microbiology brief review spontaneous generation and biogenesis
TRANSCRIPT
What is Microbiology?
Microbes, or microorganisms are minute living things that are usually unable to be viewed with the naked eye.
What are some examples of microbes?
Bacteria, fungi, protozoa, algae, viruses are examples!
Some are pathogenic
“Germ” refers to a rapidly growing cell.
Review
What is Microbiology?
Microbes:
•Decompose organic waste
•Are producers in the ecosystem by photosynthesis
•Produce industrial chemicals such as ethyl alcohol and acetone
•Produce fermented foods such as vinegar, cheese, and bread
What is Microbiology?
Knowledge of Microbes allows humans to
Prevent food spoilage
Prevent disease occurrence
Led to aseptic techniques to prevent contamination in medicine and in microbiology laboratories.
Discovery of Microorganisms
• Antony van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723)– First person to
observe and describe micro-organisms accurately
– Teeth scrapings, pond water
Figure 1.1b
Biogenesis vs. Spontaneous Generation
Two hypotheses:
The hypothesis that living organisms arise from nonliving matter is called spontaneous generation. According to spontaneous generation, a “vital force’ forms life.
The Alternative hypothesis, that the living organisms arise from preexisting life, is called biogenesis. (Rudolf Virchow)
The Conflict over Spontaneous Generation
• Spontaneous Generation– living organisms can develop from nonliving
or decomposing matter
• Francesco Redi (1626-1697)– disproved spontaneous generation for large
animals– showed that maggots on decaying meat came
from fly eggs
History of Microbiology
Conditions Results
3 jars covered with fine net
No maggots
3 open jars Maggots appeared
From where did the maggots come?
What was the purpose of the sealed jars?
Spontaneous generation or biogenesis?
Redi filled six jars with decaying meat.
But could spontaneous generation be true for microorganisms?
• John Needham (1713-1781)– his experiment:
mutton broth in flasks boiled, allowed to cool sealed
– results: broth became cloudy and contained microorganisms
• Lazzaro Spallanzani (1729-1799)– his experiment:
broth in flasks sealed boiled
– results: no growth of microorganisms• What about ability of air to generate life? It was not allowed to
enter• Critics claimed he “killed the vital force”
Louis Pasteur (1822-1895)
• His experiments– placed nutrient solution in
flasks– created flasks with long,
curved necks– boiled the solutions– left flasks exposed to air
• results: no growth of microorganisms
Figure 1.3
History of Microbiology
1861: Louis Pasteur demonstrated that microorganisms are present in the air.
Conditions Results
Nutrient broth placed in flask, heated, not sealed
Microbial growth
Nutrient broth placed in flask, heated, then sealed
No microbial growth
Spontaneous generation or biogenesis?
Final blow to theory of spontaneous generation• John Tyndall (1820-1893)
– demonstrated that dust carries microorganisms– showed that if dust was absent, nutrient broths
remained sterile, even if directly exposed to air– also provided evidence for the existence of
exceptionally heat-resistant forms of bacteria