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PART ONE: BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF VIRUSES, BACTERIA, FUNGI, AND PARASITES: AGENTS OF DISEASE. MICROBIOLOGY- the study of microorganisms . A microorganism or microbe is a microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell (unicellular) or cell clusters.
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PART ONE: BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF VIRUSES, BACTERIA, FUNGI, AND PARASITES: AGENTS OF DISEASE
MICROBIOLOGY- the study of microorganisms . • A microorganism or microbe is a microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell (unicellular) or cell clusters. • The study of microorganisms is called microbiology, a subject that began with Anton van Leeuwenhoek's discovery of microorganisms in 1675, using a microscope of his own design. • Microorganisms are very diverse; they include bacteria, fungi, archaea, and protists; microscopic plants (green algae); and animals such as plankton and the planarian.
Some microbiologists also include viruses, but others consider these as nonliving. Why?
All living things (organisms) have 5 characteristics • Composed of cells • Perform chemical processes such as growth and digestion • They reproduce • Make their own nutrients or ingest them from their habitat • Respond to stimuli such as light or touch
VIRUSES only do ONE of these! They reproduce. That’s it. • So what exactly are viruses?
Really they are just genetic material bacteriophage (plant virus that attacks bacteria) They ride around in these alien-looking microscopic things that are less than a nanometer. IMPORTANT! They can only replicate within a host cell. They destroy the host cell they are in.
Bacteriophage in action • http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=fvwp&v=xXbyJNRwjlg • IMPORTANT! They can only replicate within a host cell. They HARM the host cell they invade.
The virus uses the spikes to recognize and attach to the cells they infect.
Works like a “lock and key”. The key fits the lock so the host cells internalize viruses because the host cell "thinks" the virus is something it "wants", such as food, a hormone, etc. Because it only works like a lock and key, viruses have specificity of infection. Certain viruses can only attack certain host cells.
Examples of Viruses • ff Foot and Mouth Virus Influenza Virus