I. Introduction & Historical Perspective:
A. Introduction to Microbiology:
1. What are bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa?
2. How are they similar? How are they different?
B. Importance of studying microbes:
1. Identify examples or explanations for each of the following:
a. Disease, Agriculture, Food Production, Antibiotics, Biotechnology, Energy production, Pest Control, Bioremediation, Decomposers.
C. Historical Perspective:
1. Egyptians produced bread & beer >2500 yrs ago
2. Old Testament details quarantine & cleanliness procedures
3. Ancient Greeks observe plague survivors don't get disease twice
4. "Spontaneous Generation" Concept; dogma untested for centuries
5. 1660s, Van Leeuwenhoek's contributions, 1st observation of bacteria
6. 1668, Redi's experiments to test and challenge spontaneous generation
7. 1798, Jenner's 1st smallpox vaccine
8. 1860s, Pasteur's achievements including...
a. includes rejection of spontaneous generation
b. identification of fermentation by yeasts and food spoilage by bacteria
c. development of "Pasteruization" to reduce microbes in foods by heating
d. Support of "Germ Theory of Disease"
e. Cholera and rabies vaccine
g. Intense rivalry with Robert Koch for identification of anthrax agent
9. 1840s, Semmelweis' attempts to introduce sanitary conditions in maternity wards in Austria
10. 1860s, Lister's contributions to controlling disease in hospitals
11. 1870s, Koch's contributions including:
a. identification of causal agent of anthrax
b. introduction of "pure culture" techniques
c. Koch's Postulates for identifying causal agent of infectious disease
i. organism is found in every disease case, not found in non-disease cases.
ii. organism is isolated in pure culture.
iii. isolated organism inoculated into experimental animal causes same disease as naturally described.
iv. organism can be reisolated from experimental animal.
D. Advent of chemotheraputic agents
1. 1910, Ehrlich's "magic bullet" idea and development of salvarsan for syphilis treatment
2. 1928, Fleming's discovery of penicillin, advent of widespread antibiotic use
E. 1940s, Beginning of genetic research and DNA analysis
1. Beadle & Tatum - gene/enzyme relationship
2. Avery, MacLeod, McCarty - DNA as hereditary material
3. Lederberg & Tatum - transfer of genetic information via bacterial conjugation
4. Watson & Crick - proposed model for DNA molecule
F. 1970s-1980s, Modern developments in Molecular Biology
1. McClintock - identified transposons
2. Kohler, Milstein - development of monoclonal antibodies
3. Bishop, Varmus - identified oncogenes
4. Gallo, Montagnair - human T-lymphotrophic viruses, HIV
5. Mullis - developed polymerase chain reaction
6. Prusiner - "prion" research
G. Current "hot" areas include:
1. Human Genome Project
2. Gene Replacement Therapy
3. Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
4. Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases
5. Biological Weapons
This is only a general outline.
There may be material that has been discussed in lecture that is not included in this outline
and there may be material on this outline that has not been discussed in lecture.
Any material discussed in lecture or listed in this outline is "fair game" for the test.