Microbial Life and Virus Overview

This flashcard set covers the characteristics, reproduction, and environmental roles of viruses, bacteria, archaea, protists, and fungi as outlined in the lecture notes.

Virus

Nonliving, obligate, intracellular parasites.

Capsid

The first of the four main structural parts of a virus.

Host cell hijacking

A process where a virus attaches to a cell, injects genetic material, and forces the cell to produce viral parts.

Budding

An exit process where viruses push their way out of a host, taking the host's membrane with them.

Antiviral Med

Medications that inhibit development and are used to treat infections such as HIV.

Thermophiles

Organisms within the Kingdom Archaea that excel in hot environments.

Peptidoglycan

A substance that Archaea lack in their cell walls compared to other bacteria.

Taxis

Bacterial movement in response to a stimulus.

Coccus/Cocci

Bacteria that are spherical in shape.

Bacillus/Bacilli

Bacteria that are ‘rod’ shaped.

Spirillum/Spirilla

Spiral-shaped bacteria, also referred to as ‘spirochetes.’

Gram+

Bacteria with simple cell walls that absorb the stain.

Gram-

Bacteria with complex cell walls that do not absorb the stain.

Saprobes

Decomposers that keep nutrients cycling through the environment; a role of bioremediators.

Nitrogen Fixation

The process of converting nitrogen gas into a form plants can absorb so it can be passed up the food chain.

Bioremediation

A cleanup process using living organisms.

Phototrophs

Organisms that use light for energy.

Pathogens

Disease causing bacteria or fungi.

Pasteurization

The process of heating to kill pathogenic bacteria.

Refrigeration

The process of cooling to prevent bacterial growth and spoilage.

Antibiotics

Medications that inhibit or destroy bacteria.

Pseudopodia

Structures used by an amoeba for movement.

Cilia

Hair-like structures that cover Paramecium and help them move.

Plasmodium

A material parasite passed by the bite of an Anopheles mosquito.

Dinoflagellates

A type of plankton living in water that can cause red tides due to rapid growth.

Red tides

Algae blooms that turn the water reddish or brown.

Chitin

The material that makes up the cell walls of fungi.

Yeast

The unicellular exception in the mostly multicellular Kingdom Fungi.

Hyphae

Tiny, tube-like structures that grow and spread, forming the main body of fungi.

Mycorrhizae

Symbiotic relationships formed between fungi and plant roots.