INTRODUCTION
Living organisms come in a variety of shapes and sizes:
Large organisms: Elephant, Blue Whale
Small organisms: Ant, Termite
Microorganisms (Microbes): Too tiny to be seen with the unaided eye, visible only
with a microscope.
Definition:
Microorganisms or microbes are tiny living organisms that can only be seen using a
microscope.
The study of microorganisms is called Microbiology.
Scientists who study microbes are called Microbiologists.
CHARACTERISTICS OF MICROORGANISMS
Invisible to the naked eye.
Found almost everywhere on Earth (soil, water, air, inside organisms).
They exist as unicellular (single-celled) or multicellular organisms.
Can reproduce rapidly under favorable conditions.
Some are beneficial, while others can be harmful.
Microbes can survive in extreme environmental conditions, such as:
o Boiling heat
o Freezing cold
o High radiation levels
o Volcanic eruptions or nuclear blasts
They survive such conditions by forming a protective hard outer
covering called a cyst:
o The cyst shields them from harsh environments.
o Inside the cyst, the microbe remains inactive until favorable
conditions return.
Microorganisms may exist:
o As a single cell (unicellular).
o In clusters called colonies.
Microorganisms can be:
o Beneficial (e.g., used in making food, medicines).
o Harmful (e.g., causing diseases).
WHERE ARE MICROORGANISMS FOUND?
Microorganisms are robust organisms that can live almost anywhere on Earth
due to their adaptability.
They are found:
In soil, water, and air
Deep inside the Earth
In boiling hot springs
In frozen glaciers
In dry deserts
In deep oceans
On moist bread, logs of wood
On the surface of mobile phones
On and inside the bodies of plants, animals, and humans
🔍 Fun Fact:
Microorganisms can even survive volcanic eruptions and nuclear blasts!
CLASSIFICATION OF MICROORGANISMS
Microorganisms are classified into five main types:
1. Bacteria
2. Algae
3. Fungi
4. Protozoa
5. Viruses
1. Bacteria
Unicellular (single-celled) organisms.
Live in colonies of millions.
Among the simplest living organisms.
Most bacteria are harmless, but some can cause diseases such as:
o Cholera
o Tuberculosis (TB)
Size and Shape:
Size ranges from 0.2 to 2 microns.
1 micron = 1 millionth of a meter (1 micron = 10⁻⁶ m)
Bacterial Shapes:
Bacteria are grouped into four types based on shape:
Coccus – spherical
Bacillus – rod-shaped
Spirillum – spiral-shaped
Vibrio – comma-shaped
Types of Bacteria (Based on Shape)
Bacteria are classified into four main shapes:
Shape
Scientific Term Description Example
Type
Spirilla (singular:
a. Spiral Spiral-shaped bacteria Spirilla spp.
spirillum)
b. Cocci (singular: Streptococcu
Sphere-shaped bacteria
Spherical coccus) s
Bacilli (singular:
c. Rod Rod-shaped bacteria E. coli
bacillus)
Vibrios (singular: Comma-shaped (curved- Vibrio
d. Comma
vibrio) rod) cholerae
🧪 Fig. 2.1: Types of Bacteria
(Use diagrams to illustrate each shape.)
2. Algae
What are Algae?
Algae (singular: alga) are simple, plant-like organisms.
They contain chlorophyll, allowing them to perform photosynthesis.
Their cells have a cell wall, similar to plant cells.
Where Are Algae Found?
In water bodies: ponds, lakes, rivers, hot springs, oceans, wastewater.
In moist environments: damp soil, rocks, tree bark, and waterfalls.
Types of Algae:
Type Description Examples
Microalg Unicellular (single-celled)
Chlamydomonas
ae algae
Macroalg Multicellular (many-celled) Volvox, Fucus,
ae algae Spirogyra
🔬 Spirogyra is a filamentous alga – it looks like long chains or threads and can
be seen with the naked eye.
Alginic acid, extracted from a giant brown alga called kelp, is used as an
ingredient in ice cream to give it a smooth texture!
Examples of Algae (Fig. 2.2)
a. Volvox – Colonial, spherical macroalga
b. Chlamydomonas – Unicellular green microalga
c. Fucus – Brown seaweed (macroalga)
d. Spirogyra – Filamentous green macroalga
Fungi
What are Fungi?
Fungi (singular: fungus) are non-green, non-photosynthetic organisms.
Their bodies are usually made of thread-like structures called hyphae.
Although once classified as plants, fungi:
o Lack chlorophyll (cannot do photosynthesis)
o Have cell walls that are different from plant cells
Classification Based on Nutrition:
Type Description
Saprophy Feed on dead and decaying
tic matter
Live on or in a host and harm
Parasitic
it
Habitat:
Found in warm and moist places (ideal for fungal growth)
Common Examples:
Example Description
Yeast Used in baking; unicellular
Rhizopus Common bread mould
Agaricus Mushroom; edible, visible to the
Example Description
naked eye
Penicilliu
Source of the antibiotic penicillin
m
🧪 Fig. 2.3 – Some examples of fungi:
a. Yeast
b. Rhizopus
c. Agaricus
d. Penicillium
4. Protozoa
What are Protozoa?
Protozoa (singular: protozoan) means **“little animals”*.
They are unicellular organisms with animal-like characteristics.
Lack chlorophyll and do not have cell walls.
Most are heterotrophic (depend on other organisms for food).
They are motile – can move to capture food.
Habitats:
Mostly found in water, soil, and inside other organisms.
Some are Parasitic:
Example: Plasmodium, which causes malaria in humans.
. Protozoa
What are Protozoa?
Protozoa (singular: protozoan) are unicellular, animal-like
microorganisms.
They are heterotrophic, lack a cell wall, and do not have chlorophyll.
They can move to capture food.
Most protozoa are aquatic and live in colonies.
Some are parasitic and can cause diseases.
Examples of Protozoa:
Example Description
Changes shape using pseudopodia
Amoeba
(false feet)
Parameciu
Cilia-covered, moves rapidly in water
m
Example Description
Trypanoso
Causes sleeping sickness in humans
ma
🧫 Fig. 2.4 – Some Examples of Protozoa
a. Paramecium
b. Trypanosoma
c. Amoeba
6. Viruses
What are Viruses?
Viruses are extremely tiny microorganisms, invisible even with a
compound microscope.
They can only be seen using an electron microscope.
A virus consists of:
o Genetic material (DNA or RNA)
o Surrounded by a protein coat
They lack a true cell structure.
Living or Non-Living?
Inside a host (like a human, plant, or animal):
→ Act like living organisms — they reproduce and perform life processes.
Outside a host:
→ Act like non-living things — no growth or activity.
Because of this, viruses are considered to lie on the borderline between living
and non-living.
Are Viruses Harmful?
Yes, most viruses are harmful due to their parasitic nature.
They cause diseases in humans, animals, and plants.
Examples of Virus-caused Diseases:
Disease Caused by
Flu / Common cold Influenza virus
Polio Poliovirus
Hepatitis Hepatitis virus
Dengue & Mosquito-borne
Chikungunya viruses
Swine flu / Avian Strains of influenza
flu viruses
🔬 Even plants get virus infections, such as:
Tobacco mosaic virus
Tomato spotted wilt virus
Some viruses even infect bacteria. These are called bacteriophages.
🧬 Fig. 2.5 – Some Examples of Viruses:
a. Hepatitis virus
b. Poliovirus
c. Bacteriophage
d. Bacteriophage infecting a bacterium
