Lecture (1):
Introduction to Systematics
Presented by:
Dr. Heba El-Sayed El-Henawy
Associate prof. of Microbiology
Botany and Microbiology Department
Faculty of Science-Helwan University
What is the mean of Systematics or
taxonomy?
• The word Systematics means to put together.
• Systematics may be defined as the systematic placing of organisms
into groups or taxa on the basis of certain relationships between
organisms.
• Systematics, or phylogeny, is the study of the evolutionary history of
organisms, and the hierarchy of taxa reflects their evolutionary, or
phylogenetic relationships.
What is Classification?
• Classification is the arrangement of organisms into categories to show
degrees of similarities among organisms
• Classification is also known as taxonomy
• Taxonomists are scientists that identify & name organisms
Benefits of Classification
• Accurately & uniformly names organisms
• Uses same language (Latin or some Greek) for all names
• To facilitate understand and study them
History for classifying living organisms
Carolus Linnaeus 1707 – 1778
• 18th century taxonomist
• Classified organisms by their structure into two kingdoms Plantae
and Animalia.
In 1886, Haeckel suggested a third kingdom, protista, include those
unicellular microorganisms that are typically neither plants nor
animals.
• The protists include bacteria, algae, fungi and protozoa (viruses are
not cellular organisms and therefore are not classified as protists).
Lower protists Bacteria
Higher protists algae, fungi and protozoa
• Later, after discovery of the powerful
magnification of the electron microscope,
definite observations of internal cell
structure were made possible.
• Nuclear substance was discovered in
some cells (bacteria) not enclosed by
nuclear membrane, while in other cells the
nucleus enclosed by a membrane (algae
and fungi).
• These two cell types have designated
prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms.
Prokaryotes And Eukaryotes:-
Prokaryotic – simple cell structure no nucleus or organelles
Eukaryotic – complex cell structure with nucleus and specialized
organelles
Comparison between prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
• Copeland later (1956) proposed a four-kingdom system placing all
eukaryotes other than animals and plants in the kingdom Protista,
thus recognizing four kingdoms Monera, Protista, Plantae and
Animalia.
• In 1969 a more recent system of classification was
proposed by Whittaker.
• He proposed the removal of fungi into a separate kingdom
thus establishing a five-kingdom system recognizing
Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia as distinct
kingdoms.
• The fungi like plants have a distinct cell wall but like
animals lack autotrophic mode of
Whittaker five kingdoms are
Monera Protista Fungi Plantae Animalia
• bacteria • unicellular – • yeast and • Multi- • Multi-
• Cyano- eukaryotic cellular cellular
bacteria microorganism molds;
s mostly are plants animals
• Microalgae and
absorptive higher
which is
photosynthetic algae
• protozoa is
ingestive and
other protists
is absorptive.
The Three Domains (Life domains)
In 1978, Woese proposed elevating the three cell types to a level
above kingdom, called domain.
• The discovery of three cell types was based on the observations that
ribosomes are not the same in all cells. By Comparing the sequences
of nucleotides in ribosomal RNA from different kinds of cells shows that there are
three distinctly different cell groups: the eukaryotes and two different types of
prokaryotes—the bacteria and the archaea.
The 3 domains are:-
Domain 1 Eukarya Animals, plants, fungi and algae.
Domain 2 Bacteria All prokaryotes except archaea.
Domain 3 Archaea Kingdom: archaebacteria
Lack peptidoglycan
Includes prokaryotes that often live-in extreme environments.
include three major groups:
1. Methanogens, produce methane
(CH4) from carbon dioxide and hydrogen
2. Extreme halophiles, which require high concentrations of salt for
survival.
3. Hyperthermophiles, which normally grow in extremely hot
environments.
What about viruses?
Viruses are left out this scheme of classification; and considered
subcellular
WHY???
Because it consists of DNA or RNA surrounded
by a protein coat
Scientific Nomenclature
• Binomial nomenclature system.
• Every organism is assigned two names, or a binomial.
• The genus name (is always capitalized) and specific (species) name (is
lowercase) , and both names are printed underlined or italicized.
• Scientific names are taken from Latin (a genus name can be taken from
Greek).
• Examples:- Streptococcus faecalis or
Streptococcus faecalis
Main Taxonomic pathway
Domain BROADEST TAXON
Kingdom
Phylum (Division – used for plants)
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Most
Specific
22
• A number of species make up a genus, related genera make
up a family. A group of similar families constitutes an
order, and a group of similar orders makes up a class.
Related classes, in turn, make up a phylum.
• All phyla that are related to each other make up a
kingdom, and related kingdoms are grouped into a
domain.
• Suffixes for order is –ales and family is -aceae.
Microorganisms are found in three of the five kingdoms:
• Monera (bacteria and cyanobacteria)
• Protista (microalgae and protozoa)
• Fungi (yeasts and molds)
Bacteria Viruses
Fungi Algae
What is Microbiology?
• Microbiology is the study of living organisms of microscopic
size, include bacteria, fungi, algae, protozoa and viruses.
Importance of microorganisms?
• Microorganisms are closely associated with health and welfare of
human beings; some microorganisms are beneficial and others are
harmful.
• For example, microorganisms are involved in making yogurt, cheese,
in production of antibiotics , alcohol…….etc. Microorganisms can
cause diseases, food spoilage
Distribution of microorganisms
• Microorganisms occur in nearly everywhere in nature.
• They carried by air currents from earth´s surface to upper
atmosphere.
• In bottom of ocean
• In food
• On the surface of our bodies
• In our alimentary tracts, mouths and noses.
Microbiologists may specialize in the study of certain groups of
microorganisms
i.e:
• Bacteriology (study of bacteria)
• Mycology (study of fungi)
• Virology (study of viruses)
• Phycology (study of algae)
• Protozology (study of protozoa)
