Exam 1 Review

Microbiome

A group of microbes that live stably on or in the human body.

Normal microbiota

The collection of acquired microorganisms on or in a healthy human being.

Transient microbiota

Microbiota that colonize the body fleetingly.

Binomial nomenclature

A system where each organism has two names: genus and specific epithet.

Characteristics of Bacteria

Bacteria are prokaryotes with peptidoglycan cell walls that divide via binary fission.

Characteristics of Fungi

Fungi are eukaryotes that have chitin cell walls and absorb organic chemicals for energy.

Characteristics of Algae

Eukaryotes with cellulose cell walls that use photosynthesis for energy, producing oxygen and carbohydrates.

Characteristics of Protozoa

Eukaryotes that absorb or ingest organic chemicals and may be motile via pseudopods, cilia, or flagella.

Characteristics of Virus

Acellular entities with a DNA or RNA core surrounded by a protein coat, replicating only in living host cells.

Biogenesis

The hypothesis that living cells arise only from preexisting living cells.

Spontaneous generation

The hypothesis that life arises from nonliving matter.

Koch's postulates

A series of experimental steps to demonstrate that a specific microbe causes a specific disease.

Final electron acceptor in aerobic respiration

Oxygen.

Final electron acceptor in anaerobic respiration

A molecule other than oxygen.

Enzyme

A biological catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy.

Oxidation

The removal of electrons.

Reduction

The gain of electrons.

Glycolysis

The metabolic pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate, producing a net gain of 2 ATP.

Chemiosmosis

The process of ATP generation from ADP using energy from the electron transport chain.

Osmosis

The net movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane.

Endospore

Resting cells of bacteria that are resistant to desiccation, heat, chemicals, and radiation.

Photoautotrophs

Organisms that use light as an energy source and CO2 as a carbon source.

Neutrophiles

Organisms that grow best between pH 6.5 and 7.5.

Psychrophiles

Cold-loving organisms.

Obligate anaerobes

Organisms unable to use oxygen.

Bacterial growth

An increase in the number of cells, not cell size.

Binary fission

A cell division process used by most bacteria.

BSL-1

Biosafety level 1: no special precautions.

BSL-4

Biosafety level 4: sealed, negative pressure, with HEPA filters, and requires 'space suits' for workers.

Photophosphorylation

The process in photosynthetic cells that converts light energy to ATP.

Metabolism

The sum of all chemical reactions in a cell, including anabolism and catabolism.