BIS 2C Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Facultative Anaerobic Organism, Nitrogen Fixation, Carbon Fixation
29 Aug 2016
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Document Summary
Phylogenetically, this includes members from all three domains and represents the bulk of biodiversity. Microbes are small, not studied closely until the invention and the use of the microscope. Among bacteria and archaea, three morphologies are common: sphere or coccus (pl: cocci), occur singly on in plates, blocks, or clusters, rod or bacillus (pl: bacilli, helical or spiral. With limited morphologies for prokaryote phylogeny, convergence is rampant. We may mistaken similar morphology structures as homologous characteristics. Among bacteria and archaea, many prokaryotic species are capable of movement. Among microbial eukaryotes", body morphology is often associated with the type of locomotion: ciliate, amoeboid, flagellate. Microbes are motile; a diversity of movement types and associated structures exist. Microbes are mostly beneficial; they are key players in ecosystem/organism processes. Drive nutrient cycling, such as carbon and nitrogen cycling. Ex: nitrogen fixation (air), carbon fixation (photosynthetic organisms like plants), animals. Some live in extreme environments, which provide insights into potential biotechnology or exobiology.
