Biology Review: Prokaryotes, Fungi, and Protists

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lectures on Prokaryotes, Fungi, and Protists.

Eukaryotes

Organisms that possess nuclei and membrane-bound organelles.

Protists

Eukaryotic organisms that are not animals, plants, or fungi, which can be unicellular or multicellular and exhibit extreme diversity.

Kelp

A brown algae (not a plant) that forms vast underwater forests and serves as a primary ingredient in dashi, the base of miso soup.

Pyropia

A red algae that becomes nori when dried and is used to wrap sushi and onigiri.

Plasmodium

A single-celled protist responsible for malaria.

Malaria

A disease caused by a protist, transmitted by mosquitoes, and responsible for approximately 500,000 deaths per year, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa.

Sickle-Cell Anemia

A condition caused by a genetic mutation that turns red blood cells from round to sickle-shaped, impairing oxygen delivery while conferring resistance to malaria infection.

Naegleria

An ameba that can penetrate the nasal mucosa and migrate to the brain, causing primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).

Fungi

Spore-producing eukaryotic organisms characterized by chitin-based cell walls, including molds, mushrooms, and yeasts.

Chitin

A structural carbohydrate found in the cell walls of fungi.

Spore

A microscopic cell or reproductive unit capable of developing into a new individual without combining with another cell.

Mushroom

The fruiting body of a fungus, representing a small fraction of the overall fungal structure.

Mycelium

The underground vegetative network of a fungus located beneath the soil.

Fairy Ring

A circular formation of mushrooms growing above soil caused by the subterranean mycelium expanding outward in a circle or oval.

Budding

A mode of asexual reproduction common in yeast where a daughter cell emerges from the parent cell and cytoplasm divides.

Decomposer

An organism, such as a fungus or bacterium, that breaks down and consumes dead organic material, recycling nutrients into the environment.

Yeast

Single-celled fungi utilized extensively in baking and fermentation that convert carbohydrates into carbon dioxide and ethanol.

Destroying Angels

A group of extremely toxic mushrooms found in deciduous forests that destroy the liver and kidneys, where half a mushroom is lethal.

Mycosis

A general term for fungal diseases in humans, such as thrush, yeast infections, and athlete's foot.

Penicillium

A genus of mold from which the antibacterial compound penicillin was discovered and isolated.

Psilocybin

A compound produced by certain mushrooms that exerts psychoactive effects in the body and shows therapeutic potential for PTSD.

Prokaryotes

Unicellular organisms, including bacteria and archaea, that lack a membrane-bound nucleus or membrane-bound organelles.

Food

A nutritious substance ingested by organisms to maintain life.

Fermentation

An anaerobic biochemical process that extracts energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen.

SCOBY

An acronym for a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast used in fermentation processes.

Lactic Acid Fermentation

An anaerobic metabolic process converting glucose into lactic acid, yielding a distinct sour flavor.

Lactobacillus

A key genus of fermenting bacteria responsible for converting sugars into lactic acid in various foods.

Disease

A disorder of structure or function in an organism, characterized by a known cause and a distinct set of symptoms.

Extracellular Bacterial Pathogens

Pathogenic bacteria that multiply outside host cells and secrete harmful toxins into the surrounding tissue.

E. coli

An extracellular bacterial pathogen commonly transmitted through raw ground beef or unpasteurized dairy.

Intracellular Bacterial Pathogens

Pathogenic bacteria that enter host cells to survive, secretes toxins, and destroy host cells by inducing apoptosis.

Salmonella

An intracellular bacterial pathogen associated with undercooked poultry, eggs, produce, unpasteurized milk, and reptiles.

Endotoxins

Lipid- and sugar-based toxins contained within bacterial membranes that are released only when the bacterial cell undergoes lysis, potentially causing septic shock.

Exotoxins

Protein-based toxins synthesized and secreted by active bacteria as a defense mechanism, such as Botulinum toxin.

Primary Prevention

Public health or medical interventions aimed at preventing the onset of disease before it occurs, including pasteurization and hand washing.

Secondary Prevention

Interventions focused on mitigating disease impact by detecting and treating infections early, such as antibiotic therapy.

Tertiary Prevention

Medical management focused on controlling long-term effects and chronic complications of established diseases.

Pasteurization

A primary prevention method invented by Louis Pasteur in the 1860s involving controlled heating and cooling of liquids to eliminate pathogens without compromising nutritional value.

Antibiotics

Antimicrobial compounds specifically active against bacterial infections, utilized as a secondary prevention measure.

Microbiome

The complex ecosystem of microorganisms residing in or on the human body that aids in digestion and provides defense against pathogens.