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 1
EARLY HISTORY AND SCOPE OF
MICROBIOLOGY

Microbiology is the field of science that deals with study of organisms, called
microorganisms, so small that they can be observed only under microscope. The development
of microbiology began only from 19 th century when the world started to appreciate the role
of unseen microorganisms in the processes such as decomposition and disease.

Microorganisms (bacteria) are believed to be most primitive life on this planet.

[Box 1.1].

----------1[ Box 1.1 : History and Distribution of Bacteria ]1--------

Earth was formed about 4.5 billion years ago (BYA). Fossil of bacteria were found in the
oldest rocks that were 3.8 billion years old.

Earlier Earth atmosphere was anaerobic. Cyanobacteria, the first bacteria, evolved ability
to use water as raw material in photosynthesis and produced oxygen gas (0 2 ) as waste. This
led to buildup of 0 2 in atmosphere from 0% to 20% around 2 billion year ago.

Earliest fossil of eukaryotes are about 1.5 billion years old, and animals evolved about 0.6
billion year ago. Thus, all present day life evolved from bacteria. Bacteria are the most abundant
organisms on earth, found everywhere in air, in water, in soil, in sand or on rocks. Billions of
microorganisms are present in per gram of fertile soil. Humans contain 10 13 cells and 1014
bacterial cell. 10% of dry weight of humans is bacterial. Feces of human is composed almost
113rd of bacteria. Bacteria are present in food, beverages, cosmetics even in pharmaceuticals.

Microorganisms are existing since long but could be discovered only after the
invention of microscope. Although, Robert Hooke (1665) invented first microscope, who
observed and described the fruiting structure of mold, but the first man to see microorganisms
in some detail was Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (1674) of Holland. He was an
amateur microscope builder and constructed simple microscopes that were extremely
preliminary from todays standards. He could draw few prokaryotes and presented his
(3)
 1.1 Oov~Jopm ont of Microbiology ns Sclonco
1. 1. t Spontnnoous Gonorntion Thoory and Louis Pasteur

Ft,,m th~· d .,~~ t~f Arl~toll~ t~Ki- 3:.:~ BC) 1woplc believed that living organisms develop
~r,mtrni,ln~i,· fo.nn nt,n - liYin~ (inert) or dC'to mposing matte r. Even the higher organisms
,, .t~ ~U\'t',~'-'-l h.> af\\."t' f\\_)\l\ nonli\'ing thin~gs. This was the theory of abiogenesis, also caJled
.\ ~ S l'\\1l t ,Hl\"'\)U ~ ~t'm.·mtit, n th\o•o ry . In th~ 17'" Century, lta.lian physician Francesco Redi
t H'.!°('1 - m u -) "·h.,llt•t~~d tht· theory of :-:po ntan co us generation for th e first time. He carried
~,ut ~~rk:- ,,f c.'\.pt•1·imt·n.t~ to show thnt tlies do not spring forth from d ecaying meat. For this
~ c' rLh.'\°'\l nw.1t in thn.·t-- t•ontainl'r~. Thi:' first coutnincr was closed with thin cloth, the second
" ith p.l}'<;'r whik tht· third eontnint.·.r was lt-tl uncovered. On subsequent day he found maggots
in tht• ltnl"\l, ~~n~i rontniner a nd the container covered by cloth. The paper covered container
,HJ n,)t show p~s"·m·t• ()f mnggots. Thus, deYclopment of maggot resulted from tl1e presence
. ._, f fly t'~~ nnd nwnt did no t ge nera ted th e mnggots . However, the theory of spontaneous
~cr1t' rJtivn ~ m~iiwd " ·iddy ncerp trd throughout th e 18 th Century.
In th~ mid 0f 18 th Century. Lazzaro Spallnnzani (1729- 1799) demonstrated that
i)utrd.ictio n o f orga n ic substances wns ca us ed by microorganisms that multiply by
1~pn.:i<iu~tiw diYision and did not nrisc spontaneously. He boiled the sealed flask containing
m~,.it. The> he ..1t dt!stroyro tl1 e microbes the reby preventing spoilage indefinitely. It took few
mv~ d ~ades tu tlist-redit th e th eo ry of spontaneous generation.

Louis Pasteur (18:!~ -18 95) finall y d e monstrated that living organisms were
n":: p,unsi ble fo r rharigt"s in the food material.

P~ish:• ur published seri ~s of papers to demolish the theory of spontaneous generation.

Pasteu r·.s p:iper published in 1857 represented the beginning of science of microbiology. This
,,-:1s his first report on lactic acid fermentation that could describe the microscopic structure
of b:il'teria !nYoh ·ed in the process of fermentation. Pasteur's report of 1860 provided the first
ex.1 m?lt' o t the use of synthetic med ium for cultivation of microorganisms. The medium
cuntamc<l no complt>x organic materials but had only trace elements ammonium salt and
~ug.u . In this ~aper he reported that fermentation of sugar required th~ multiplication of the
) c .1sc cells_. Tins gave e,;dence that spontaneous generation could not explain the process of
fe rmen tn t10n raused by microorganisms . In another publication, 1861 (a), he deduced the
 Chapter ~ 1 : Early History and Scope of Miocrobiology 5

p1~sence of more than onl' 0~15anism in the culture. He could explain the formati on of but)Tic
acid,_as a rr sult ~f fcrm~nta~1on th ~1t was carried l>y different microorganisms present in sa me
medmm a_long with Iac:tir acid . Another impmtant rep011 of paprr, published in the year 1861
(b), mentioned the existence of anaerobic life . To cicmonstratr this, he passed strea m of air
thro~~h some of the cultures an~ a stream of carbon - dioxide through others {1.e. anaerobic
condition). He found the growth m both thl' culhtrc~. This effect is called ·Pas teur effect '.

Although the large number of scientists were convinced by Pasteur's experiment , but
still lot supported the theory of spontaneous generation . The final end to th e deba te of
spontaneous generation theory came in Pasteur's publication of 1861 (c). In this paper he
reported that microorganism could exist as airborne contaminants. Pasteur in the same paper
further demonstrated how to get the contamination free medium using fam ous swan neck
flask (Fig.1.1). He showed that gro,,tl1 rould not occur in sterile medium unless contamination
,ia air (dust) occurred.

------1[ Box 1.2 : Contribution of Louis Pasteur to MicrobiologyJi--------

• Pasteur showed th at boiled broth did not become cloudy (turbid) when a,r (but not dust)
could contact the broth .
♦ Constituted "swan-necked" flasks to demonstrate role of trapped dust and subsequent
growth of microorganisms. It is the microorganisms , e.g., bacteria produce turbidity rn
broth cultures .
♦ Pasteur additionally showed that cotton plugs (a primitive air-filtration device) could prevent
microbes from reaching otherwise air-exposed sterile broths .
+ Pasteur demonstrated that spores are resistant to killing by boiling.
+ Pasteur invented pasteurization . the heating of foods to eliminate harm ful microorganism s
♦ He could associate specific microbes with diseases
♦ He developed the rabies vaccine (as well as othe r vaccines).
• Discovered Staphylococcus, Streptococcous and Pnoumococcus

Fig.1 .1 Swan Neck Flask Designed by Pasteur

The English physicist John Tyndall. a grea t ad mirer of Pas teu r, de monstrated that
med ium could be sterilized by boiling fo r five minutes . But, he fou nd that few orga nisms
,ut,1\ed even afte1 boiling for five hours Tyndall , thu s co nclud ed th at so~1r bacteria had
tw,; types of life forms heat ~table (e ndos pore) and hea t sensi tive (\'ege tat1ve cell) Ounng
tlit. ~amt' r1c no<l a b<Jtant-"l named Fcr<li nan<l Cuhn {1876) described endospores and their
!H;st !)table properties, T, nJall then·forc devised a pro<.'l'dUrt' fo r dc-;troymg the endospo rl'
 Appll ocl Mlt..:robl
4 Olci~ 'y

. whic h wen! s 11hs l'l}lll'lllly puhli ~lwd .

1
.
ob se rvatio . ·il Society ol Lorn on ,
ns t o l'"' oy· . . .
. 1. I .15 .
SCll'flC('
<l'<l
i 110
t tkvcl<>Jl u11t1l . nanclcl'nlh
h . century c.ll'M \>- 'I t l ! \l
The mi c ro Hu op,y_• a · . •1.1 . 1-8 beca use haste tee n1qlw s were not c.1 .. v \ 1<!
· . b tint t1111c. W i '" c Ol)(•·'
d evelopm e nt of mi croscope Y • . l dcvclor,cd in an ultcm1_,t lo an s wl!I' th'-' <l . IJ
· . · • M icrohto 1ogy )!,O t . . . · U\~r- r
to study th e m1cromgaius ms . . h . ·uHI the nature of conlu)l.ious dtscnscM . Witt 1 .Ji
· ·
pcrtarnmg to s pon .m
t· C()\IS gcncnlJOJJ t emy '
· : _ '. 1· · I·
, ·t· hlish<•d as a hranch o sc1cncc ant: tls dcvdop
l thn
"
an s wer to these questions m1crohw oµ,y cs a · · 1 · llh!I\\
began .
. . _ ds ·tnd 'HTival of electron microscope, di scovery of s nia\l
With the unproved •~1ct 110 • ' • , ,·t l •rhc ficl<l of microbiology further cv ('.r
microorg-misms such as virus became possi > c. • • . r· 1· 0 1Vcct
. ~ · f ., 1. • • t DNA technology and now 1l ts m< In)?. central positi
rapidly with the advent o 1ccomu111t1n . . . ,· . , . , .· ~ on
in biological stu<lies . Microbiology finds applicatwns m mcdicmc, UH 1llS t ry, .,µ,,
iculturc and
ecology .
1.1 Development of Microbiology as Science
1.1.1 Spontaneous Generation Theory and Louis Pasteur

From the days of Aristotle (384-322 BC) people believed lh~t living or~anisms develop
spontaneously from non-living (inert) or decomposing matter. lwen t~1 e h1gh~r organisms
was supposed to arose from nonliving things. This was the t_hcory of. a~1ogcncs1s, also called
as spontaneous generation theory. In the ti 11 Century, Ita~ian phys1c1a_n Fr_anccsco Rcdi
(1626-1697) challenged the theory of spontaneous generation for the first time . He carrietl
out series of experiments to show that flies do not spring forth from decaying meat. For this
he placed meat in three containers. The first container was closed with thin cloth, the second
with paper while the third container was left uncovered. On subsequent day he found maggots
in the uncovered container and the container covered by cloth. The paper covered container
did not show presence of maggots. Thus, development of maggot resulted from the presence
of fly egg and meat did not generated the maggots. However, the theory of spontaneous
generation remained widely accepted throughout the 18 th Century.
th
In the mid of 18 Century, Lazzaro Spallanzani (1729-1799) demonstrated that
putrcfact_ion ?~ ~rganic s~bstanc~s was caused by microorganisms that multiply by
reproductive d1v1s1on and did n~t anse spontaneously. He boiled the sealed flask containing
meat. The heat de~troye~ the mICrobes thereby preventing spoilage indefinitely. It took few
more decades to discredit the theory of spontaneous generation.

Louis Pasteur (1822-189 5) f 11 d

,,
jl(
I . 'bl , h . ma Y emonstrated that living organisms were
1 cs pons1 e 1or c anges m the food material.

Pasteur published series of papers t <l • . h _ _ .

Pasteur's paper published 1·n
. ~ 1857 reprcscnte the b-. · ·
°
demo 1Is the theory of spontaneous generation
f · . • 1'hi'
I was lus first report on lactic 'lcid t,
of bacteria involved in the pi·o'c
example of the use of synthct·
ess o crmcntaf
<l '
.
p
cgmnmg o science of m1crob1ology.
crfmf entation th at could describe the microscopic structui
,
. IOn. astcur s report of 1860 provided the r
fi
. _ 1c me IUm fo I· · d'
con tamed no complex organic m t .. 1, b r cu tivation of microorganisms. The me iu
s , I h' a cna s ut had O l t
· ugar. 11 t is paper he reported th· t £ . . n Y race elements, ammonium sa lt •'Ir.
yeast cells. This gave evidence tha: . c1 I~entation of sugar required the multiplication oft
fermentation caused by microorga;i~:ta7eous generation could not explain the proces~.
s. n ano th cr publication, 1861 (a) , he de<luc rd ,
Chapter - 1 : Early History and Scope of Miocrobiology 5

pres~nce of more than one organism in the culture. He could explain the formation of butyric
arid, as a result of fermentation that was carried by different microorganisms present in same
medium along with lactic acid. Another imp01tant repo1t of paper, published in the year 1861
(b). mentioned tl1e existence of anaerobic life. To demonstrate this, he passed stream of air
through some of the cultures and a stream of carbon-dioxide through others (i.e. anaerobic
condition). He found the growth in both the cultures. This effect is called 'Pasteur effect' .
.Although tl1e large number of scientists were cpnvinced by Pasteur's experiment, but
still lot supported the theory of spontaneous generation . The final end to the debate of
spontaneous generation theory came in Pasteur's publication of 1861 (c). In this paper he
reported that microorganism could exist as airborne contaminants. Pasteur in the same paper
further demonstrated how to get the contamination free medium using famous swan neck
flask (Fig.1.1). He showed that growth could not occur in sterile medium unless contamination
,ia air (dust) occurred.

--------1[ Box 1.2 : Contribution of Louis Pasteur to MicrobiologyJ1-------,

• Pasteur showed that boiled broth did not become cloudy (turbid) when air (but not dust)
could contact the broth.
♦ Constituted "swan-necked" flasks to demonstrate role of trapped dust and subsequent
growth of microorganisms. It is the microorganisms, e.g. , bacteria produce turbidity in
broth cultures.
♦ Pasteur additionally showed that cotton plugs (a primitive air-filtration device) could prevent
microbes from reaching otherwise air-exposed sterile broths.
♦ Pasteur demonstrated that spores are resistant to killing by boiling .
♦ Pasteur invented pasteurization , the heating of foods to eliminate harmful microorganisms .
♦ He could associate specific microbes with diseases.
♦ He developed the rabies vaccine (as well as other vaccines).
♦ Discovered Staphylococcus, Streptococcous and Pneumococcus.

Fig.1.1 Swan Neck Flask Designed by Pasteur

The English physicist John Tyndall, a great admirer of Pasteur, demonstrated that
medium could be sterilized by boiling for five minutes. But, he found that few organisms
su rvived even after boiling for five hours. Tyndall, thus concluded that some bacteria had
two types of life forms- heat stable (endospore) and heat sensitive (vegetative cell). During
the same period a botanist named Ferdinand Cahn (1876) described endospores and their
hfat stable prope rties, Tyndall therefore devised a procedure for destroying the endospore,
q

,•tt ll• .f 'l 1/1Jd ,dll11111 11 11 11 1 tit! " J1 Jf' tl1 11d tl w i nd1 ,~p1 ,1 •·'1 w,,,, !w:J ft•d 1111t-111111t,~n ll y . Jn 11w f<'\ 11
1111 111:i f' '111l11'l p,11, ti .j, v1•l•q wd )111., veµ,, f ;, l )v ,· ' , Il l) th .11 w, re ! d1•:, t1o y1.•d 0 11 f, ul>:,;c•,~u••nt li t>:Jhr:1v,
Y,
1, 1 'J <HH rtt r ""my of rn ~utt l'lu m ,d Hubo,t Koch

11,, 111 , '/ '' <, 11 1111 y 111 , 1r-, t lwl1, vc•d tli.11 d j:;,•;i:,,•r, w• t i• 1·u11:,,•d du ,· l< 1 tit ,, f:.i <:to n, ~Uch ..i.
~ ,q,,, r,.il , 11 .il 1, 111 , ,,, j1•d t1 •i1p, 11 1-, v.q ,1111 1.~ , ;,ll,•d 1111 :.1 1, 11 1;, :, :rn d 1111l,ala t1<·1::, li et w,;,~n th(~fu~;
111 , 111 ,, 1 ~ , i' ~i•,,t 1111 111 litJ1l y Al1l1,,t,i,,l1 , J•rsu•ui, to ru a,!d f, •w 1 1ll1<•1u had ~ugi~1•l)k<l that invisil,J,
11
11 q,,,u, 1~ 111 :. p , 11 ,1 11 1 ,.,1 d h i••1 1:,1•. 11 w .1 :1 J\~w, 11110 Uu !!itt t ( J'/7:s J~ !i >) who f1 rM reported that :
ri llvwut ,,, ,li h'•o tH' w,111 d 111• 1, , 111l• •l'l l1111 tif 11111 )~ 11 ~ Mir .Jw tepl, Li,,tcr ( 18:l7 - 191 :.! ) , wh,, w
. . d as
µ,,,•ut n llpJH,tl••I ,,1 f' n l:l ll ' ll l .t'l 1l w111, y, li e l11•v1•d I I1:tl_ 1111 ~ tc,orvt.t lll HITi t5 ca u se_ pos tupt rative
w 11 , 111 d 111 t q 1,,,, Hl 111 dH1·; ft,· 111 11 v1•d 1l1,JI ln•at111 Y, JJ H, t ru,, 1,!n l l'l us e d ,n s ur ~c ry with
di ~11d 1•1·11111l t1 1· 11111111 :tll' rl 1l11• 11tl1 •( 11()11/')

.Jo, ·of, 11t-ul1.· ( , H,,, 1 , Hli !>) , :1 pn1f(•;1,r,r 1Jf ;tlJ;i lorn y ;rn_J ad voca te o f th e ~c r m th cciry
c, l d tt!f •:t rw . fH1JJ1• 11, 1•d tl w t li vi11J!, ,,r1•,a111zl'd 111a f ter get:, tran :,1111ttcd thro ugh a ir o r by contact
:,11d tl111 1l 111 1dt ipll1•'! i11 tl w hrJd y l{()b r!JI Kqch (1H-1 :1 J<JH>) 11 r,c d th <' sam<~ basis and proposed
" ( )u•· ruit·r·olu.- 1 01u· d l 1t t•u 11t c• I lwory" .

Hohcrt l<oda ( 1Ht1 :i JlJ J<J) lt ypqth1 i1izec..l that u11t/1rCJ.X l1acillus ( a gra m +vc bacteria)
1

wa ri 11 11' 1·:iw11 • ()I ;1111hra x di1>1:;u1c i 11 cow. Koc- Ii pn,vcd his hypothes is correct by demonstratin g
wlll'11 1J w l,:icill i t:1k1•11 1,,,,u tl H'. HJ>lt!Ctl ol dead animal was inn oc ulated into a mice and th e
i,lf,·,·1,·d 1111 n ~ 1il1uw1·d id<·11 ti l'a l 1,yrnptorn :, . Furth er, Kot h s howed th at by growing baciJl 1 in
p1111• 1·1dtu1t• o v,·,· i,t•v,·r~ll py111 : rati1Jn H, t <Ju lJ :~till cau se anthrax in later gen erati on .
J<och 1 11 Po1t lulutc ,.; 1·;m !Jc ;.; 11111 m:11 i:,,cd as :
1 A HJH:1·ili c: 111ic11Jbc 1111 1s t be 111 1:M!lll i u :.dl di sca:,,c t a5cs .
:! Mi1·1u b<: 11111 :, I l,t c.: rdti va tcd outsid e host as a pure <.:u lt urc .
:: . W lw 11 p1111 : rnlton: <J f 111icrc,lic is inoculate<l into health y hosts , di sease symp toms
id1•11ti c-a l t<J I l11 HH, ()f initial h<ml mu st he rcpro<lucc<l .
1 Mi c1c,l11: c-;111 IH: iH<J l atcd agai n in p11 n : cu lture frum th e expe rim e nta ll y in oculated
ltc r , 1.
1.1.3 Goldon Ago of Microbiology (Lato 1800's)

Initial atkinpls to isolate mkrolic8 use<l sli ced potatoes or nutrient m edia containing
;•,1· lati11 J Jq w,:ve r, )1,d:itin n o t usefu l <.1 s solidifyin g agent as it melts above 28°C an<l some
liact, ·ria hydrolyze it wi t Ii c.: nzyrn c. But Fu11n ic: llesse (wife of Koch ass istan t) suggested agar,
:1·. a g!'l l111 ~•. i1J!,,:11t whi ch was used in cc,oking. Agar rapidly became th e standard geJling agent
fCJ t mi cn,l>ial inolat i()IJ l> c.:cau sc (jf its relative ly inertness (only some marine microbes have
('1tzyn1e!S t<, digc:-. t ag,:ir) . AJ!,ar o nl y melts at high tempe ra tures (100°C) and once melted , it
rc1u:1i11 H liqu id 1111til about 45''C also th e point at which it gels . This provides vast temperature
ra11g t fo r rni<-robi ol,,gis t:; l o wo rk . To<lay it is used as '.!% in solid medium . Rich ard Pet ri ,
an<J th ,'. r Kuc-/ 1 :11;si st an1 dcw loped Pdr i pl ..1tc (J 1sh) .

K1,t'l1 !-l'1-1 h tH Tl..' .l.lS in ickntifying :rn thrax disease ca used by bacterium Bacillus anth ra~is
bl lioth KoC' h a nd J>as lc ur to id entify th e cau ses of many disea ses such as cholera , tuberculosis.
pb1.~1w , e tc . m H1, '. nc •xt kw cl c:cad es (late 188</s) call ed th e "Colden Age of Microhiolo~'.'
( - 1 H70 19 :.r n J. I l <J w l'vc r man y 111 icrnl>io logists rc)!,a rd th e present as a new "Go lden Age
 Chaptor • 1 . Early History ond Scopu of Mlot:roblolooy 7

This is dut· to thl' t.lewlupmt'nt of nwlrl'ul11r hiolngkal lt'rh11iqm·s. PCR , 111olt•<·tilu r phyloJt~ny,
and otha clrvclopmcnts that has ~ivt• n llt' W i11si~hts and op1•1u·d n world of IIC'W rf'lu~uch
dircrtions and ways of understnndinR 111il'rolws.

Winogradsky (eurly 1qoo 's) stu<lil•d soil mierobes, showed hu<.·k rin chanKc Htute of
nitorgen, sulphur, inm and ca rhon . Many can "l'at" inorgunic mutter, to ~ct ncccRNUJ)' energy.
Bcijcrinrk (t•arly t()t~o's) showl'd root nodules of some plants contain L>uctcriu that fix
nitrogen, produce most ammonia on t'arth .

Edward Jenner in 1796 discovt~rcd that cow pox (vaccinia) induced protection
against human small pox, procedure latter culled as vaccination. Pasteur and Roux reported
that incubating cultures longer than normal in the laborulory resulted in attenuated bacteria
that could no longer cause disease. Pasteur and Chambers developed other vaccines such as
attenuated anthrax vaccine and attenuated rabies vaccines.
Joshph Lister (1827-1912) developed a system of surgery designed to prevent
microorganisms from entering wounds ~ phenol (carbolic acid) sprayed in air around surgical
incision, decreased number of post operative infections in patients.
In 1890 Ehrlich proposed a theory of immunity in which antibodies were responsible
for immunity (antitoxin). He is known as father of modern chemotherapy. He demonstrated
the concept of selective toxicity. He also developed staining procedure to identify tubercule
bacilli.
Alexander Fleming (1928) observed that the growth of the bacterium
Staphylococcus aureus was inhibited in the areas surrounding the colony of a mold that had
contaminated a Petri plate. The mold was identified as Penicillum notatum and its active
compound as penicillin.
Christian Gram (1853-1935) demonstrated staining method that could differentiate
Gram positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
Raymond Sabouraud (1890-1910) developed culture media to study yeast and
molds.
Dimitri Ivanovski (1892) demonstrated that virus pass through the filters used to
remove bacteria.
Sleman Waksman (1940) discovered antibiotics such as tetracyclines and
streptomycin. ·
Watson and Crick, Franklin and Wilkins (1953) determined the structure of DNA
molecule.

1.2 Scope and Application Domains of Microbiology

The discoveries of applied aspects of microbiology pioneered by Koch, Pasteur and
others continued to enrich the field even in the 20 th Century. With improved techniques and
invention of electron microscope, bacteria and smaller microbes were discovered .
Microbiology has great impact on food sciences, ecology, genetic, biochemistry and many
 Applied Ml(;r~QI
~ 1
8

other dis ciplin es. C h ap\or ,

. Modern microbiology is_ studied ~ons idering two a s pect• _ ba•icI .
~
111
apphed microbiology. The b•••c 1111crob10Jogy •• concerned w\tb stud mic rob\o\ and p.cn1.: \
microorganisms. These studies involves morphology, ccolo11,y Jr.. y •pec ific got;,
) Ogy I~ focusc ts o ,
taxonomy of different microorganisms. ' cnet,cs, t•hygi( \r(}ull, ~
and fonc
- Study of bacteria. ,,, mic rob i ,
\lnow\ed 1
Bacteriology
_ Study of viruses . A
Virology that re,
- Study of algae. wide Vl
Phycology
Study of fungi, (molds, mushrooms and yeasts) .
Mycology
Protozoology _ Study of protozoa.
. tation of applied microbiology is in several fields and it uses the bas·
Th e onen
1.
. . . M" b' l l .h le.
- forma t·10n a nd techniques of different sub-d1v1s1ons.
m . 1cro. 10 ogyl overbaps wit numb•--r 2.
of other scientific disciplines including biochemistry, genet1~s, zoo ogy, <?tany, medicine
pharmacology, food sciences, agriculture, industrial and environmental sciences. ' 3

The branch called medical microbiology includes the studies of pathogenic

microorganisms that causes diseases in humans and animal~- Me~ical microbiology identifies
the agent causing the disease, studies the way it causes the 1nfect1on and plans the measures
to eliminate the disease .
The integral part of medical microbiology is to understand how immune system of
vertebrates protects themselves from pathogens and show response to the pathogen, the
area called immunology. At present it is one of the fastest growing area that also covers the
practical health problems, their nature and treatments.
Agricultural microbiology is directly or indirectly attributed to human we\fate.
Agriculturists study the impact of organisms on agriculture. This incudes methods to combat
plant diseases, to increase soil fertility, habitat of microorganism in animals and many related
areas. The use of microbicide as pesticides is also very important as it influence the pests that
have effect on crop production. The pest can also be controlled by biological control methods.
The study of relationship of microorganism with its habitat is studied in the-branch o{
environmental microbiology. The study of pollution effects and its impact on the environment
is significant from ecological balance and health point.
Microorganisms produce various food and dairy products. Food and dairy microbiology
also deals with the study of the control of microorganisms in food and transmission of food
borne diseases.
Industrial microbiology is an important area under focus. In industries, microorganisms
are used to make useful products such as antibiotics, vaccines, steroids, solvents, vitamins
etc. It also covers leaching of minerals using microorganisms.
In recent years, a new area of microbiology is developing in the fonn of biotechnology
 :,ter - 1 : Early History and Scope of Miocrobiology
9

genetic engineering. This branch has been drawing tremendous attention. Biotechnology
ses on the aspects such as the nature of genetic information, the regulation, development
function of a cell, the method of production of new microbial cells useful in industrial
robiology using techniques of genetic engineering. Genetic engineering provides
v)edge for insertion of new genes and explains its role in the diagnosis of certain diseases.
According to the opinion of Rene Dubos, a microbiologist, microbiology is a profession
remains in contact with all other branches of natural sciences and thus, contribute in
variety of ways to the betterment of human life.

Review Questions
. Describe the contribution of Leeuwenhoek in the development of microbiology.
. What is the doctrine of spontaneous generation ? How it was disproved ?
. What is the contribution of Pasteur in the field of microbiology ? Describe his various
papers.
. What is Pasteurization ? Explain.
Describe the process of Tyndallization.
Explain Koch's postulate. What significant contribution did Koch made to the
development of medical microbiology ?

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