Microbiology: Bacteria and Viruses

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering bacterial structure, metabolism, morphology, symbiotic relationships, and viral characteristics and infection cycles.

Microbiology

The study of all microscopic living organisms, including bacteria and viruses.

Asexual Reproduction

Reproduction involving no DNA shared and $1$ parent, which produces identical clones.

Sexual Reproduction

Reproduction where DNA is shared between $2$ parents, producing unique offspring.

Bacteriophage (phage)

A virus that targets bacteria; literally translates to "bacteria eater" and is very useful for research purposes.

Viral Specificity

The property that specific viruses can only infect specific types of cells because capsid proteins match cell membrane receptors like a lock and key.

Vaccination

A weakened or interactive form of a virus that allows the immune system to recognize marker proteins and build antibodies to destroy the specific virus.

Obligate Intracellular Parasite

An entity, such as a virus, that requires entering and reproducing inside a host cell to persist and survive.

Genetic Injection

A mechanism of viral infection where a virus lands on a host cell and injects its genome directly into the cell.

Endocytosis (Viral Entry)

A mechanism where viral marker proteins trick the host cell into engulfing the virus by making it appear as food or a useful particle.

Membrane Fusion

A mechanism where a viral envelope composed of cell membrane from a previous host merges with the new host cell membrane.

Lytic Cycle

A viral reproductive cycle where viral components are synthesized, assembled, and new viral particles escape by lysing (breaking open and killing) the host cell.

Lysogenic Cycle

A viral cycle where viral DNA integrates into the host genome, remaining latent and passing on to daughter cells during cell reproduction until activated.

Prophage

The viral genome integrated into the bacterial host genome that is copied and passed on every time the bacterial cell reproduces.

Bacteria

Prokaryotic organisms that lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, classified into Domain Archaea and Domain Bacteria.

Plasmid

A specialized ring of DNA found in bacteria separate from the nucleoid.

Nucleoid

The region in a bacterial cell that contains the bacterial DNA instead of a membrane-bound nucleus.

Capsule

An outer protective structure found on some bacteria that provides protection and prevents water loss.

Flagella

A long whip-like structure used by bacteria for locomotion and movement.

Obligate Aerobe

An organism that requires the presence of oxygen to carry out cellular respiration.

Obligate Anaerobe

An organism that requires the absence of oxygen to carry out cellular respiration.

Facultative Aerobe

An organism that is mostly anaerobic but retains the ability to be aerobic.

Facultative Anaerobe

An organism that is mostly aerobic but retains the ability to be anaerobic.

Saprotrophic

A heterotrophic nutrition strategy involving external digestion and nutrient absorption, characteristic of decomposer bacteria.

Mutualistic Symbiosis

A symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit, such as nitrogen-fixing bacteria and legumes.

Commensalistic Symbiosis

A symbiotic relationship where one party benefits and the other party is unaffected, such as bacteria living on human skin.

Parasitic Symbiosis

A symbiotic relationship where one party benefits and the other party is harmed, such as disease-causing bacteria.

Cocci (Coccus)

Round-shaped bacterial cells, such as Streptococcus.

Bacilli (Bacillus)

Rod-shaped bacterial cells.

Spirilli (Spirillum)

Spiral-shaped bacterial cells.