Though the existence of microorganisms was hypothesized for many centuries, Antoni Van Leuwenhoek was the first person to observe bacteria and other organisms in water under a home-made single-lens microscope, in the year There are mainly two branches of Microbiology. They are applied microbiology or biotechnology and pure microbiology. Pure microbiology deals with the profound theoretical study of the organisms as the subject itself.
In comparison, applied microbiology or biotechnology deals with the application of microorganisms in specific processes such as brewing or fermentation.
They are not entirely different, but they are not the same too. It would be safe to say that microbiology is a part of biology which involves the intensive study of microorganisms, their living mechanisms, their study of the structure, and so on. Therefore, it brings us to one question, i.
The difference between biology and microbiology are tabulated below. Biology is the branch of science which deals with the study of life and living organisms and their interaction with non-living organisms. Microbiology is the branch of biology which deals with the study of microorganisms.
Biologists may or may not use a microscope during biological research as it can be done mostly with naked eyes. Use of the microscope is necessary during microbiological research. Biochemistry is largely concerned with chemical processes within the cell so it has also made it possible to not only understand the mechanism involved in the production of various metabolites e.
For example, Pesticides, used to control various pests, function by targeting and interfering with the normal activities of the nerve. Nutrition is the field of study that is concerned with nutrients and food-related substances associated with maintenance, growth, health, and disease, etc. In microbiology, nutrition is often associated with ecology as most organisms obtain their nutrients from their surroundings. Generally, microorganisms are classified as either autotrophs capable of producing their own food or heterotrophs organisms that cannot produce their own food and thus depend on food sources in their surroundings.
In addition to the two general categories, microorganisms can be further divided into several more groups specifically based on how they obtain their energy, these include:.
Photoautotrophs - In microbiology, photoautotrophs include such organisms as algae and cyanobacteria that use light energy to make their own food. Here, light energy is necessary to convert water, carbon dioxide, and other minerals into organic compounds. Here, the energy obtained from these compounds is used to fix carbon dioxide.
Photoheterotrophs and chemoautotrophs - Examples of photoheterotrophs include purple non-sulfur bacteria. While these organisms use light as an energy source, various organic compounds e.
Unlike photoheterotrophs, chemoheterotrophs e. However, they still require organic compounds as a source of carbon. Saprophytes - Includes bacteria and fungi that feed on dead organic material in their surroundings. These organisms are also known as saprobionts. Holozoic - Includes such organisms as amoeba and survive by ingesting internalization of food material, liquids or other prey.
Parasites - Includes some bacteria and protists that depend on other organisms hosts for food. Parasites can be found living within the cells intracellular parasites , outside the cell extracellular parasites or on the surface of the host ectoparasites.
In microbiology, nutrition and modes of nutrition are particularly important in that they allow scientists to classify various microorganisms to given modes of nutrition in their surroundings. In addition, it allows microbiologists to determine the impacts of these organisms on their ecology based on their mode of nutrition e.
Nutritional biochemistry, on the other hand, not only considers the nutritional requirements for given organisms but also the significance and function at the cellular and molecular level. This has resulted in the discovery and better understanding of the mechanisms associated with nutrition-related processes. Krebs Cycle is an excellent example that highlights the molecules, processes, and products of chemical reactions in aerobic organisms.
Following glycolysis , where sugar is broken down to produce 2 molecules of pyruvate pyruvate is a 3 carbon molecule , the second phase of cellular respiration known as Krebs Cycle citric acid cycle starts in the presence of oxygen. However, before the cycle actually starts, pyruvate loses a carbon and combines with coenzyme A to produce acetyl-CoA a two-carbon molecule. The carbon released by the pyruvate then combines with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, a waste product.
The Acetyl-CoA produced here is a high energy molecule that enters the mitochondria in eukaryotic cells where it combines with oxaloacetate a four-carbon molecule resulting in the production of citric acid, a six-carbon molecule.
Looking at the example given in this section, it's possible to identify some of the molecules involved in the process, the type of process, its functions as well as the resulting products.
Similarly, biochemists have studied and been able to explain many other processes not only in microorganisms but also in plants and animals. Here, biochemistry not only allows researchers to understand how this works but also be in a position to manipulate them for different purposes.
By understanding metabolic processes in given parasitic microbes, researchers can interfere with a given stage of the process and thus stop their proliferation in the body of the host. While microbiology touches on these aspects of microbes, biochemistry delves deeper to explain all aspects of these processes for various biological purposes e. As explained, microbiology and biochemistry have several differences in that microbiology is concerned with the characteristics of microscopic organisms while biochemistry is concerned with biochemical processes and reactions in all living organisms.
However, there are also several similarities between the two. Living organisms - Both microbiology and biochemistry are centered on living organisms.
In microbiology, researchers largely focus on microorganisms and their characteristics. However, microbiologists also study the interaction between these organisms and other organisms plants and animals in nature. Biochemistry, on the other hand, is concerned with the biochemical processes with all living organisms. Here, then, one of the similarities is that they are both centered on living organisms. Overlap - Despite the differences between microbiology and biochemistry, biochemistry allows researchers to better understand the characteristics of microscopic organisms.
In biochemistry, biochemists can study the macromolecules that make up the surface antigens located on the surface of various microorganisms, etc. As a result, it becomes possible to understand how these antigens bind to antibodies located on the surface of host cells.
Here, then, biochemistry can be said to be particularly important in that it allows students to better understand different characteristics of microorganisms. Microbiology is a subfield of biology which studies living organisms that are too small to observe with the naked eye. Generally, this type of organisms is known as microbes, and these include protozoa, algae, fungi, bacteria, archaea, virus, and prions.
Moreover, as only microorganisms are studied in microbiology, it is a more specific field of science. Also, since these organisms are not observable with the naked eye, the main tool used by microbiologists for most of the observations is the microscope. Figure 2: Microorganisms on an Agar Plate. In addition to the morphology and the physiology of microorganisms, microbiology studies the effect of microorganisms on living organisms including humans.
Therefore, microbiologists often study the immune system as well. Biology refers to the study of living organisms, divided into many specialized fields that cover their morphology, physiology, anatomy, behavior, origin, and distribution while microbiology refers to the study of microorganisms, which are unicellular or cell-cluster microscopic organisms. Thus, this is the main difference between biology and microbiology. Furthermore, biology studies about all types of living organisms on earth and their interactions with non-living things while microbiology studies about microorganisms.
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