Introduction to Microbiology

Microbiology

• Study of microscopic (living ) things

• E.g.

viruses, bacteria, algae, protists, fungi

History of Microbiology

• 1590 – First compound light microscope Zacharias Janssen

History

• 1676 –first observation of bacteria “animalcules”

Anton Von Leeuwenhoek

History

• 1796 – First vaccine (smallpox)

Edward Jenner

History

• 1857 – Germ Theory of Disease Louis Pasteur

History

• 1867 Antiseptic Surgery

Joseph Lister

History

• 1884 Koch’s Postulates of Disease Transmission

Robert Koch

History

• 1885 - Vaccine against

Rabies

Louis Pasteur

History

• 1929 Discovery of Penicillin

(first antibiotic)

Alexander Fleming

History

• 1938 – First Electron Microscope

• The electron microscope is capable of magnifying biological specimens up to one million times. These computer enhanced images of 1. smallpox, 2. herpes simplex, and 3. mumps are magnified, respectively, 150,000, 150,000 and 90,000 times.

History

1953 Structure of DNA Revealed

Watson & Crick

History

1954 Polio Vaccine

Jonas Salk

Recent History

• Genetic engineering

• Cloning

• Human Genome Project

• Biotechnology

• Who knows what is next?

Sizes of Microbes

• Virus - 10 →1000 nanometers *• Bacteria - 0.1 → 5 micrometers ** (Human eye ) can see .1 mm (1 x 10 -3 m)

* One billionth or 1 x 10 -9 m ** One millionth or 1 x 10 -6 m

Tools of Microbiology• Compound light Microscope - live specimens- 1,000 mag. or less• Electron Microscope - non-living specimens - > 1,000 X mag.• Incubator – keep microbes warm for

growth

Techniques of Microbiology

• Staining – to better see structures• Microbial Culture - growing the wee beasties• Container for microbe culture - usually Petri dish • Culture media - Food for the microbes - E.g. Agar – (from red algae)- Others such as nutrient broths

Pure Culture Techniques

1. Inoculation

2. Isolation

3. Identification