Third Year Science

Microbiology & Biotechnology

 In this topic:

• What is microbiology
• Viruses

• Bacteria

• Fungi
• Biotechnology
 What is Microbiology?
Microbiology: the study of small living
things
• Trillions of microorganisms are living in you!
• They are everywhere around us
• Some are good and some are bad
Split into 3 groups
1.Viruses
2.Bacteria
3.Fungi
 OB65: Investigating the presence of
microorganisms in air and soil
• Get into lab group
• 1 petri dish per group
• Label the BOTTOM of
the dish
• Choose what to
expose it to
• Seal with parafilm
• Put into incubator
 Viruses
• Smallest microorganisms
• Can’t be seen without powerful microscopes
• About 1 million viruses could fit on the edge
of a thumbnail!!
 Viruses
• Viruses can’t reproduce by themselves
– Need a ‘host’
– Some argue that they aren’t living things
• Invade other cells to reproduce
 Virus diseases
• Measles
• Mumps
• Chicken pox
• Polio
• Colds
• Flu (Influenza)
• Cold sores
• HIV
 How can we beat viruses?
• Antibiotics do NOT work on viruses
• Most are fought off by our WHITE BLOOD
CELLS
• White blood cells make ANTIBODIES that kill
the viruses
 Bacteria
• Bacteria are bigger than viruses
• To grow, bacteria need:
– Food
– Water
– Suitable temperature
– Suitable pH
 Bacteria
• In the right conditions they can reproduce
REALLY fast!
• Can double their numbers every 20 mins
• Reproduce asexually
 Bacteria as decomposers
Decomposers: Organisms that feed on dead
plants and animals
• Most bacteria live on dead material
• They cause it to rot and decay
• This is very important for recycling energy and
nutrients
 Effects of Bacteria
Usefulbacteria Harmfulbacteria
Recycleenergy& Causediseases
nutrientsbydecaying
deadplants&animals
Makefoodslike Causefoodstogobad
cheese,butter,yoghurt
Usedinbiotechnology Destroycropsinthe
fields
 Bacterial diseases
• Tetanus
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• Pneumonia
• Sore throats
• Tooth and gum decay
• Food poisoning
• Cholera
• Anthrax
 Fungi
• Simple plants that don’t contain
chlorophyll
• No chlorophyll means:
– No green colour
– Can’t make food by
photosynthesis
• Can live as parasites on plants
and animals
• Many are also decomposers
 Fungi
• Some are single celled (e.g.
yeast)
• Many form long threads
• Threaded fungi: normally
underground and show up
as mushrooms on the
surface
 Effects of Fungi
UsefulFungi HarmfulFungi
Causedeadplantsand Causehumandiseases
animalstodecay (e.g.athlete’sfoot)
Somecanbeeaten Somearepoisonous
(e.g.mushrooms)
Usedtomakealcohol Causefoottorot(e.g.
andbread(e.g.yeast) breadmould)
 Biotechnology
Biotechnology: The use of living things to
produce useful products
• Bacteria and fungi (like yeast) can
be used to make:
– Foods
– Drugs
– Alcohols
– Hormones
– Enzymes
 Industrial uses of biotechnology
Microorganism Industry Product(s)
Yeast Brewery Beer

Bacteriausedto Detergent Biological

makeenzymes factories detergents
 Medicinal uses of biotechnology
Microorganism Product(s)
Bacteria&Fungi Antibiotics

•Hormones(e.g.insulin)
Alteredbacteria
•Antibodies
&yeast
•Chemicalstoclotblood