What are microorganisms

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What are microorganisms?
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• Microorganisms are tiny, you cannot see them
  without a microscope
• They are everywhere, on our bodies, inside them,
  in the air we breath.

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• We have more microbial cells in our bodies than
  human cells (although they are of course much
  smaller)
• There are more bacteria in the colon of one
  person than the total number of people who have
  ever lived
• Without bacteria we could not digest our food,
  this part of our digestive system is the most
  active part of our bodies

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• They can live in any environment from deep in the
  artic ice to incredibly hot black smokers on the
  ocean floor.
• Many scientists believe that if we find life on
  other planets, that it will be microbial.

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• Microorganisms recycle nutrients around our
  planet, such as carbon and nitrogen

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• Microorganisms are important as some of them can
  cause diseases
• Campylobacter spp-common food poisoning

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• They are also important in health as they are the
  source of all our common antibiotics which we use
  to treat infections

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• We also use microrganisms as food and in the food
  industry to produce food.
• Bread, beer, mushrooms, yoghurt, vinegar

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• All life contains DNA. The way in which this DNA
  is organised divides all life into two groups.

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• The Eukaryotes have DNA arranged in chromosomes
  and these chromosomes are surrounded by membrane
  (a bit like a fence). This is called the nucleus

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• In Prokaryotes their DNA is not bound in by this
  fence and floats free inside the cell.

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The Three Domains Of Life
Common Ancestor
Eubacteria (prokaryotes)
Archaea (prokaryotes)
Eukaryota
Plants Animals Fungi