Microbiology Demystified

CHAPTER 6: MICROBIAL GROWTH

AND CONTROLLING MICROBIAL GROWTH

You and microbes need nutrients to grow—chemical nutrients such as carbon,

hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen. However, not all microbes need the same

chemical nutrients. For example, some require oxygen while others can thrive in

an oxygen-free environment.

You’ll learn in this chapter how to classify microbes by the chemical nutri-

ents they need to survive. You’ll also learn how to use this knowledge to grow

microbes and control their growth in the laboratory.

CHAPTER 7: MICROBIAL GENETICS

Just like us, microbes inherit genetic traits from their species’ previous genera-

tions. Genetic traits are instructions on how to everything to stay alive. Some in-

structions are passed along to the next generation while other instructions are not.

In this chapter you’ll learn how microorganisms inherit genetic traits from

previous generations of microorganisms. Some of these traits show them how to

identify and process food, how to excrete waste products, and how to reproduce.

CHAPTER 8: RECOMBINANT DNA TECHNOLOGY

Who we are and what we are going to be is programmed into our genes. The

same is true for microbes. This genetic information is encoded into DNA by the

linking of nucleic acids in a specific sequence.

Genetic information can be reordered in a process called genetic engineering.

You’ll learn about genetic engineering and how to recombinant DNA using

DNA technology in this chapter.

CHAPTER 9: CLASSIFICATION OF MICROORGANISMS

There are thousands of microbes and no two are identical, but many have simi-

lar characteristics. Microbiologists have spent years carefully observing

microbes and organizing them into groups by their similarities.

You’ll learn how microbes are classified in this chapter, which enables you to

efficiently identify microbes that you see under a microscope.

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