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NEET UG 2026 » NEET UG Study Material » Biology » Microbes
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Microbes

Microbes are a type of microorganism. Phylogenetic classification of microbes includes organisms that are too small to be seen without a microscope, such as bacteria, archaea, and single cell eukaryotes – cells that include a nucleus, such as an amoeba or a paramecium — among other organisms. Viruses are sometimes referred to as microorganisms as well.

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Microbes include bacteria, archaea, and single cell eukaryotes – cells with a nucleus, like an amoeba or a paramecium — that are too small to be seen without a microscope. Viruses are sometimes referred to as microorganisms as well.Microbes are microscopic, unicellular organisms that are imperceptible to the naked eye and are found in all environments. They are also referred to as microorganisms or microscopic organisms due to the fact that they can only be observed under the microscope. They account for over 60% of all the living matter on the planet, according to estimates.Microbes include bacteria, archaea, and single cell eukaryotes – cells with a nucleus, like an amoeba or a paramecium — that are too small to be seen without a microscope. Viruses are sometimes referred to as microorganisms as well.

  • Bacteria
  • Fungi
  • Protists
  • Viruses
  • Archaea

Microbes have the potential to be both beneficial and destructive. Certain microorganisms are capable of causing severe illnesses and diseases, as well as spoiling food and other products. Others, on the other hand, play a vital part in the preservation of environmental balance.

TYPES OF MICROBES

Microorganisms can be classified into the following types:

Bacteria

  • Bacteria are unicellular, tiny, prokaryotic bacteria that lack a real nucleus and are found only in the cytoplasm.
  • Peptidoglycan is the primary component of their cell wall. They have a flagellum, which makes it easier for them to move around.
  • Bacteria can be classified into several categories based on their shape and size, as follows: For example, bacteria with spherical shapes are referred to as cocci; bacteria with rod shapes are referred to as bacilli; bacteria with spiral shapes are referred to as spirilla.
  • Binary fission is used in their reproduction, and the transfer of genetic material happens by transformation, transduction, and conjugation. They also reproduce through sporulation.
  • Bacteria serve a critical function in the survival of human beings. They aid in the digestion of nutrients by breaking them down into simpler forms.
  • Nitrogen fixation is carried out by a few number of microorganisms, such as Rhizobium.
  • They are also employed in the production of antibiotics, and they can be used as biopesticides in agricultural settings.

Fungi

  • Chitin is used to construct the cell walls of these organisms, which can be unicellular or multicellular.
  • These organisms are heterotrophic, which means that they cannot synthesise their own food.
  • They are made up of organelles that are attached to membranes.
  • Yeasts, moulds, and mushrooms are just a few of the many types of fungus.
  • They decompose the remains of dead plants and animals, collecting nutrients from the decomposing matter.
  • A small number of fungi are toxic and can cause fungal illnesses such as ringworm. The others are used in the production of antibiotics such as penicillin.
  • Baking industries employ yeast, as do the beer and wine industries. Fungi are also used in the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Viruses

  • To put it another way, viruses serve as a connecting connection between living and non-living things.
  • They are non-cellular microorganisms that are made up of proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, among other things.
  • They are measured in nanometers, with sizes ranging from 20 nanometers to 250 nanometers, and they can only be viewed under an electron microscope, which is extremely expensive.
  • They contain a nucleotide core that is wrapped by a protein coat that has the potential to penetrate living cells.
  • They are active inside host cells and replicate within them by infecting and infecting other cells that are still alive.

Protists

  • It is these unicellular, microscopic organisms that are neither plants nor animals, but rather something in between.
  • They can be either autotrophic or heterotrophic in nature.
  • Most of their reproduction is accomplished through binary fission or budding.
  • This group comprises protists that look like plants, such as diatoms and dinoflagellates, protists that look like animals, such as amoeba, and protists that look like fungi, such as slime moulds.
  • Protists are responsible for providing us with oxygen and recycling critical nutrients in order to make them available to other life forms.

Archaea

  • These creatures are unicellular prokaryotic organisms with a structure that is similar to that of bacteria.
  • Their cell wall differs from bacteria in that it contains unique lipids that allow them to live in harsh environments. They are not bacteria.
  • They can also be present in the human intestines and on the skin.

CONCLUSION

By the following article we can conclude that Microbes include bacteria, archaea, and single cell eukaryotes – cells with a nucleus, like an amoeba or a paramecium — that are too small to be seen without a microscope. Viruses are sometimes referred to as microorganisms as well.Microbes are microscopic, unicellular organisms that are imperceptible to the naked eye and are found in all environments. Microbes are a type of microorganism. Phylogenetic classification of microbes includes organisms that are too small to be seen without a microscope, such as bacteria, archaea, and single cell eukaryotes – cells that include a nucleus, such as an amoeba or a paramecium — among other organisms. Viruses are sometimes referred to as microorganisms as well.

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Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the NEET Examination Preparation.

Which four kinds of bacteria exist?

Ans: Bacteria, archaea, fungus (yeasts and moulds), algae, protozoa, and viruses are the most common types of microo...Read full

Do viruses count as microbes?

Ans:  A virus is the tiniest of all living organisms. Rhinoviruses, which cause the common cold, are supposedly so ...Read full

Microbes are known as what?

Ans: A microorganism, or microbe, is a microscopic organism. Microbiology is the field of study concerned with micro...Read full

Does protozoa fit the definition of a microbe?

Ans: A protozoan is a eukaryotic microbe that is single-celled. They can be round or spherical in shape; some are lo...Read full

Ans: Bacteria, archaea, fungus (yeasts and moulds), algae, protozoa, and viruses are the most common types of microorganisms.

Ans:  A virus is the tiniest of all living organisms. Rhinoviruses, which cause the common cold, are supposedly so little that 500 million of them could fit on the tip of a pin. To be unique, they are only capable of reproducing in the cells of other organisms.

 

 

Ans: A microorganism, or microbe, is a microscopic organism. Microbiology is the field of study concerned with microbes. Bacteria, fungus, archaea, and protists are all examples of microorganisms.

Ans: A protozoan is a eukaryotic microbe that is single-celled. They can be round or spherical in shape; some are long and thin. Others take on new forms as they progress through their life cycle.

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