Nursing Micro Learning objectives

WEEK 1
Microbiology - the study of microbes, tiny organisms invisible to the naked eye.

Microbes- organisms that require aid of a microscope for viewing. In this class I mostly deal
with single-celled microbes and only briefly discuss the multi-celled parasitic works, some of
which are microscopic.

Leeuwenhoek- He was the first person to see a bacterium, this in the

1700’s. He was a dry goods dealer in Delft, Holland, who had an
insatiable curiosity about the world around him. He discovered many
microscopic features of the biological world, including protozoa, sperm
cells, capillaries, and bacteria.

1
1) The Grouping of Microbes
Pathogenic microbes come in three flavors: bacteria, viruses, and eukaryotic
protozoans. In order to understand pathogenic organisms like bacteria and
protozoa, it is important to understand how they fit into the big picture of life on
earth. Three Domain model (common ancestor) - all organisms on earth today are
in one of the three domains: Archaea, Bacteria, or Eukarya. The modern day
organisms all evolved from and ancestral ‘primordial cell’. Prions are infectious
agents that are produced by vertebrates (which are eukaryotes). Prions agents
contain only protein - no nucleic acid - in the infectious material. Mad cow disease
and chronic wasting disease of deer and elk are two examples of prion diseases.

Primordial cell

Eukarya
Archaea (eu)Bacteria

prions

The Protozoa (Protista), the fungi, and the algae are eukaryotes. The bacteria and
archeaebacteria are prokaryotes. The bacteria are sometimes referred to as the eubacteria. Eu
means true

VIRUSES are intriguing biological entities that contain only nucleic

acid (RNA or DNA), with a protein coat, and sometimes a lipid overcoat. Nothing else.
Biochemically, they are very simple, but they have the capacity to enter a cell and convert it into
a factory for producing more of the virus. There are a vast number of different viruses that infect
all organisms on earth.

Eukaryotic vs prokaryotic cell – There are many differences, but two important ones are that
eukaryotes have internal membranes and multiple linear chromosomes while prokaryotes have a
single circular chromosome and no internal membranes. These differences will be discussed in
greater detail in the following weeks.

2
2) Chemistry Review

A
• Atoms
– Basic u
3
• Formed b
electrons
4
pH = -log{H+}
H+ = a proton. pH greater than 7 and solution is alkaline (has more
hydroxyl (OH-) than H+). pH less than 7 and solution is acid (has more
protons than hydroxyl.

• Weak bon
Most organisms can live only in a very narrow pH range near 7 (neutrality). Acidophiles and
alkalophiles are bacteria that have taken exception to this rule.

charged h
What is the cell made of? Primarily of chemicals
called Macromolecules. Lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids
are the four main classes of macromolecule. Proteins, carbohydrates and nucleic acids are often
found in polymeric form.What

– Hydroge
is a polymer? A polymer is a molecule
that contains multiple repeating subunits. For example, glucose
5
is a simple six carbon sugar molecule. Cellulose is composed of
many glucose molecules joined together to form a polymer of
glucose.

• Critical
– Memb 6
FUNCTIONS OF PROTEIN:
1. Catalysis – proteins called enzymes catalyze nearly all of the chemical
reactions that occur in a cell. What does the word catalyze mean?
2. Structure – many proteins are involved with maintaining the shape of a cell.
3. Defense – proteins called antibodies are used by vertebrates to defend
themselves against invading microbes.
4. communication with other cells – cell surface molecules called receptors are
help transmit chemical signals from one cell to another.

7
 Carbohydrates
Sugars and sugar polymers

How does the cell use carbohydrates?

1. Cells extract energy from simple sugars like glucose.
2. They also employ sugars as structural subunits in cell walls.
Bacteria use two sugars, n-acetyl muramic acid and n-acetyl
glucosamine in their cell walls.

Nucleic Acids
A)Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA): carries genetic code (genes) which is used to produce all the
varied proteins in a cell

8
B)Ribonucleic acid (RNA): RNA is utilized during protein synthesis. Ribosomal RNA is part of
the ribosome, and collection of enzymes that joins amino acids together to form proteins.
Transfer RNA transports amino acids to the ribosome during protein synthesis, and messenger
RNA is ‘read’ by the ribosome during protein synthesis. This will be more fully explained in a
later lecture.

C)High energy nucleotides like ATP and NADH.

9
Energy and thermodynamics
Coupling exergonic (chemical reactions that give off free
energy) and endergonic (rxns that require an input of free
energy in order to occur) chemical reactions. Many reactions
in the cell are endergonic, that is, they require an input of
free energy-these are generally the anabolic reactions that
construct cellular sxtructures and components. Hydrolysis
(breakdown) of ATP is exergonic and provides energy for
many of the anabolic chemical reactions in the cell (see Fig.
6.6 below and in text).

Som
10
3) Fluid Mosaic model of membrane fluidity

11
 C
• M em b
12
 Nursing Micro Learning objectives
WEEK 1
Microbiology - the study of microbes, tiny organisms invisible to the naked eye.

Microbes- organisms that require aid of a microscope for viewing. In this class I mostly deal
with single-celled microbes and only briefly discuss the multi-celled parasitic works, some of
which are microscopic.

Leeuwenhoek- He was the first person to see a bacterium, this in the

1700’s. He was a dry goods dealer in Delft, Holland, who had an
insatiable curiosity about the world around him. He discovered many
microscopic features of the biological world, including protozoa, sperm
cells, capillaries, and bacteria.

13
1) The Grouping of Microbes
Pathogenic microbes come in three flavors: bacteria, viruses, and eukaryotic
protozoans. In order to understand pathogenic organisms like bacteria and
protozoa, it is important to understand how they fit into the big picture of life on
earth. Three Domain model (common ancestor) - all organisms on earth today are
in one of the three domains: Archaea, Bacteria, or Eukarya. The modern day
organisms all evolved from and ancestral ‘primordial cell’. Prions are infectious
agents that are produced by vertebrates (which are eukaryotes). Prions agents
contain only protein - no nucleic acid - in the infectious material. Mad cow disease
and chronic wasting disease of deer and elk are two examples of prion diseases.

Primordial cell

Eukarya
Archaea (eu)Bacteria

prions

The Protozoa (Protista), the fungi, and the algae are eukaryotes. The bacteria and
archeaebacteria are prokaryotes. The bacteria are sometimes referred to as the eubacteria. Eu
means true

VIRUSES are intriguing biological entities that contain only nucleic

acid (RNA or DNA), with a protein coat, and sometimes a lipid overcoat. Nothing else.
Biochemically, they are very simple, but they have the capacity to enter a cell and convert it into
a factory for producing more of the virus. There are a vast number of different viruses that infect
all organisms on earth.

Eukaryotic vs prokaryotic cell – There are many differences, but two important ones are that
eukaryotes have internal membranes and multiple linear chromosomes while prokaryotes have a
single circular chromosome and no internal membranes. These differences will be discussed in
greater detail in the following weeks.

14
2) Chemistry Review

A
• Atoms
– Basic u
15
• Formed b
electrons
16
pH = -log{H+}
H+ = a proton. pH greater than 7 and solution is alkaline (has more
hydroxyl (OH-) than H+). pH less than 7 and solution is acid (has more
protons than hydroxyl.

• Weak bon
Most organisms can live only in a very narrow pH range near 7 (neutrality). Acidophiles and
alkalophiles are bacteria that have taken exception to this rule.

charged h
What is the cell made of? Primarily of chemicals
called Macromolecules. Lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids
are the four main classes of macromolecule. Proteins, carbohydrates and nucleic acids are often
found in polymeric form.What

– Hydroge
is a polymer? A polymer is a molecule
that contains multiple repeating subunits. For example, glucose
17
is a simple six carbon sugar molecule. Cellulose is composed of
many glucose molecules joined together to form a polymer of
glucose.

• Critical
– Memb 18
FUNCTIONS OF PROTEIN:
5. Catalysis – proteins called enzymes catalyze nearly all of the chemical
reactions that occur in a cell. What does the word catalyze mean?
6. Structure – many proteins are involved with maintaining the shape of a cell.
7. Defense – proteins called antibodies are used by vertebrates to defend
themselves against invading microbes.
8. communication with other cells – cell surface molecules called receptors are
help transmit chemical signals from one cell to another.

19
 Carbohydrates
Sugars and sugar polymers

How does the cell use carbohydrates?

3. Cells extract energy from simple sugars like glucose.
4. They also employ sugars as structural subunits in cell walls.
Bacteria use two sugars, n-acetyl muramic acid and n-acetyl
glucosamine in their cell walls.

Nucleic Acids
A)Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA): carries genetic code (genes) which is used to produce all the
varied proteins in a cell

20
B)Ribonucleic acid (RNA): RNA is utilized during protein synthesis. Ribosomal RNA is part of
the ribosome, and collection of enzymes that joins amino acids together to form proteins.
Transfer RNA transports amino acids to the ribosome during protein synthesis, and messenger
RNA is ‘read’ by the ribosome during protein synthesis. This will be more fully explained in a
later lecture.

C)High energy nucleotides like ATP and NADH.

21
Energy and thermodynamics
Coupling exergonic (chemical reactions that give off free
energy) and endergonic (rxns that require an input of free
energy in order to occur) chemical reactions. Many reactions
in the cell are endergonic, that is, they require an input of
free energy-these are generally the anabolic reactions that
construct cellular sxtructures and components. Hydrolysis
(breakdown) of ATP is exergonic and provides energy for
many of the anabolic chemical reactions in the cell (see Fig.
6.6 below and in text).

Som
22
3) Fluid Mosaic model of membrane fluidity

23
 C
• M em b
24
Study Question- for the test be able to answer all of these questions:
• Why is it important to understand the chemistry of a cell?
• Draw the three domain model of life on earth from memory. Explain how viruses and
prions fit into this model.
• Are protozoa, algae, and fungi prokaryotes or eukaryotes?
• What is a virus composed of? Is it alive?why or why not?
• Is a solution whose pH is 5 acidic or basic? Do acidic solutions have more or less protons
than basic solutions?
• Know the differences between the different bond types- ionic, hydrogen, and covalent.
• Draw, label, and explain the fluid mosaic model of membrane fluidity. Know the
difference between integral and peripheral membrane proteins. Why is it called fluid
mosaic?
• Are lipids soluble in water? Why or why not?
• What is a phospholipid and where is it found?
• Describe the basic structure of a cell membrane, i.e. a lipid bilayer.
• Proteins are polymers. What are proteins composed of (i.e. what is the polymer
subunit?)?
• What are four different roles of proteins in the cell?
• Describe two ways that cells used carbohydrates.
• Distinguish between DNA and RNA. How is DNA employed by the cell? Which one is
the ‘chemical of heredity’?
• Is ATP synthesis exergonic or endergonic? How does the cell use ATP to fuel its
biosynthetic reactions?
• Review questions short answer 1-7,9,10 from chapter 2
Terms to know:
Endergonic
Exergonic
polymer

25