BIO 304 Microbiology Read the newspaper lately?

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BIO 304 MicrobiologyRead the newspaper lately?

Microorganisms affect our daily lives in many
ways. Canada geese can be winged couriers of
so-called superbugs Horses to be vaccinated for
EEE and WNV Staph infections latest threat to
athletes health Human gut microbes associated
with obesity Clean water and food what is
acceptable risk? Bad teeth correlated with heart
disease and others Environmental change and
infectious disease
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they affect us so much that

• At the turn of the new millenium,
• Time magazine declared
• The 20th Century was the Age of Physics
• and
• The 21st Century will be
• the Age of Biotechnology

Dr. Albert Einstein
Dr. Kary Mullis
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The objects of study
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Yet, its mainly bacteria, viruses, and fungi
that we study in Microbiology.

• Microorganisms (microbes) are able to grow,
  generate energy, and reproduce in a single cell.
• Specifically, they have the ability to
• metabolize most food (organic/carbon) sources
• withstand the range of Earthly
• temperatures
• atmospheric pressures
• osmotic pressures
• pH ranges
• Most plant and animals exist as multi-cellular
  organisms.

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This course is mainly about bacteria.
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The study of microbiology is a bit different!

• Microbiology the study of microscopic life
• versus
• Botany- the study of plants
• Zoology- the study of animals
• Procedures practices are quite different - look
  for biochemical and genetic differences
• Therefore microbiology has developed
  independently of zoology botany.
• Bacteria and viruses are referred to by STRAIN

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Where can we find MOsand in what forms?

• Microbes and the Biosphere
• - Air 100,000 feet (19 miles)
• - Soil 1,700 feet
• - Water 34,000 feet (6.5 miles)

Photo from ASM
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Microbial ubiquity

• Microorganisms (MOs) exist everywhere!
• In soil, water, and air
• In/on your skin, hair, oral cavity,
  gastrointestinal tract
• Outnumber our cells by more than 101 in/on our
  body!
• Yet, were barely aware that they exist.
• We become aware when we become sick or notice
  spoiled or damaged goods.
• less than 0.01 of bacteria cause disease.
• Most are beneficial to man and other life forms.

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However, negative affects on mankind

• Historic
• Bubonic Plague- wiped out 25 of Europe in 4
  years (1347-1351).prelude to Renaissance???
• Syphilis not recorded in Europe until after
  Columbus and crew returned from New World
• Irish Potato Blight- gt1 million starved causing
  mass migration to US/other countries (1870s)
• Civil War and WW1-more soldiers died from disease
  and infection than from gunshot wounds
• Malaria, Dengue fever, and other human parasites
  significant impact on central region of Africa

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Affects to mankind contd.

• Modern day
• Emergent and re-emergent diseases
• 1974 Discovery of Lyme Disease agent
• 1976 Discovery of Legionnaires Disease agent
• 1978 Toxic Shock Syndrome caused by bacterial
  toxins
• 1983 Discovery of HIV infecting human T cells
• 1985 Multi-drug resistant Mycobacterium
  tuberculosis
• 1993 Hanta/Ebola hemorrhagic virus
• 1999 West Nile virus
• 2002 MRSA and VRSA seen in hospitals in Canada
• 2003 SARS virus
• ???? H5N1 Influenza virus (Bird-flu virus)
• In every case, new problems have created new
  areas of study with the creation of new
  technologies.
• In fact, over 50 of all Rx antibiotics come from
  soil bacteria.

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Still, the overwhelming majority of microbes are
beneficial to mankind!

• Microorganisms aid in
• Environmental recycling
• Mining
• Agriculture
• Human health
• Biotechnology
• Food/beverage industry

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Microbes and Agriculture

• Certain soil bacteria live symbiotically in the
  roots of legumes (N2-fixing bacteria)
• -convert inert N2 gas into amines
• Mycorrhizal fungi
• -provide increased N, P, K, and antibiotics!
• Ruminant bacteria of cattle, sheep benefit these
  animals in metabolizing cellulose

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Microbes and the Food Industry

• Foods made directly with aid of microbes
• Cheeses (bleu, camembert, Roquefort, brie),
  yogurt, breads, vinegars, soy sauce, sweeteners
• Most all foods are indirectly aided by microbial
  activity (vegetables and meat commodities)
• Fermented beverages - 60 Billion/year (US)
• Bacteria provide high quality protein
• SCP! in the future???

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Energy related industries involving microbes

• Natural gas (methane) is a product of bacterial
  action
• Will be discussed in Archaebacteria section
• Methanogens
• Crude oil is a product of prehistoric microbial
  photosynthesis. Also, crude oil can be degraded
  by bacteria
• Drilling All of these require
• Recovery methods which minimize
• Storage microbial
  contamination.

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Mineral and energy related industries involving
microbes

• This is a 200 Billion industry per year.
• Refuse piles These may be converted to
• Landfills biofuels
• Surplus grain
• Now, metal recovery from low-grade ores
• Fe and Cu
• Reduced ions as a result of microbial metabolism

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Recombinant MOs can mass produce substances
related to human health

• Insulin- hormone which lowers blood sugar
  used by diabetics
• Interferon- class of cytokines effective vs
  viral infections
• Factor VIII- blood protein necessary for
  clotting missing in hemophiliacs
• Streptokinin - bacterial enzyme to dissolve
  blood clots in coronary arteries
• Beta endorphins- pain suppressors

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Microbes and Biotechnology

• Bacteria invented the biotech industry
• Taq polymerase used for PCR amplification of DNA
  (from Thermus aquaticus)
• Genes can be excised from DNA, using microbial
  enzymes as precise tools restriction enzymes
• Bacterial plasmids can be used to inject genes or
  altered DNA into host cells - transformation
• Bacteria can be genetically modified to mass
  produce a wide assortment of products
• Microbes are the hammers and nails of
  biotechnology!!

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Microbes are critically important!!!

• The role of the infinitely small
• is infinitely large.
• -Louis Pasteur (1869)