History and Importance of Microbiology

1. Describe how the experiments both Redi and Pasteur conducted helped disprove the idea of spontaneous generation. How is it that these experiments allowed people to understand that life comes from other living organisms, not just when environmental conditions are right?

2. Why is cell theory an important part of microbiology and how does it contribute to the field still today?

3. Describe how Koch’s postulates relate to the germ theory of disease and how it is his series of experiments/steps help us link certain microbes to certain illnesses.

4. Discuss the three main categories of microbial control we went over during lecture.  Provide at least one ex for each broad category and tell me how that practice influenced human health/disease. 

5. Go to one of the links I provided in the “Extra Resources” section of the PowerPoint.  Look it over, play a game, etc. and tell me what your experience with it was and why it could be useful in your life either personally or professionally. Make sure to provide me with the link you used and a brief description of what you did while on that site. 

Structure and Function of Prokaryotic Cells

1. Starting from the outside and working in (or vice versa) describe the generalized prokaryotic cell.  List out the major structures in the cell and provide a brief piece about their functions as well.  Why is it that knowing about the structure and function of these types of organisms is so important?  

2. Illustrate the major differences between Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial cells. What are the fundamental steps in the staining process and how do they work to allow us to differentiate between a Gram positive and Gram negative cell. If you want to draw the structures to help you illustrate your points, feel free. 

3. Select at least one of special structures we discussed (fimbriae, flagella or endospores) and discuss why this structure can be helpful for the bacterium.  Tell me why knowing about this structure is important for us also.

Structure and Function of Eukaryotic Cells

1. Again, starting from the outside in (vice versa) describe the generalized eukaryotic cell (make sure to mention both the cell-walled and non-cell-walled varieties).  List out the major structures in the cell and provide a brief piece regarding their functions as well.  Why is it that knowing about the structure and function of these types of organisms is so important?

2. Discuss endosymbiotic theory. Tell me how it works, what the evidence for it is, and why it is important to understand.

3. Contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic ribosomes. Why is the dissimilarity in ribosomes so significant for us to understand?  How can we employ these differences to our advantage?

4. Briefly elucidate the attributes of the four kinds of eukaryotes of medical significance. Give at least one way each type of eukaryote influences human health.

Viral Structure and Function

1. What is the fundamental structure of the virus?  How does each of such structures play a role in disease?

2. Describe the steps of the viral infection.  What occurs throughout each of the stages? 

3. Why are bacteriophages so significant in human health if they can only infect bacteria?  If this type of virus cannot attach to and infect a human cell, why do these types of viruses matter to us?

4. What are some of the ways viruses can be helpful to humans?  You can employ the exs we discussed n class or go do some of your own research.  Make sure to comprise a website or a reference if you look for your own exs so I can look it over too.