Microbiology

Microbiology: the study of microorganisms

Microbiology is the science of tiny organisms that are invisible to the naked eye. Microbiology studies the structure of microbes, their chemical organization and patterns of vital activity, variability and heredity, relationships with other organisms, and their role in the formation of the biosphere.

The history of microbiology begins in the second half of the 17th century, when the Dutch scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek first saw microorganisms through a simple microscope. However, the rapid development of microbiology as a science began in the second half of the 19th century thanks to the outstanding research of the French scientist Louis Pasteur, the German scientist Robert Koch and the Russian scientists Ilya Mechnikov, Sergei Vinogradsky and Dmitry Ivanovsky.

As a result of the work of Louis Pasteur, the mechanisms of various types of fermentation were discovered and the role of microbes in their implementation was established. Pasteur's research on the causative agents of chicken cholera, anthrax and rabies formed the basis for the prevention of infectious diseases. The work of Robert Koch enriched microbiology with precise research methods, which made it possible to discover the causative agents of anthrax, tuberculosis and cholera.

Ilya Mechnikov laid the foundations of the modern doctrine of the immunity of humans and animals to infectious diseases; he discovered phagocytosis and established the role of leukocytes, spleen cells and bone marrow in this process. The classic works of Dmitry Ivanovsky, who discovered the first virus - the causative agent of tobacco mosaic disease, laid the foundation for virology, and the research of Sergei Vinogradsky made it possible to understand the role of bacteria in the nitrogen cycle in nature, which is of great importance in connection with problems of the biosphere, and in particular with the productivity of agricultural plants.

In the course of historical development, microbiology as a science was divided into several branches: general, agricultural, veterinary, medical and industrial.

General microbiology studies the patterns of life of microbes as organisms, as well as the role of microbes in maintaining life on Earth, in particular their participation in the cycle of carbon, nitrogen and other elements, as well as their role in the processes of biodegradation and biosynthesis. Agricultural microbiology studies the interactions of microorganisms with plants and soil, and develops methods of using microorganisms to improve crop yields and control pests. Veterinary microbiology deals with the study of microbial pathogens of animal diseases and the development of methods for the prevention and treatment of these diseases. Medical microbiology studies microbial pathogens of human diseases and develops methods for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of these diseases. Industrial microbiology deals with the use of microorganisms in industry, including the production of food, drugs, chemicals, biofuels and other products.

Modern microbiology uses a wide range of methods, including microscopy, microbial culture, molecular genetic methods, biochemical and immunological methods, and others. Microbiology is one of the key sciences for understanding life on Earth, as well as for developing new methods to combat disease, increase crop yields and develop industry.

Microbiology is a science that studies the structure, functioning and vital activity of microorganisms in various environments. Microorganisms are living organisms that are too small to be directly observed using a microscope. Even though they are single-celled life forms, they can be identified in various biological systems and entities. Unlike many other studies in biology, microbiologists deal with objects, not molecules.

Most microorganisms are prokaryotes (bacteria and blue-green algae). Prokaryotic cells are small and contain genetic material in the form of a circular DNA molecule called a genome, which is usually not associated with external molecules (such as the cytoplasm). Eukaryotes, on the other hand, have larger cells and circular nucleic acids known as chromosomes associated with the cytoplasm and other cellular components. Both types of organisms have the ability to metabolize, that is, exchange substances to maintain their existence. Microbiologists also study mycorrhizal organisms, or fungi, which contain additional cells in the form of a fungus-fungal body.

Role in nature. The study of how microorganisms affect the environment is one of the most interesting and relevant aspects of science. Microbes are important nutrients for aerobic organisms such as animals and plants. Their action plays an essential role in anaerobic and oxygen-gaining processes in soil and other surface environments, such as the fermentation of manure for energy. Microbial budgets are small and usually occur in the warmer temperature range.

Microbiology is the science that studies microorganisms that form the basis of life on Earth. Studies microorganisms and general biology, its specifics and methods. Microorganisms are the smallest living organisms invisible to the naked eye; sometimes they can only be seen through an electron microscope. Currently, more than 40 main types of microorganisms are known, accounting for over 50,000