Lecture 3Microbial Biotechnology & Microbiomes Review FC

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from the 'Intro Biotechnology Lecture 3: Microbial Biotechnology Microbiomes Review' notes, including bacterial characteristics, genetic elements, biotechnology processes, and applications.

Bacteria

Single celled prokaryotic organisms, most can be gram stained.

Gram-positive bacteria

Bacteria that appear purple after gram staining.

Gram-negative bacteria

Bacteria that appear pink/red after gram staining, have a thinner peptidoglycan layer, and two phospholipid bilayers.

Bacteriophages

Viruses that infect bacteria.

Lytic (bacteriophages)

Bacteriophages that result in cell lysis.

Lysogenic (bacteriophages)

Bacteriophages that result in gene transfer by integrating into the host chromosome.

Bacterial Cell

Prokaryotic, lacking a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, with a cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm, and genetic material in a nucleoid region.

Cell wall (bacteria)

A structure made of peptidoglycan, differing from the cell envelope, thinner in gram-negative bacteria.

Peptidoglycan

The material that makes up the bacterial cell wall.

Nucleoid

Region consisting of circular ds-DNA and some associated proteins, where the bacterial genome is located.

Plasmids

Almost always circular DNA loops that replicate independently; frequently code for genes conferring antibiotic resistance, toxins, or virulence factors.

Restriction Endonucleases

Naturally occurring defense mechanisms against foreign DNA, often called "molecular scissors" used for molecular cloning, forensics, and paternity testing.

Gene Cloning

Uses restriction endonucleases to form recombinant DNA molecules and allow the production of high purity biologicals for medicine.

Recombinant DNA molecules

DNA molecules formed by gene cloning using restriction endonucleases.

Fermentation (Biochemistry)

An anaerobic process that generates energy by the breakdown of organic compounds.

Fermentation (Industrial Biotechnology)

Any large scale growth of bacteria or fungi for the purpose of producing a desired end product.

Continuous Fermentation

A type of fermentation where culture is continuously replenished, and cells or products are collected over time.

Batch Fermentation

A type of fermentation where cells, products, and culture medium are collected after the fermentation process is terminated.

Solid Substrate Fermentation

A type of fermentation where microbes are grown on a non-submerged solid substrate.

Single-Cell Protein

Protein derived from a single pure culture, characterized by a very high protein content.

Recombinant insulin (Humulin)

Human recombinant insulin produced in yeast cells, consisting of two peptide chains linked by a disulfide bridge, replacing animal-derived insulin.

Hepatitis B vaccine (Recombivax)

A noninfectious subunit vaccine where the gene for Hepatitis B surface antigen is cloned into yeast cells, cultured via fermentation, and purified.

Antibiotics

Substances, often from Streptomyces species, whose synthesis can be enhanced by combining genes for multiple pathways using recombinant DNA technology.

Streptomyces

A gram-positive soil bacterium known for being a major source of antibiotics.

Temperatate bacteriophages (Lysogenic)

Bacteriophages that may integrate into the host chromosome and remain indefinitely.

Ice-Nucleating Bacteria

Bacteria that facilitate the formation of ice crystals within and between cells of frost-sensitive plants due to the Ina (Ice) gene product.

Ina (Ice) gene product

The gene product responsible for ice nucleating activity in bacteria.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)

A gram-positive, spore-forming, soil bacterium whose sporulating cells produce insecticidal crystal proteins (ICPs).

Insecticidal Crystal Proteins (ICPs) / Bt toxin

Proteins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis that are toxic to specific insects after being activated in the insect midgut at alkaline pH.

Bt – Mechanism of Killing

Insect ingests Bt crystals and spores, toxin binds to specific receptors disrupting the gut wall, allowing spores and gut bacteria to enter and proliferate, leading to insect death.

Baculoviruses

Insect-specific DNA viruses that are ingested by insects, replicate in the nucleus, cause cell lysis, and tissue damage, leading to insect death.

Baculoviruses as Biopesticides

Insect-specific DNA viruses used to control insect populations, with potential for enhanced host range and toxicity through recombinant DNA.

Bioremediation

The use of genetically engineered bacteria for environmental applications such as oil spills, wastewater treatment, chemical degradation, and heavy metal removal.

Pseudomonas syringae

A type of bacteria known for its role in limiting frost damage in plants (likely the Ice- variety).