FUNDAMENTALS OF MICROBIOLOGY - E. Y. Tyumentseva - 2015

DICTIONARY OF TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

Autotrophs (prototrophs)

microorganisms that assimilate carbon from atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Microbial adaptation

alteration in the Structure and physiology of microbes under the Influence of Environmental factors.

Aminoautotrophs

microorganisms that utilize molecular nitrogen from the air or assimilate it from ammonium salts for cellular Protein Synthesis.

Aminoheterotrophs

microorganisms that obtain nitrogen from Organic compounds such as Amino Acids and complex Proteins.

Anaerobes

microorganisms that live and develop exclusively in the absence of atmospheric oxygen. Through Respiration, these microorganisms derive energy and the bound oxygen necessary for cellular structure by breaking down organic compounds.

Apochromat

an objective lens that corrects for chromatic aberration.

Achromat

an objective lens that corrects for spherical and partially chromatic aberration.

Aerobes

microorganisms that live in an environment containing atmospheric oxygen and generate thermal energy through the oxidation and breakdown of CARBOHYDRATES; during this process, carbohydrates are broken down into Water and carbon dioxide, releasing a large amount of energy.

Fermentation

an anaerobic (occurring without the participation of oxygen) metabolic breakdown of nutrient molecules.

Heterotrophs

microorganisms that assimilate carbon solely from preformed organic compounds.

Heterofermentative Bacteria

(e.g., Bacterium lactis aerogenes) - carry out fermentation producing lactic acid, acetic acid, ethanol, and CO₂, and also yield small amounts of aromatic substances such as diacetyl, esters, etc.

Homofermentative bacteria

(for example, Lactobacillus delbrueckii) break down Monosaccharides to produce two molecules of lactic acid.

Fungi

are eukaryotes. They are significantly larger than bacteria and possess a more differentiated structure. Fungal Cells reach 10-50 µm in length and on average 5-8 µm in cross-section.

Yeasts

are higher unicellular fungi. The majority of yeasts belong to two fungal classes: Ascomycetes and Deuteromycetes.

Respiration

is a complex process accompanied by the release of energy required by microorganisms for the synthesis of various organic compounds.

Incubation

the CULTIVATION OF MICROORGANISMS at a specific Temperature.

Infection

the Introduction and multiplication of microorganisms within a macroorganism, followed by The Development of Various Forms of interaction—ranging from pathogen carriage to clinically overt disease.

Coliphages

bacterial Viruses capable of lysing Escherichia coli and forming lysis zones within 18±2 hours at a temperature of 37 °С on a bacterial lawn grown on nutrient Agar.

Condenser

a lens, mirror, or catadioptric optical system that collects light rays from a light source and directs them onto the specimen being examined or projected.

Cultivation

the growth of microorganisms on nutrient media.

Butyric acid fermentation

The process of sugar decomposition by bacteria under anaerobic conditions, resulting in The formation of butyric acid, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen.

Mesophiles

the largest group of bacteria, with an optimal growth temperature of 37 °С (body temperature), a minimum temperature of 10 °С, and a maximum of 45 °С.

Microscope

an optical instrument consisting of two parts: mechanical (auxiliary) and optical (primary): 1. Optical system: eyepiece, objective lens, Abbe condenser, illumination system (mirror). 2. Mechanical system: stand, base, stage, limb, coarse adjustment knob, fine adjustment knob.

Mycelium

the vegetative body of fungi.

Lactic acid fermentation

The breakdown of sugar by lactic acid bacteria resulting in the formation of lactic acid.

Mutations

heritable Changes in the genotype that are not associated with recombination events. Mutations are caused by alterations in The nucleotide sequence of DNA.

Enrichment culture

a culture medium consisting predominantly of cells of a single microorganism species.

Total bacterial count (TVC)

the number of mesophilic aerobic and facultatively anaerobic microorganisms per 1 g or 1 cm³ of a product.

Total bacterial count in water

the number of mesophilic aerobic and facultatively anaerobic microorganisms capable of forming colonies on nutrient agar at 37 °С within 24 hours.

Objective lens

an optical system, which is part of an optical instrument, facing the object being observed or photographed and forming its real and virtual image.

Eyepiece

the element of an optical system facing the observer's eye, which is part of an optical instrument intended for viewing the image formed by the objective lens or the primary mirror of the instrument.

Eyepiece micrometer

a circular Glass disk with a scale etched in the middle (50 or 100 divisions) with a total length of 5 mm. The eyepiece micrometer is inserted scale-side up into the eyepiece Diaphragm after unscrewing the eyepiece lens.

Paratrophs (pathogenic)

microorganisms that reproduce only within living hosts.

Pathogenicity

the ability of microorganisms, upon entering an Organism, to induce pathological changes in its Tissues and Organs.

Foodborne toxicoinfections

a large group of acute intestinal infections that develop after consuming foods contaminated with pathogens and their toxins.

Planachromats

a type of apochromatic objective lenses featuring a flat field of view and completely eliminating field curvature, which causes uneven focusing of the object.

Psychrophiles

psychrophilic microorganisms.

Saprophytes (metatrophs)

microorganisms that feed on dead organic nutrients.

Symbiosis

a type of coexistence where one species does not hinder the development of another.

Sporangiospores

asexual spores formed within a fungus sporangium. They lack motility organs and germinate into a vegetative mycelial hypha.

Sulfite-reducing clostridia

anaerobic spore-forming microorganisms widely distributed in soil, water, and feces. The most characteristic representatives include Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium bifermentans, etc.

Spherical aberration

 an aberration of optical systems caused by the mismatch of foci for light rays passing at different distances from the optical axis. It leads to the disruption of the homocentricity of ray bundles from a point source, without violating the Symmetry of The structure of these bundles.

Thermophiles

heat-loving bacteria that develop at temperatures above 55 °C.

Transformation

the process by which a Cell takes up a free DNA molecule from the environment and integrates it into its genome, resulting in the acquisition of new heritable traits characteristic of the DNA donor organism.

Body tube

the housing that encloses the elements of a microscope's optical system.

Enzymes

biological catalysts, high-molecular-weight proteinaceous substances produced by living cells.

Specimen fixation

a Treatment of a living specimen that makes it possible to rapidly halt life processes while preserving its fine structure. As a result of fixation, cells adhere firmly to the glass and take up stains better. Fixation is essential when working with pathogenic microorganisms.

Chromatic aberration

a type of optical system aberration caused by the dependence of the refractive index of transparent media on the wavelength of the transmitted radiation. Refracted differently, the rays do not intersect at a single point. Short-wavelength blue-violet rays are refracted more strongly than long-wavelength red rays.

Chemotrophs

microorganisms that derive energy from The oxidation of inorganic substances and organic compounds (the majority of bacteria, including species pathogenic to humans).

Pure culture

contains progeny of a cell of a single species.

Exoenzymes

enzymes secreted by bacteria into the external environment.

Endoenzymes

enzymes that act within The Cell where they were produced.