Microbes are one of the dominant life forms which occur in the universe, but most of us are ignorant of their true profile. This is perhaps because they are so tiny as to be visible to the naked eye. For this reason only, they remained unknown till about 300 years ago.

Microbiology is the study of living organisms of microscopic size which include bacteria, fungi, algae, protozoa and infectious agents at the border line of life that are called viruses. This science is concerned with their form, structure, reproduction, physiology, metabolism and classification.

It includes their distribution in nature, their relationship with each other and other living organisms, their effects on human beings and other animals and plants. Again, it comprises their ability to make physical and chemical changes in the environment and their relationship to physical and chemical agents.

Since these organisms are out of sight of the common man for many reasons, their contributions not only to our lives but also to this earth have not been properly appreciated. The only aspect of their myriad actions that gets highlighted is their potential to cause misery, disease and injury.

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On the other hand, they are closely associated with the health and welfare of human beings. Microbes are involved in the making of curd, cheese, butter, and wine, in the production of antibiotics like penicillin, manufacture of organic acids, alcohols and processing of domestic and industrial wastes. Rarely, a moment passes when the beneficial or harmful effect of microbes does not influence the mankind.

Microbes are typically unit or multicultural microscopic organisms, which are cosmopolitan in their distribution, i.e. they are widely distributed in air, water, soil, sea, mountains, hot springs and also in bodies of living plants and animals including the human.

They are present profusely in the natural and manmade world. These organisms have a high degree of adaptability. Thus, the microbes constitute the world of their own, full of uniqueness from various biological view points.

Microorganisms are exceptionally attractive models for studying fundamental life processes. They can be easily grown in culture tubes or flasks, thereby requiring less space and maintenance than larger plants and animals.

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Their growth rate is very fast and also they reproduce at brisker pace than many other life forms. For example, under suitable conditions, some species of bacteria can undergo almost 100 generations in 24-hour period. The metabolic processes of microbes follow the pattern that occurs in higher plants and animals.

The unicellular yeasts utilize glucose in essentially the same manner as cells of mammalian tissue, the same system of enzymes are also involved. The energy liberated in the breakdown of glucose is trapped and later used for the vital activities of the cells, whether they are bacteria, yeast, protozoa or muscle cells.

Plants are characterized by their ability to utilize the solar energy, where as the animals require chemical substances for their life processes. In this respect, some microbes are like plants, others like animals and certain others have the unique ability to behave as plants as well as animals.

In microbiology, the organisms can be studied in great detail and their life processes can be observed while they are actively metabolizing, growing, reproducing, aging and dying. By modifying their environment, their metabolic activities can be altered, growth becomes regulated and it may even change their genetic patterns. All these can study without causing any harm to the organism.