TOPIC: MICROORGANISMS AND

THEIR EFFECTS ON LIVING THINGS

CLASSIFICATIONS OF
MICROORGANISMS

Microorganisms
Microorganisms is an tiny
living things that can only
seen through a microscope.
They are also known as microbes.
Some microbes are harmful, but
some of them are useful too.

 There are 5 main groups of

microorganisms:
(a)Bacteria
(b)Protozoa
(c)Fungi
(d)Algae
(e)Viruses

Characteristics of
various types of
microorganisms

CLASSIFICATION OF MICROORGANISMS
BY THIER CHARACTERISTICS

Form
Size
Habitats
Nutrition
Method of Reproduction

Bacteria
2nd smallest living things can
be seen by electron
microscope
have the simplest structure,
and have the largest number
among the five groups of
microbes.

Size:
Consists only
one cell (about
0.5 to 10
micrometer)

Shape:
There are four general
shapes:
a) Cocci : sperical
b) Bacili : rod-shaped
c) Spirilia : curved walls
d) Vibrio

Bacteria cocci

Bacteria bacilli

Bacteria vibrio

Bacteria spirilla

Nutrition:
Some bacteria have chlorophyll, so
they can make their own food by
photosynthesis process.
Some of bacteria dont have
chlorophyll, so they have to be:
a) Saprophytes - get food from
decaying matters
b) Parasites - get food from other
living organisms

Respiration:
Some of bacteria carry out
aerobic respiration
( requires oxygen) , and
some of them carry out
anaerobic respiration
( no oxygen required) .

Reproduction:

a) By binary
fission
b) By spores
c) By conjugation

Binary
fission

Spores

Habitat:
Bacteria live in any
damp places.

Protozoa
Definition:
Animals which are made
up of only one cell.
They are unicellular.
Example:
amoeba, paramecium

Protozoa
Size:
Consists only one cell (about 5 to 250
micrometer)

Protozoa
Shape:
Have various shapes, but mostly
they have irregular shape (no fixed
shape)

Protozoa
Structure:

Amoeba

Paramecium

Protozoa
Nutrition:
Some of protozoa live as parasites.
E.g: plasmodium.
Some of them obtain food from
their surroundings. E.g: amoeba
and paramecium.
Some of protozoa make their
own food.

Protozoa
Respiration:
All of protozoa carry out aerobic
respiration

Protozoa
Reproduction:
a) By binary fission
b) By asexual reproduction (spore
formation)
c) By sexual reproduction
(conjugation)

Conjugation

Protozoa
Habitat:
Protozoa live independently in any
ponds, river, damp soils or in
other organisms, and they lives in
colonies

Fungi
Plants which do not have
chlorophyll. They include
mushrooms, moulds and yeast.
They do not have root, stems or
leaves

Fungi
Structure

Fungi
Size:
Some of them are large (i.e
mushroom), and some of them are
tiny (i.e moulds and yeast)

Fungi
Shape:
Have various shapes:
i- round ball
ii- long filaments
iii- oval-shaped

Fungi
Nutrition:
Most of fungi live as parasites (i.e
moulds) or saprophytes (i.e
mucor) .

Fungi
Respiration:
Most of fungi carry out aerobic
respiration

Fungi
Reproduction:
a) By spores
Fungi such a mushrooms form spores
within their caps. Mucor form
sporangium (containing spores).
When it ripe, it bursts open and
disperses the spore.
b) By budding

Budding

Fungi
Habitat:
Fungi live in damp dark habitats.
Example: Mucor grows on damp stale
bread placed in the dark

Algae
Very simple plants which have
chlorophyll. Algae do not have
root, stems or leaves

Algae
Structure:

Algae
Size:
Some of them are large (i.e
seaweed), and some of them are tiny
(i.e diatoms, euglena and etc)

Algae
Shape:
Have various shapes:
i- round ball
ii- long filaments
iii- oval-shaped
iv- network-like structure

Algae
Nutrition:
Algae possess chlorophyll, so
that they can make their own
food by photosynthesis.

Algae
Respiration:
Most of fungi carry out aerobic
respiration

Algae
Reproduction:
a) By asexual reproduction (binary
fission)
b) By asexual reproduction
(fragmentation)
Algae reproduced by breaking a long
filament into two.
c) By sexual reproduction
(conjugation)

Fragmentation

Algae
Habitat:
Algae live in fresh water, salt
water, damp soil or on damp
bark of trees.

Virus
Smallest microorganisms and it do
not respire, do not excrete waste
products, and
do not possess nucleus, cell
membrane and cytoplasm

Virus
Structure

 Size:
About 0.02 0.4 micrometer, and
can be seen only by electron
microscope

Virus
Shape:
Have various shapes, maybe in
spherical, rectangular or rod-shaped

AIDS virus

Virus
Nutrition:
Viruses live as parasites in living
cell.

Reproduction:

Virus
Habitat:
Viruses live only in living cell.

 Exercise:
1. Name the five main groups of
microorganisms
2. Bacteria can live in unfavorable
conditions. Under such conditions,
they.
3. Label the part of bacteria below
4. Size of protozoa is about
5. What is the shape of
paramecium? ............................

 FACTOR WHICH AFFECTS TO THE

GROWTH OF MICROORGANISM

There are 5 main factors that affect

the growth of microorganism:

1. Nutrients
Microorganisms need
nutrient to live, and
they get it by being:
a) Autotrophic
b) Saprophytic
c) Parasitic

2. Humidity
Microorganisms need living
place with high level of
humidity.
That means, they need moisture
or water to live, and they will
die if they do not get water
for a period of time.

 However, some bacteria

can live in a place without
waters presence by
forming spores.

3. Light
Most of virus, fungi and
protozoa and some of bacteria
prefer dim or dark habitat
Algae and few of bacteria tend
to live in bright place since
they have chlorophyll to carry
out photosynthesis process.

4. Temperature
Most suitable temperature for
the microorganisms growth and
live is about 37C (humans body
temperature).
High temperature will kill
microorganisms, while low
temperature makes them
inactive.

5. pH value
Most of microorganisms prefer
to live in neutral medium (pH
= 7)
In very acidic (pH = 1 to 3) and
very alkaline (pH = 12 to 14)
conditions, most of
microorganisms will be killed.

USEFUL
MICROORGANISMS

1. In the Digestion of Food

Some bacteria help herbivores (e.g:
rabbit, goat, cows and etc) and
protozoa help termites digest their
food
They produce an enzyme called
cellulose to help herbivores and
termites digest cellulose into glucose

2. In Decay
2.1 Formation of humus
Some of saprophytic bacteria and
fungi decompose organic matter into
humus

2.2 Production of biogas and

fertilizers
Some of saprophytic bacteria
decompose organic waste (e.g:
waste from oil palm, paddy and
coconut) and turn it into methane
gas

2.3 Disposal of oil spills

Some of bacteria break up oil
spills and decompose it into less
harmful substance.

3. In Medicine

3.1 Antibiotics
There are 2 common antibiotics in
world, which are:
a) Penicillin (prepared from penicillium
notatum bacteria)
b) Streptomycin (prepared from
streptomyces griseus bacteria)
Antibiotics can only kill bacteria

3.2 Vaccines

Vaccines are prepared

from dead or very weak
bacteria and viruses.
It used to stimulate the
body to produce
antibodies.

 Vaccination refers to an
injection containing
certain vaccines that
can prevent a person
being infected to a certain
disease.
Example: BCG injection
for dry cough
disease.

4. In Agriculture
4.1 Maturing of tobacco
leaves
Bacteria used to make
tobacco leaves mature,
so that they can emit
desirable smell and taste.

4.2 Nitrogen cycle

4.3 Productions of chemicals

from algae
Some algae used to produce
beneficial chemicals for human
beings.
For the example:
a) beta-carotene
which has anti cancer
properties
b) fatty acids
which make cholesterol level in
humans blood become low

5. In Industry
5.1 Making breads and cakes
Yeast is used in the making breads
and cakes. It is mixed with flour,
sugar and water and made into
dough

 Yeast will reacts with sugar to

produce alcohol (ethanol), carbon
dioxide and energy.
By the way, this process is known as
fermentation .
Carbon dioxide released makes
the dough rise, so that breads and
cakes become very soft.

5.2 Making ethanol

Yeast is also used to produce alcohol
(ethanol) instead of carbon dioxide.

5.3 Production of vinegar, and

yoghurt
Vinegar (ethanoic acid) is prepared
by using bacteria to change
ethanol into ethanoic acid.

 Yoghurt (contains lactic acid) is

prepared by the action of bacteria on
milk.
Bacteria will reacts with lactose in
milk and turns it into lactic acid.

5.4 Production of soy sauce

Soy sauce is produced from the
fermentation of a mixture containing
mould, yeast, flour and soy beans.
Salt is added to make it become
salty.