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Microorganisms: what are they?
Topic : Microorganisms: what are they?
In this topic you will learn...
Chapter 1 :
First form of life
According to Darwin's theory of evolution, all life forms originated from one common ancestor
The formation of living forms from non-organic matter is called abiogenesis
Coacervates were made of organic molecules surrounded by a film of water molecules
Stromatolites are column-like structures formed by the trapping, binding or precipitating of sediments by different types of ancient microorganisms
The first living organisms were hyperthermophilic autotrophs
Chapter 2 :
What is Microbiology?
Microbiology is the science that studies microorganisms
A microscope is an optical instrument used to see objects that are too small to be seen with the naked eye
All cells are divided into two large groups: cells with a nucleus, called eukaryotic cells, or simply eukaryotes; and cells without a defined nucleus, called prokaryotic cells, or prokaryotes
Heterotrophs are organisms that cannot create their own food so they feed on other life forms
Autotrophs make their own food (different forms of sugar, proteins and lipids) using the energy of sunlight and carbon dioxide (CO2) in a process called photosynthesis
Chapter 3 :
Types of microorganisms
Based on their habitat, Archaea can be divided into methanogens, halophiles thermophiles and psychrophiles
Cyanobacteria are aquatic photosynthetic microorganisms
Based on their shape, bacteria are divided into spirilla, cocci and bacillus
Protozoa is a subkingdom of unicellular, mostly aerobic, eukaryotic organisms
Fungi are saprophytic and parasitic organisms
Viruses are made of a DNA molecule covered with a protein shell, called a capsid
Chapter 4 :
Reproduction of microorganisms
There are two main types of reproduction: sexual and asexual
The type of reproduction where cells from only one parent are used is called asexual reproduction
During sexual reproduction, two cells from each parent fuse, forming a new organism
Binary fission is a form of asexual reproduction in which a cell divides into two daughter cells after DNA replication
When a cell is infected with a virus, it becomes a virus-making device
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