Course: SAT 170 Introductory Biotechnology

Unit 9 Learning Module

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Microorganisms and Biotechnology
We have been highlighting the roles that microorganisms play in biotechnology throughout the past several units. In this unit, we will briefly review these roles and we will also examine some forms or biotechnology that deal with different aspects of microorganisms that we have not yet discussed. In order for us to have a more meaningful discussion of the roles of microorganisms in biotechnology, we first need to define what a microorganism is. Microorganisms are organisms that are microscopic, and thus must be viewed with the use of a microscope. Another term that is commonly used for these organisms is microbe. The study of such microbes is the focus of the field known as microbiology. While there are some examples of microscopic plants and animals, most of microbiology focuses on bacteria, archaea, fungi, and protists. Recall from unit 2 that archaea and bacteria are considered to be prokaryotes, while fungi and protists are examples of eukaryotes.

This image was taken with an electron microscope and it shows the rod-shaped cells that are characteristic of the bacterial pathogen known as Salmonella. | Fungi are a very diverse group of organisms which include both macroscopic and microscopic forms. Above is an image of mushrooms which are a macroscopic type of fungi. | Mold is another type of fungi. Like mushrooms, mold colonies can often grow large enough to take a macroscopic form as shown here with this tomato mold. | Yeast, such as the common baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) are microscopic, unicellular fungi.

Although they are not technically considered to be living things, viruses are also often studied in microbiology. Viruses are thought to be an acellular parasite, which means that they lack the basic cell structure present in all living things and they rely on a host cell in order to duplicate themselves. The basic structure of a virus is to have either an RNA or DNA genome surrounded by a protein coat. An additional coat of lipids may also be present in some viruses. Although they are not considered living, the reason viruses are included in the field of microbiology is because they are microscopic and they can also have huge impacts on living things. Now that we have a clearer picture of what microorganisms are, we can talk about the roles that they play as well as specific areas of research in the field of biotechnology that deal with these microbes.

Below is one type of virus, known as a bacteriophage, which infects bacterial cells. Notice the protein coat (shown in black) and the genetic material (shown in green) which illustrates the basic components of most viruses. Also, note that when a virus infects its host cell, it does so by injecting its genetic material into that host cell as shown here.