How Vaccines and Bacteria Work

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts relating to vaccines, bacteria, and their biological processes.

Vaccine

A biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease.

Herd immunity

The protection of a population from an infectious disease when a significant portion is vaccinated.

Antibodies

Proteins produced by the immune system to identify and neutralize pathogens like bacteria and viruses.

Immunisation

The process by which a person becomes protected against a disease through vaccination.

Bacteriophage

Viruses that infect and replicate only in bacterial cells.

Binary fission

A method of asexual reproduction in bacteria where a parent cell divides into two daughter cells.

Plasmid

A small, circular strand of DNA present in bacteria that is separate from the chromosomal DNA.

Peptidoglycan

A polymer that forms a structural component of the bacterial cell wall, providing rigidity.

Antibiotic

A medicine that inhibits the growth of or destroys bacteria.

Cultivation (in microbiology)

The process of growing microorganisms in a controlled environment.

Lactobacillus bulgaricus

A bacterium used in the production of yogurt by fermenting lactose.

Fungi

A group of spore-producing organisms feeding on organic matter, including molds and mushrooms.

Pathogen

Any microorganism that can cause disease.

Cytoplasm

The gel-like substance within a bacterial cell where metabolic reactions occur.

Nucleoid

The region within a bacterial cell where the DNA is located, not membrane-bound.

Flagellum

A tail-like structure that enables bacteria to move.