Microbiology: Basic Principles

Microbiology is the study of organisms that are unicellular, multicellular or acellular in nature. This comprises bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi, prions, protozoa and algae, collectively called microbes. These microbes play an indispensable role in processes as nutrient cycling, biodegradation, climate change, food spoilage, the cause and control of disease, and biotechnology. This field deals with the structure, function, and classification of such organisms as well as the manner in whi...