MAB Unit 4 Final Vocab

Microbes

These are organisms too small to be seen with the naked eye that must be viewed with a microscope. They include bacteria, fungi, algae, viruses, and protozoa

Peptidoglycan

This is a substance found in high concentrations within the cell walls of bacteria. It is the primary structure targeted and identified during the process of Gram staining

Gram Staining

This is a technique used to classify bacteria based on their cell wall structure. The process involves the application of crystal violet, iodine, an alcohol wash, and a safranin counterstain

Gram Positive

These bacteria possess a cell wall with a thick layer of peptidoglycan located above the cell membrane. They appear purple or blue under a microscope after the staining process

Gram Negative

These bacteria have a cell wall consisting of a thin layer of peptidoglycan located between an inner cytoplasmic membrane and an outer membrane. They appear pink or red after the staining process

Cocci

This is one of the three common shapes of bacteria, characterized by a spherical or round appearance

Bacilli

This is a common bacterial shape that is rod-like

Spiral

This is a common bacterial shape that is curved or twisted, sometimes referred to as spirilli

Fungi

These are eukaryotic microbes that include organisms such as yeast. They can grow in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions and are used to produce medicines like antibiotics

Thermophile

A type of extremophile microbe that is capable of surviving in conditions of extreme heat

Cellulase

An enzyme produced by microbes like E. coli and A. niger that is used in research and food production

Subtilisin

An enzyme produced by Bacillus subtilis used in laundry detergents to break down proteins

Fusion Proteins

These are recombinant proteins created by attaching the gene for a "tag" protein to the gene for a protein of interest within an expression vector

Affinity Chromatography

A purification method where a cell extract is passed through a column containing plastic beads designed to bind to a specific "tag" protein

Luciferase

An enzyme, such as those produced by the lux genes in Vibrio bacteria, that produces light. It is frequently used as a "tag" protein in biotechnology

Reporter Genes

These are genes, such as the lux genes, used to indicate the presence or expression of other genes by producing a measurable signal like light

Fermentation

An anaerobic process used by microbes to break down glucose for ATP in the absence of oxygen. It produces various byproducts including lactic acid, ethanol, and acetic acid

Antibiotics

These are substances that occur naturally in some microbes to inhibit the growth of other microbes

Pathogen

A microbe that causes disease

Phage Therapy

A treatment method that uses bacteriophages to infect and kill bacteria that have developed resistance to multiple antibiotics

Vaccine

A biological preparation used to treat or prevent diseases caused by pathogens

Antibody

Proteins produced by the immune system to respond to and help eliminate foreign substances

Antigen

A foreign substance that stimulates the body's immune system to produce an immune response

Plasma Cell

A type of B-lymphocyte that is responsible for secreting antibodies

Memory Cell

A type of B-lymphocyte that remains in the body to recognize and respond to specific antigens if they are encountered again years later

T Cell

Also known as T-lymphocytes, these white blood cells provide cell-mediated immunity and help B cells recognize and respond to antigens

B Cell

Also known as B-lymphocytes, these cells recognize and bind to antigens; they can eventually become plasma cells or memory cells

Helper T Cell

A specific type of T cell (Th cell) that assists in activating B cells and coordinating the cellular immune response

Cytotoxic T Cell

A type of T cell (Tc cell) that is involved in the cellular response by killing infected cells

Macrophage

A type of white blood cell (leukocyte) that destroys antigens once they have been coated with antibodies

Apoptosis

This term is not explicitly defined in the provided sources, though the sources do illustrate the "killing of infected cells" by the immune system

Phagocytosis

The process used by macrophages to engulf and destroy foreign antigens

Subunit Vaccine

A vaccine created by injecting only specific portions of a virus or bacteria, such as proteins or lipids, to induce an immune response without the risk of the microbe reproducing

Attenuated Vaccine

A vaccine that uses live bacteria or viruses that have been weakened or altered so they cannot replicate after being injected

Inactivated Vaccine

A vaccine made by injecting a dead or inactive version of a microorganism

DNA/RNA Based Vaccine

These vaccines provide cells with genetic instructions (in the form of DNA or mRNA) to produce a specific protein that the immune system will then recognize as an antigen

Microbial Genome Project

(Referred to as the Microbial Genome Program or MGP) A scientific initiative to sequence the genomes of various microbes, beginning with H. influenzae in 1995

Microbial Diagnostics

The application of molecular techniques, such as PCR and DNA sequencing, to detect and identify specific bacteria

RFLP

Standing for Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism, this is a molecular technique used for the detection and identification of bacteria

CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which collaborated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to create the PulseNet database

PulseNet

A database and network that uses DNA fingerprinting to identify and track potential disease outbreaks

Bioterrorism

The intentional use of biological materials as weapons to cause harm to humans, or the animals and plants used for food

Bioweapons

Specific pathogens, such as Anthrax, Smallpox, or Ebola, that are utilized as biological weapons