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<p>'''Microbiology''' is the study of ''[[microorganisms]]'', which are [[unicellular]] or cell-cluster [[microscopic]] organisms. This includes [[eukaryote]]s (with a [[nucleus]]) such as [[fungi]] and [[protists]], and [[prokaryote]]s (without a nucleus) such as [[bacteria]], [[protozoa]] and [[virus]]es.</p>
<p>Although much is now known in the field of microbiology, advances are being made regularly. In actual fact, the most common estimates suggest that we have studied only about 1% of all of the microbes in any given environment. Thus, despite the fact that over three hundred years have passed since the discovery of microbes the field of microbiology is clearly in its infancy relative to other biological disciplines such as [[zoology]], [[botany]] or even [[entomology]].</p>
<p>==Types of microbiology==<br />The field of microbiology can be generally divided into several subdiscplines:<br />*'''Microbial physiology''': The study of how the microbial cell functions biochemically. Includes the study of microbial growth, microbial [[metabolism]] and microbial cell structure.<br />*'''Microbial genetics''': The study of how genes are organised and regulated in microbes in relation to their cellular functions. Closely related to the field of [[molecular biology]].<br />*'''Medical microbiology''': The study of the role of microbes in human illness. Includes the study of microbial [[pathogenesis]] and [[epidemiology]] and is related to the study of disease [[pathology]] and [[immunology]].<br />*'''Veterinary microbiology''': The study of the role in microbes in veterinary medicine.<br />*'''Environmental microbiology''': The study of the function and diversity of microbes in their natural environments. Includes the study of [[microbial ecology]], microbially-mediated [[nutrient cycle | nutrient cycling]], [[geomicrobiology]], microbial diversity and [[bioremediation]].<br />*'''Evolutionary microbiology''': The study of the evolution of microbes. Includes the study of bacterial [[systematics]] and [[taxonomy]].<br />*'''Industrial microbiology''': The exploitation of microbes for use in industrial processes. Examples include [[industrial fermentation]] and [[wastewater treatment]]. Closely linked to the [[biotechnology]] industry. This field also includes [[brewing]], an important application of microbiology.</p>
<p>==Benefits of microbiology==<br />While microbes are often viewed negatively due to their association with many human illnesses, microbes are also responsible for many beneficial processes such as [[industrial fermentation]] (e.g. the production of [[alcohol]] and [[dairy products]]), [[antibiotic]] production and as vehicles for cloning in higher organsisms such as plants. Scientists have also exploited their knowledge of microbes to produce biotechnologically important enzymes such as [[Taq polymerase]], [[reporter gene]]s for use in other genetic systems and novel molecular biology techniques such as the [[two-hybrid screening|yeast two-hybrid system]].<br /><!--These traits allowed Joshua and Esther Lederberg to devise an elegant experiment in [[1951]] demonstrating that adaptive mutations arise from [[preadaptation]] rather than directed mutation. For this purpose, they invented [[replica plating]], which allowed them to transfer numerous [[colony (biology)|bacterial colonies]] from their specific locations on one agar-filled petri dish to analogous locations on several other petri dishes. After replicating a plate of ''E. coli'', they exposed each of the new plates to a [[bacteriophage]] (also called phage). They observed that phage-resistant colonies were present at analogous locations on each of the plates, allowing them to conclude that the phage resistance trait had existed in the original colony, which had never been exposed to phage, instead of arising after the bacteria had been exposed to the virus. !-- This was on the page before I modified it to read more like a general description of the field of microbiology, but it just didn't seem to make sense with the rest of the page the way I wrote it. I didn't want to just throw it out, but I don't know what to do with it now! Any suggestions? --></p>
<p>==References==<br />*Madigan, M. T., Martinko, J. M. "Brock Biology of Microorganisms, 11th Ed." (2005) Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. </p>
<p>== See also ==<br />* [[Biochemistry]]<br />* [[Genetics]]<br />* [[Geomicrobiology]]<br />* [[Immunology]]<br />* [[Medicine]]<br />* [[Mycology]]<br />* [[Virology]]</p>
<p>* [[Archaea]]<br />* [[Eukaryote]]<br />* [[Prokaryote]]</p>
<p>* [[List_of_publications_in_biology#Microbiology|Important publications in microbiology]]</p>
<p>==External links==<br />* [http://www.GIDEONonline.com/tutorial/microbiology.htm GIDEON Microbiology tutorial]<br />* [http://www.zytologie-online.net/ Microbiology of the Cell (Ger)]<br />* [http://www.bact.wisc.edu/Microtextbook Online Microbiology textbook]<br />* [http://www.nature.com/nrmicro/index.html Nature Review: Microbiology]<br />* [http://www.textbookofbacteriology.net/ Bacteriology textbook]</p>
<p>{{Biology-footer}}</p>
<p>[[Category:Microbiology]]<br />[[Category:Zoology]]</p>
<p>[[af:Mikrobiologie]]<br />[[ca:Microbiologia]]<br />[[cs:Mikrobiologie]]<br />[[da:Mikrobiologi]]<br />[[de:Mikrobiologie]]<br />[[es:Microbiología]]<br />[[eo:Mikrobiologio]]<br />[[eu:Mikrobiologia]]<br />[[fr:Microbiologie]]<br />[[ko:미생물학]]<br />[[id:Mikrobiologi]]<br />[[it:Microbiologia]]<br />[[he:מיקרוביולוגיה]]<br />[[nl:Microbiologie]]<br />[[ja:微生物学]]<br />[[no:Mikrobiologi]]<br />[[pl:Mikrobiologia]]<br />[[pt:Microbiologia]]<br />[[sl:Mikrobiologija]]<br />[[sr:Микробиологија]]<br />[[fi:Mikrobiologia]]<br />[[tl:Mikrobiyolohiya]]<br />[[th:จุลชีววิทยา]]<br />[[tr:Mikrobiyoloji]]<br />[[vi:Vi sinh vật học]]<br />[[uk:Мікробіологія]]<br />[[zh:微生物学]]<br /></p>
<p>Although much is now known in the field of microbiology, advances are being made regularly. In actual fact, the most common estimates suggest that we have studied only about 1% of all of the microbes in any given environment. Thus, despite the fact that over three hundred years have passed since the discovery of microbes the field of microbiology is clearly in its infancy relative to other biological disciplines such as [[zoology]], [[botany]] or even [[entomology]].</p>
<p>==Types of microbiology==<br />The field of microbiology can be generally divided into several subdiscplines:<br />*'''Microbial physiology''': The study of how the microbial cell functions biochemically. Includes the study of microbial growth, microbial [[metabolism]] and microbial cell structure.<br />*'''Microbial genetics''': The study of how genes are organised and regulated in microbes in relation to their cellular functions. Closely related to the field of [[molecular biology]].<br />*'''Medical microbiology''': The study of the role of microbes in human illness. Includes the study of microbial [[pathogenesis]] and [[epidemiology]] and is related to the study of disease [[pathology]] and [[immunology]].<br />*'''Veterinary microbiology''': The study of the role in microbes in veterinary medicine.<br />*'''Environmental microbiology''': The study of the function and diversity of microbes in their natural environments. Includes the study of [[microbial ecology]], microbially-mediated [[nutrient cycle | nutrient cycling]], [[geomicrobiology]], microbial diversity and [[bioremediation]].<br />*'''Evolutionary microbiology''': The study of the evolution of microbes. Includes the study of bacterial [[systematics]] and [[taxonomy]].<br />*'''Industrial microbiology''': The exploitation of microbes for use in industrial processes. Examples include [[industrial fermentation]] and [[wastewater treatment]]. Closely linked to the [[biotechnology]] industry. This field also includes [[brewing]], an important application of microbiology.</p>
<p>==Benefits of microbiology==<br />While microbes are often viewed negatively due to their association with many human illnesses, microbes are also responsible for many beneficial processes such as [[industrial fermentation]] (e.g. the production of [[alcohol]] and [[dairy products]]), [[antibiotic]] production and as vehicles for cloning in higher organsisms such as plants. Scientists have also exploited their knowledge of microbes to produce biotechnologically important enzymes such as [[Taq polymerase]], [[reporter gene]]s for use in other genetic systems and novel molecular biology techniques such as the [[two-hybrid screening|yeast two-hybrid system]].<br /><!--These traits allowed Joshua and Esther Lederberg to devise an elegant experiment in [[1951]] demonstrating that adaptive mutations arise from [[preadaptation]] rather than directed mutation. For this purpose, they invented [[replica plating]], which allowed them to transfer numerous [[colony (biology)|bacterial colonies]] from their specific locations on one agar-filled petri dish to analogous locations on several other petri dishes. After replicating a plate of ''E. coli'', they exposed each of the new plates to a [[bacteriophage]] (also called phage). They observed that phage-resistant colonies were present at analogous locations on each of the plates, allowing them to conclude that the phage resistance trait had existed in the original colony, which had never been exposed to phage, instead of arising after the bacteria had been exposed to the virus. !-- This was on the page before I modified it to read more like a general description of the field of microbiology, but it just didn't seem to make sense with the rest of the page the way I wrote it. I didn't want to just throw it out, but I don't know what to do with it now! Any suggestions? --></p>
<p>==References==<br />*Madigan, M. T., Martinko, J. M. "Brock Biology of Microorganisms, 11th Ed." (2005) Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. </p>
<p>== See also ==<br />* [[Biochemistry]]<br />* [[Genetics]]<br />* [[Geomicrobiology]]<br />* [[Immunology]]<br />* [[Medicine]]<br />* [[Mycology]]<br />* [[Virology]]</p>
<p>* [[Archaea]]<br />* [[Eukaryote]]<br />* [[Prokaryote]]</p>
<p>* [[List_of_publications_in_biology#Microbiology|Important publications in microbiology]]</p>
<p>==External links==<br />* [http://www.GIDEONonline.com/tutorial/microbiology.htm GIDEON Microbiology tutorial]<br />* [http://www.zytologie-online.net/ Microbiology of the Cell (Ger)]<br />* [http://www.bact.wisc.edu/Microtextbook Online Microbiology textbook]<br />* [http://www.nature.com/nrmicro/index.html Nature Review: Microbiology]<br />* [http://www.textbookofbacteriology.net/ Bacteriology textbook]</p>
<p>{{Biology-footer}}</p>
<p>[[Category:Microbiology]]<br />[[Category:Zoology]]</p>
<p>[[af:Mikrobiologie]]<br />[[ca:Microbiologia]]<br />[[cs:Mikrobiologie]]<br />[[da:Mikrobiologi]]<br />[[de:Mikrobiologie]]<br />[[es:Microbiología]]<br />[[eo:Mikrobiologio]]<br />[[eu:Mikrobiologia]]<br />[[fr:Microbiologie]]<br />[[ko:미생물학]]<br />[[id:Mikrobiologi]]<br />[[it:Microbiologia]]<br />[[he:מיקרוביולוגיה]]<br />[[nl:Microbiologie]]<br />[[ja:微生物学]]<br />[[no:Mikrobiologi]]<br />[[pl:Mikrobiologia]]<br />[[pt:Microbiologia]]<br />[[sl:Mikrobiologija]]<br />[[sr:Микробиологија]]<br />[[fi:Mikrobiologia]]<br />[[tl:Mikrobiyolohiya]]<br />[[th:จุลชีววิทยา]]<br />[[tr:Mikrobiyoloji]]<br />[[vi:Vi sinh vật học]]<br />[[uk:Мікробіологія]]<br />[[zh:微生物学]]<br /></p>