to help attach to host cells.

VIRUS REPRODUCTION
Viruses attach to a host cell, inject their genetic information, use host cell processes to make more copies until the cell bursts. In doing so they reproduce very rapidly, and destroy many host cells. This is what causes us disease.

Viruses are so small they can only be seen using a Scanning Electron Microscope.

FUNGI
Fungi may be single celled, like yeast, or a complex multi-cellular organism, such as a mushroom.

Yeast is a single cellular fungus. It is used in baking and brewing.

Mr. Bloomfields breakfast bread mould is a multi-cellular fungus.

FUNGI FEEDING AND STRUCTURE

Spores

Structure: It is made up of a Sporangium, that produces spores (for reproduction), and hyphae, which grow (like roots) into the substrate (food source). Hyphae

Sporangium

Hyphae Substrate

secrete
digest

absorb

Feeding: Fungi feed by extra-cellular digestion through their hyphae (like bacteria).

They need anything any other pet needs... Food (nutrition) Warmth (NOT heat heat kills) Moisture Space to grow

COLONY GROWTH

What difference does Temperature make?

From left to right the incubation temperatures of these three otherwise identically treated samples are: 4C, 20C, and 28C. Obviously bacteria need warmth to reproduce best.

CONTROLLING MICROBES 1
Microbes can also be controlled (in foods) by using: Heat (e.g. Pasteurising) Drying (e.g. Freeze drying) Keeping cold fridge/freezer Acid Salt Keeping microbes out Experiment results: Comparing the antibacterial effect of: 1. CuSO4 solution 2. Acid 3. Base 4. NaCl solution

MICROBE WAY OF LIFE

Bacteria and fungi are consumers. This means that they feed on other things to gain their nutrition. They are either: Saprophytes (FEED on dead things/waste) or Parasites (FEED on living things a host -) A symbiotic microbe is one that lives in harmony with its host (mutually beneficial). Which are these? E. coli, a bacteria naturally present in your gut, which helps to digest some nutrients. Fungi and bacteria in a compost heap break down the organic material. Thrush, a fungus that causes itching and discomfort.

HARMFUL MICROBES
Many microbes are pathogens (cause disease). Your body is a great place for microbes as it is warm, moist, and there is plenty to eat.

If they flourish they cause disease. If a disease is contagious the microbe can be transferred between people or other animals such as mosquitoes, flies and rats.
The ways that bacteria and fungi cause disease are: 1. 2. Feeding directly on your cells, destroying them. Excreting (waste products) toxins that damage cells.

Microbes also cause harm by spoiling food.

DISEASES
Viruses are always pathogens. Herpes

A tomato virus
Diseases Bacteria Salmonella Tetanus Fungi Athletes foot Ringworm Virus Chicken Pox AIDS

Syphilis

Thrush

Colds

BODIES DEFENCES
Your body is adapted to fight diseases: 1. Physical barrier skin. Orifaces are protected by secretions: ear wax, mucous, lysosome (antiseptic) in saliva, urine, tears (also salty). 2. Phagocytes White Blood Cells that engulf and destroy foreign bodies. Dead WBCs form pus. 3. Antibodies are formed to attach to specific antigens on the surface of pathogens. The body can remember how to make these so often will not get the same disease twice. This is called immunity. Artificial immunity can be created by putting a weakened form of the disease into your body (vaccination), or by putting in pre-prepared antibodies from another animal.

Pathogens can be chemically controlled by using: Disinfectants strong, used on surfaces Antiseptics weaker, used on skin Antibiotics originally from microbes (e.g. penicillin), used internally
Experiment results: Comparing the antibacterial effect of (at 50% dilution): 1. Water

CONTROLLING MICROBES 2

2. Pams
3. Pinoclean 4. Jeyes

RESISTANCE
By natural selection, microbes can adapt to be unaffected (resistant) to an antibiotic or antiseptic.
This is caused by microbes coming into contact with an antimicrobial but without being killed by it. E.g. Underprescribed or under taken doses of antibiotics. Resistance means that we are constantly having to develop new antibiotics.

RESPIRATION
Bacteria and fungi respire, like us, aerobically (with O2). Glucose + O2
CO2 + H 2O + Energy

Unlike us some microbes can also respire anaerobically (without O2). Their toxins (waste products) are usually more poisonous than aerobes. Instead of making water, they may make acids, or maybe ethanol. Glucose + O2

CO2

+ H 2O

Energy

Ethanol (in yeast) or

See microbes respiring: Ginger beer...

Lactic acid (in bacteria that make yoghurt) etc

HELPFUL MICROBES
Many bacteria and fungi do important jobs, such as breaking down (decomposing) dead matter and waste, and recycling the nutrients.
Bacteria are also important in digestion and food production (yoghurt and cheese etc). Fungi are used in brewing and fermentation and medicines (penicillin). Viruses are always harmful. But they can be used for the biological control of unwanted organisms (e.g. RCD), as well as having potential medical value.

THE CARBON CYCLE

Carbon is used in organisms as part of their structure, as well as being necessary as being a source of food energy. The atmosphere CO2 in the is the main air source of carbon Respiration

Feeding
P.S. Carbon in plants Carbon in animals Bacteria and fungi are critical for recycling carbon that would otherwise be trapped

Dead matter and waste

We will (probably) look more closely at the C-cycle in a later topic.

THE NITROGEN CYCLE

Nitrogen is used in organisms as protein. 78% of the atmosphere is nitrogen.

N2 in the air

Protein in plants

Protein in animals Denitrifying bacteria

N-fixing bacteria N-fixing bacteria are the only organisms that can utilise N2 in the air. Decomposers NH4+

Nitrates in the soil Nitrifying bacteria