Sporulation and Toxins

Flashcards reviewing key vocabulary and concepts related to sporulation, toxins, and DNA replication in bacteria.

Sporulation

The process of creating endospores.

Endospores

Dormant state for bacteria to survive harsh conditions (temperature, moisture, energy sources).

Vegetative Cells

Growing, replicating, and dividing bacterial cells.

Spore Coat

Outer layer of the spore that prevents gram stain from reaching the peptidoglycan.

Spore Wall

A layer inside the spore coat containing peptidoglycan.

Core (of spore)

Contains DNA, ribosomes, and glycolytic enzymes necessary for future metabolic activity.

Bacillus and Clostridium

Examples of bacteria genera known to form endospores.

Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite)

Effective agent to kill endospores, typically used in a diluted form (e.g., 1:1000).

Autoclaving

Sterilization method using high-pressure steam at 121 degrees Celsius for at least 15 minutes.

Exotoxins

Proteins produced and excreted by bacteria that act at specific sites on the cell.

Endotoxins

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) molecules found in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria.

Nucleotide

Composed of a phosphate, a deoxyribose sugar, and a nitrogenous base (cytosine, thymine, adenine, guanine).

DNA Polymerase III

Enzyme that adds nucleotides to the complementary nucleotide on the template strand during DNA replication.

DNA Helicase (DNA B)

Enzyme that opens the replication fork during DNA synthesis.

DNA Ligase I

Connects the Okazaki fragments.

Okazaki Fragments

Short DNA fragments on the lagging strand; not fully connected.

DNA Polymerase I and II

Enzymes that make repairs during the replication process.