Microbes

Microbes are microscopic organisms

that exist as single cells or cell
clusters. Microbiology is the study of
microbes, including their lives,
features, and impact on the natural
world. The characteristics of
microbes are numerous and diverse.
The large amount of variation within
this group helps explain how microbial
life has adapted to environmental conditions on Earth. In fact, it is thought
that microbes were the earliest life form present. Microbiologists use
classification systems to group microbes based on their similar
characteristics.
The five main groups for microorganisms are

Prokaryote Cell

Viruses
Bacteria
Arcahea
Fungi
Protists

Microbiologists often group these organisms into

one of two general categories, based on cellular
structure. Prokaryotes are organisms that do not
have membrane-enclosed structures, called
organelles, in their cells. Specifically prokaryotes
lack a true nucleus that contains their genetic
material. This group includes bacteria and Archaea.

Fungi and protists are eukaryotic cells. Eukaryotes

contain membrane-enclosed organelles, like the nucleus,
and are generally larger and more complex than
prokaryotic cells. Viruses are not considered to be living
cells, so they are not classified as either prokaryotes or

Eukaryote Cell

eukaryotes.

Recent advances in technology have allowed scientists to

separate microbes into five main groups based on
genetic information. Scientists use laboratory
methods to compare the DNA sequences of
microorganisms. Since an organisms genetic material
determines its characteristics, microbes with similar DNA have
similar qualities. Without the ability to compare DNA sequences,
scientists might not have realized that the bacteria and Archaea

DNA

should be classified separately.

Read the article and

answer the following
questions. The
questions are in order of
the article.
1. _____________________
are microscopic organisms
that exist as single cells or
cell clusters.
2. What is microbiology?
3. What were the earliest life
forms present on Earth? In
which Geologic Era did they
first exist? Precambrian,
Paleozoic, Mesozoic, or
Cenozoic
4. What do microbiologists use
classification systems to
group microbes?
5. List the 5 main groups of
microorganisms.
6. Microbiologists often group
these organisms into one of
two general categories
one group has organelles
and one group does not.
What are the 2 groups?
7. What are membraneenclosed structures found in
eukaryotes?
8. In which category do Fungi
and protists belong?
9. Which type of organism is
most complex, a eukaryotes
or a prokaryote?
10. Are viruses prokaryotes or
eukaryotes? Why?
11. What do scientists use to
separate microbes into the 5
main groups?

12. Microbes with similar __________________ have similar qualities.

Viruses
Viruses are infectious agents that
affect cells of almost all types of
organisms. They are the smallest and
simplest of microbes. All viruses
contain DNA or RNA genetic material.
A protein shell called capsid encloses
the genetic material. Many viruses
also have an outer membrane
surrounding them. Most viruses are
shaped like rods or spheres.
Viruses have characteristics of both
living and nonliving things. Even
though they contain DNA or RNA, an
important characteristic of all loving
organisms, viruses cannot reproduce on their own. In order to
survive and reproduce, viruses must invade the cells of a living
organism, called a host. Viruses cannot take in or metabolize
nutrients, produce or get rid of wastes, or move around independently.
For these reasons viruses are not considered to be living organisms.
In fact, viruses are little more than traveling genetic material, floating
harmlessly through the environment until they reach a new host.
The typical virus goes through an infectious cycle with several
stages:
First, a virus must come into contact with a cell.
Then, the virus either enters
the cell or it
attaches to the cell membrane
and releases it genetic
material into the cell.
Once inside the cell, the virus takes
over the cellular machinery
and forces it to make viral
proteins.
The viral proteins are assembled to make
new copies of the virus. This
process of entering a host and
replicating is called infection.
Eventually, the newly created
viruses are released from the cell,
sometimes destroying the cell in the process. These new
viruses than float around until they come in contact with new
potential host cells. The length of time needed for this process
to occur ranges from a couple of hours to a few days.
Viruses infect all forms of life, from bacteria to people. Viral infections
are extremely common in cells throughout the human body. Although
viruses often damage or destroy the host cells they infect, this process
does not always cause disease. Many viruses enter the body,
reproduce, and leave the body without the host ever reacting to them.
Viral infection of a host cell is not necessarily bad. In rare cases, these
viruses may bring new genetic information that may be of use to the
host cell.

Read the article and answer the

following questions. The
questions are in order of the
article.

1. What are viruses?

2. What are the smallest and
simplest microbes?
3. A virus contains ______ or
______ genetic material.
4. What is the name of the
protein shell that covers
the genetic material?
5. What are the 2 shapes of a
virus?
6. Viruses have
characteristics of both
__________ and
____________ things.
7. What can viruses not do
on their own?
8. What is a host?
9. Viruses cannot take in or
metabolize ________,
produce or get rid of
_______, or move around
_____.
10. Are viruses considered to
be living organisms?
11. What is the first step of an
infectious cycle?
12. The virus either enters the
cell or it attaches to the
___________
____________
13. What does the virus
release into the cell?
14. What does the virus force
the cell to do?
15. What is infection?
16. What happens to the
newly produced viruses
once they are released
from the cell?
17. What is the length of time
for the infectious cycle?
18. Do viruses always cause
disease or cause harm?

Bacteria
Bacteria

are simple, single celled microorganisms. Since

their genetic material is not enclosed by a
nucleus, bacteria are considered to be
prokaryotes. Bacteria can be found
alone, in pairs or in groups of
three or more. These larger
groups can look like clumps or long
chains. They can form colonies of
different sizes, shapes, and colors,
including yellow, green, orange, brown,
pink, or white.

Bacteria come in three main shapes: rods, spirals, and sphere.

The shape of the bacterium comes from the tough cell wall that
surrounds the cell, provides protection, and keeps the cell from
drying out. Microbiologists sometimes classify these organisms
based on their shape. Bacteria are also classified based upon
whether they absorb a dye called Grams stain. The cell wall of
some bacteria prevents from taking in the dye. These are said to
be Gram-negative. Bacteria that absorb the stain are called
Gram-positive.
In addition to the cell wall, many bacteria also have flagella
(singular: flagellum), or hair-like whips, that are attached to the
outside of the cell. By beating its flagellum, a bacterium can
propel itself forward. Other bacteria produce slime and glide
around their environment.
Bacteria are able to reproduce very quickly, sometimes making
copies of themselves in less than
15 minutes. The main way they reproduce is asexually by binary
fission. In this process, one bacterium duplicates its genetic
information, grows larger, and than splits in half to form two
daughter bacteria. In this way, bacterial populations can expand
to large numbers in a short amount of time when conditions are
good.
Read the article and answer the following questions. The
questions are in order of the article.
1. What are bacteria?
2. Are bacteria prokaryotes or eukaryotes? How do scientists
know this?
3. Name 3 ways bacteria can be found?
4. Name 5 colors bacteria are found.

5. What are the 3 shapes of

the bacteria?
6. The shape of the bacterium
comes from the tough
___________ __________
that surrounds the cell,
provides
_______________, and
keeps the cell from
_____________
_________.
7. What is a Gram Stain?
8. What are the difference
between a Gram-positive and
a

Gram-

negative
bacteria?
9. What is a

flagella
and
what do
they
help the bacteria do?
10. Other bacteria produce
___________ and
_________ around their
environment.
11. How fast can some bacteria
reproduce?
12. What is the main way they
reproduce?
13. What happens in the binary
fission process?
14. Bacterial populations can
expand to large numbers in a
_____________ amount of
_________ when conditions
are _________________