Module 1 Review Quiz (16 questions), BIOD 171, Portage Learning test questions and answers

Microbiology is the study of what?

My answer: Microbiology is the study of microorganisms and their biological processes at what is called the "micro" or "microscopic" level.

Answer Key: Microbiology is the study of microbes (microorganisms and viruses) and their biological processes.

What is the smallest biological unit of life?

the cell

What is a macromolecule?

My answer: Macromolecules are large and complicated molecules that are made up of smaller molecules. Examples of macromolecules are polysaccharides, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins.

More info:

- Proteins are made up of amino acids (of which there are 20 different types).

- Nucleic Acids can be either DNA or RNA. Nucleic acids are made up of nucleotides. For DNA, the nucleotides are adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C) and thymine (T). For RNA, the nucleotides are adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C) and uracil (U).

- Lipids are made up of hydrocarbons.

- Polysaccharides are made up of monosaccharides.

Answer Key: A macromolecule is classified as a complex molecule that is composed from smaller subunits.

What are the four main types of macromolecules?

My answer: polysaccharides, lipids, nucleic acids, proteins

Answer Key: Proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and polysaccharides

What various functions do proteins have in a cell?

My Answer:

Proteins have several functions in the cell;

1. To assist materials in moving in and out of the cell

2. To act as a catalyst enzyme which speeds up a biochemical process

3. To provide structure in the cell

4. To enable movement (e.g. filaments)

Answer Key: Proteins may facilitate the movement of materials in or out of a cell. Some can act as enzymes that catalyze, or speed up, biochemical processes. Others play a structural role while other proteins, such as filaments, enable movement.

What are the two major types of nucleic acids and their roles?

My Answer: The two major types of nucleic acids and their roles are as follows;

1. DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid

DNA is located in the nucleus of the cell. DNA's role in the cell is to store hereditary information.

2. RNA: Ribonucleic acid

RNA is located in nucleus as well, but can also travel outside of the nucleus into other parts of the cell.

Answer Key: There are two major types of nucleic acids: DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid). Nucleic acids are chemical molecules that carry genetic information within the cell. DNA contains a vast amount of hereditary information and is responsible for the inheritable characteristics of living organisms. RNA is responsible for deciphering the hereditary information in DNA and using it to synthesize proteins.

What is the plasma membrane, and what is it made up of?

My answer: The plasma membrane, as the outer portion of the cell, serves to contain and protect the cell's cytoplasmic space from outside elements. It's semipermeable which means it has the ability to allow only certain substances to pass through.

The plasma membrane is a lipid bilayer made up of phospholipids. One layer has its hydrophilic heads pointed to the outside of the cell, with hydrophobic tails inside the cell membrane. The second later has its hydrophilic heads pointed to the inside of the cell, with the hydrophobic tails inside the cell membrane as well. Essentially, the hydrophobic tails are pointed toward each other (touching neither the outside nor inside of the cell) with the outer hydrophilic heads pointing outside the cell and the inner hydrophilic heads pointing inside the cell.

Answer Key: The plasma membrane serves the cell as a surrounding barrier that separates the inside of the cell from the outside surrounding environment. The plasma membrane also restricts the movement of materials (water, nutrients, etc) either in or out of the cell, thus allowing a cells to absorb and keep what is needed (influx) while also preventing the escape (out flux) of essential nutrients. The plasma membrane is composed of lipids (hydrophobic hydrocarbons).

What are the three main components of polysaccharides?

My Answer: Polysaccharides are made up of monosaccharides. The three main components are carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in varying amounts of each one.

Answer Key:

Polysaccharides are composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Examples would include, C6H12O6 (glucose) C12H22O11 (sucrose) and C6H10O5 (cellulose).

What is the primary difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

My answer: There are a lot of differences between prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells, but the biggest one is that the eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus while prokaryotic cells do not. Eukaryotic cells also possess other membrane-bound organelles which prokaryotic cells do not possess.

Answer Key: Eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus, a membrane enclosed region within the cell that contains the genetic material. Prokaryotic cells do not have a nucleus and can be further classified as either Bacteria or Archaea.

What are the main morphologies of bacteria?

My answer: The main morphologies of bacteria are coccus, bacillus, vibrio, and spirillum.

Answer Key: Bacteria can be described as coccus (round/spherical), bacillus (rod), vibrio (curved rod) or spirillum (spiral/corkscrew).

Which group (classification) of microbes is noted for its ability to survive under harsh conditions?

My answer: Archaea is known for its ability to surviver under harsh conditions.

Answer Key:Archaea. They are able to survive in extremely harsh environmental conditions such as high salt levels, acid conditions, high temperatures and oxygen-poor conditions.

What are the four main classifications of Eukarya?

My Answer: The four main classifications of Eukarya are Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, and Protista.

Answer Key: Eukaryotic microorganisms are classified as either belonging to Animalia, Plantae, Fungi or Protista.

Can viruses be classified as either prokaryotic or eukaryotic?

My answer: No, viruses can be classified as neither prokaryotic nor eukaryotic.

Answer Key: No. Viruses are considered neither prokaryotic nor eukaryotic. Viruses are not considered living and do not replicate on their own, meaning they must replicate within a host.

The lipid bilayer of the plasma membrane is composed of what?

My Answer: The lipid bilayer made up of phospholipids. One layer has its hydrophilic heads pointed to the outside of the cell, with hydrophobic tails inside the cell membrane. The second later has its hydrophilic heads pointed to the inside of the cell, with the hydrophobic tails inside the cell membrane as well. Essentially, the hydrophobic tails are pointed toward each other (touching neither the outside nor inside of the cell) with the outer hydrophilic heads pointing outside the cell and the inner hydrophilic heads pointing inside the cell.

Answer Key: The cell membrane is a bilayer composed primarily of amphipathic phospholipids, meaning they contain a polar hydrophilic (water loving) head group and a non-polar hydrophobic (water fearing) tail region. The lipid bilayer is situated in such a way where the non-polar tail groups face inward thus orienting the polar head groups to interact with water both outside and inside of the cell.

What are the primary cellular organelles described in this module? Be sure to know the roles of each.

My answer: The primary cellular organelles described in this module are; nucleus, ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi complex, lysosomes, mitochondria, and chloroplasts.

Answer Key: Ribosomes (protein synthesis), ER (site of protein synthesis), Golgi (protein modification and distribution), lysosomes (waste disposal), mitochondria (ATP generation) and chloroplasts (plants only; site of photosynthesis).

Be able to identify the primary organelles within a cell as shown in Figures 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6.

My answer: I don't see a visual to label for the purpose of this quiz, so I am not sure how to answer this question. I will list the options here:

Figure 1.4 contains; Pili, DNA, Ribosomes, Flagellum, Plasma Membrane, Cell Wall

Figure 1.5 contains; lysosome, cytoplasm, mitochondrion, ribosome, rough endoplasmic reticulum, plasma membrane, cell coat, nucleus, nucleolus, chromatin, nuclear pore, nuclear envelope, golgi body, centriole, free ribosome, smooth endoplasmic reticulum.

Figure 1.6 contains; golgi apparatus, rough ER, nucleus, nuclear envelope, nuclear pore, ribosomes, smooth ER, secretory vesicle, lysosome, plasma membrane

Answer Key: