BioLAB Quiz 2

Vocabulary flashcards covering taxonomy, characteristics, media, colony morphology, and Gram staining for Burkholderia thailandensis.

Burkholderia thailandensis

A model bacterial organism in the phylum Pseudomonadeta and class Betaproteobacteria that is bacillus (rod-shaped), motile, obligate aerobic, and rarely pathogenic in humans.

Pseudomonadeta

The taxonomic phylum to which Burkholderia thailandensis belongs.

Betaproteobacteria

The taxonomic class of Burkholderia thailandensis.

B. mallei and B. pseudomallei

More virulent, pathogenic species closely related to Burkholderia thailandensis.

L-arabinose Assimilation

A key functional characteristic that differentiates Burkholderia thailandensis from its pathogenic relatives B. mallei and B. pseudomallei.

Polar Flagella

Structures formed by motile Burkholderia thailandensis cells that enhance chronic infections.

Obligate Aerobes

Organisms that require oxygen to survive and grow, such as Burkholderia thailandensis.

Agar

A substance used as a solidifying agent in solid culture media.

B. thailandensis Incubation Temperature

The standard temperature at which Burkholderia thailandensis is typically incubated, which is $37\,^\circ\text{C}$.

Luria Agar (LA) and Luria Broth (LB)

Common media types used in the laboratory for bacterial growth and culturing.

Colony

A visible mass formed when a single parent cell replicates on solid media.

Whole Colony Shape

A physical property used for colony identification, with examples including Round, Irregular, and Rhizoid.

Margin Shape

A physical property describing the edge of a colony, with examples including Smooth, Lobate, and Filamentous.

Elevation

A physical property describing the profile height of a colony, with examples including Convex, Umbonate, and Flat.

Optical Properties

Light-transmitting characteristics of a colony used for identification, such as Opaque or Translucent.

Surface Characteristics

Physical exterior properties of a colony used for identification, such as Dull, Shiny, or Wrinkled.

Bacterial Water Content

Bacterial cells are $90\%$ water, making them difficult to see under a microscope without stains to create contrast.

Primary Stain (Gram Staining)

Crystal violet, which stains all bacterial cells purple.

Mordant (Gram Staining)

Iodine, which forms a complex with crystal violet dye to increase its retention in cells.

Decolorizer (Gram Staining)

Ethanol, which removes stain from Gram-negative cells.

Counterstain (Gram Staining)

Safranin, which stains Gram-negative cells pink.

Gram-Positive Cells

Cells that retain the primary stain during Gram staining and appear dark purple under the microscope.

Gram-Negative Cells

Cells that are decolorized and take up the counterstain during Gram staining, appearing pink/red under the microscope.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Microscope