What Are Microbes?

Classification of Microbes
 What are Microbes?

 A microbe is any living thing that spends its life at a size
visible sometimes only with a microscope.
 It is too tiny to be seen with the naked eye. Microbes
are the oldest form of life on Earth.
 The term microbe is short for microorganism, which
means small organism.
 To help people understand the different types of
microbes, they are grouped or classified in various ways.
 Microbes are very diverse and represent all the great
kingdoms of life.
Prokaryotes (Bacteria)
Eubacter "True" bacteria
 Human pathogens
 Clinical or environmental
 One kingdom
 Archaea
 Environmental organisms
 Second kingdom
Eukaryotes
 Other cell-based life e.g.
 Plants
 Animals
 Fungi
Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic Cells
 Prokaryotic cells  Eukaryotic Cells
 No Nucleus  Nucleus
 No Organelles  Organelles
 Cell Wall of  If cell wall, Cellulose or
peptidoglycan chitin
 Binary Fission  Mitosis
 1 circular chromosome  Linear chromosomes
 Here is an outline of the major groups of
microorganisms:
 Viruses
 Bacteria
 Algae
 Fungi
 Protozoa
Bacteria
 Bacteria consist of only one cell, but they're a very complex
group of living things.
 Some bacteria can live in temperatures above the boiling point
and in cold below the freezing point.
 There are thousands of species of bacteria, but all of them are
basically one of three different shapes.
 Some are rod- or stick-shaped; others are shaped like little
balls.
 Others still are helical or spiral in shape.
 Some bacteria cells exist as individuals while others cluster
together to form pairs, chains, squares or other groupings.
Classification of
Microbes
Taxonomic Hierarchy For eg: Escherichia coli
Domain Bacteria
Kingdom Monera
Phylum Proteobacteria
Class Gammaproteobacteria
Order Enterobacteriales
Family Enterobacteriaceae
Genus Escherichia
Species E. coli
Classification of bacteria
There are several approaches to bacterial classification
A. Morphological classsification.
Based on morphology bacteria are divided into various groups
1. Filamentous or higher bacteria- Actinomycetes
2. True or lower bacteria

I. Gram positive bacilli
Aerobes- corynebacterium, bacillus
Anaerobes-Clostridium, lactobacillus
II. Gram positive cocci
III. Gram negative cocci
IV. Gram negative bacilli or rods
Gram-positive cocci Gram-positive rods
Gram-negative cocci Gram-negative rods

V. coccobacilli- Brucella
3. Comma chaped- vibrios
4. Spirochaetes- Borrelia, Treponema
5 . Mycoplasmas- Cell wall deficient
6 . Ricketsia and chlamydia- Obligate parasites

B.Nutritional classification
I. Based on Energy requirements
Phototrophs: Derive energy from sunlight
Chemotrophs: Use Chemicals
II. Based on ability to synthesize essential metabolites

Autotrophs: Synthesize organic coumpounds from
carbon dioxide and nitrogen
Heterotrophs: Depend on preformed organic
compounds eg pathogens
III. Based on oxygen requirements

Aerobes
Anaerobes
Anaerobic Anaerobic
Gram-positive cocci Gram-positive rods
Gram-positive
cocci
Anaerobic Anaerobic
Gram-negative cocci Gram-negative rods
IV. Based on temperature
Psychrophiles: Below 20°C
Mesophiles: 25-40°C
Thermophiles: 55-80°C
C . Biochemical classification:
LF
NLF
LLF
Production of Indole, H2S, Catalase, Oxidase, Urease etc
D. Classification based on staining reaction:
I. Based on Grams stain:
Gram positive bacteria
Gram negative bacteria
II. Based on acid fast stain:
Acid fast bacilli
Non acid fast bacilli

E. Serological/ antigenic classification
Microorganism possess many different kinds of
antigens, based on which they are classified into
I. Serovars or Serotype
II. Sero groups

Major Taxonomic Groups of Bacteria
per Bergey’s manual
Gracilicutes – gram-negative cell walls, thin-

skinned
Firmicutes – gram-positive cell walls, thick

skinned
Tenericutes – lack a cell wall & are soft
Mendosicutes – archaea, primitive procaryotes

with unusual cell walls & nutritional habits
Assignment:
 Find out what is Bergey’s manual in detail.

What Are Microbes?

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Classification of Microbes

 What are Microbes?

2. True or lower bacteria

Gram-negative cocci Gram-negative rods

3. Comma chaped- vibrios

4. Spirochaetes- Borrelia, Treponema

5 . Mycoplasmas- Cell wall deficient

6 . Ricketsia and chlamydia- Obligate parasites

II. Based on ability to synthesize essential metabolites

III. Based on oxygen requirements

Psychrophiles: Below 20°C

Gram positive bacteria

Gram negative bacteria

II. Based on acid fast stain:

Acid fast bacilli

Non acid fast bacilli

II. Sero groups

Gracilicutes – gram-negative cell walls, thin-

Firmicutes – gram-positive cell walls, thick

Tenericutes – lack a cell wall & are soft

Mendosicutes – archaea, primitive procaryotes

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