Module 2- Bacteria and Archaea

antibiotic

biological substance that, in low concentration, is antagonistic to the growth of prokaryotes

Archaea

domain of life; classified as prokaryotes but more closely related to Eukarya than to Bacteria

bacilli

rod-shape of some prokaryotes

bioremediation

use of microbial metabolism to remove pollutants

binary fission

a form of asexual reproduction in which the DNA of a cell uncoils, duplicates, and moves toward opposite ends of a growing cell before that cell splits into two cells

chemoautotroph

metabolism in which energy is derived from chemical bonds and carbon is derived from inorganic carbon

chemoheterotroph

metabolism in which energy is derived from chemical bonds and carbon is derived from organic carbon

cocci

spherical-shape of some prokaryotes

conjugation

type of horizontal gene transfer in which there is direct transfer by cell-to-cell contact

cyanobacteria

type of bacteria; the first organisms to perform "oxygen producing" photosynthesis

decomposer

organism that carries out the decomposition of dead organisms; role is important in nutrient cycling

emerging diseases

disease making an initial appearance in a population or that is increasing in incidence or geographic range

flagella

a hair-like structure protruding from a cell that is typically used for locomotion

Gram stain

stain that binds to peptidoglycan; used to differentiate Bacteria with peptidoglycan on cell wall surface from other types of prokaryotes

histones

types of proteins that play a roll in organizing DNA

horizontal gene transfer

transfer of genes between unrelated species

LUCA

last universal common ancestor of all living things. likely to have been cellular, use the central dogma, generate ATP, and have organic compounds

metagenomics

method used to classify prokayotic diversity that involves collecting a sample from the environment and generating/analyzing genomic (DNA) or functional (RNA) diversity

nitrogen fixation

process by which gaseous nitrogen is transformed, or "fixed" into more readily available forms such as ammonia

pathogenic

disease causing

peptidoglycan

material composed of polysaccharide chains cross-linked to unusual peptides; found predominantly in cell walls of Bacteria

photoautotroph

metabolism in which energy is derived from light and carbon is derived from inorganic carbon

photoheterotroph

metabolism in which energy is derived from light and carbon is derived from organic carbon

prokaryote

a single-celled organism that lacks organelles and does not have nuclei surrounded by a nuclear membrane

spirilli

spiral-shape of some prokaryote

transduction

type of horizontal gene transfer in which a virus picks up and transfers DNA between cells

transformation

type of horizontal gene transfer in which there is uptake of DNA from the environment