Prokaryotic Diversity Lecture Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the major groups of Bacteria and Archaea, photosynthesis types, and Gram-stain characteristics based on the lecture notes.

Prokaryotic Domain Similarities

Both Bacteria and Archaea are unicellular, lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, have one circular chromosome, contain $70S$ ribosomes, and may contain plasmids.

Domain Bacteria Cell Wall

Contains peptidoglycan and has bacterial rRNA sequences.

Domain Archaea Cell Wall

Contains pseudopeptidoglycan (pseudomurein) and has archaeal rRNA sequences.

Gram-positive bacteria

Characterized by a thick peptidoglycan layer and no outer membrane.

Gram-negative bacteria

Characterized by a thin peptidoglycan layer and the presence of an outer membrane.

Alphaproteobacteria

A group of Proteobacteria that thrive in low nutrient environments.

Rickettsia

An obligate intracellular parasite in the class Alphaproteobacteria transmitted by an arthropod vector.

Chlamydia

An obligate intracellular parasite in the class Alphaproteobacteria transmitted by direct contact or respiratory droplets.

Coxiella

An obligate intracellular parasite in the class Alphaproteobacteria transmitted through the air or contaminated milk.

Betaproteobacteria

A group of Proteobacteria that thrive in high nutrient environments, such as Nesseria.

Gammaproteobacteria

A major group of Proteobacteria that includes human pathogens like Pseudomonas and Vibrio, as well as enteric bacteria.

Deltaproteobacteria

A group of Proteobacteria characterized as sulfate reducers, such as Desulvibrio.

Epsilonproteobacteria

A group of Proteobacteria characterized as microaerophiles, such as Helicobacter.

Spirochetes

Spiral-shaped non-proteobacteria Gram-negative organisms, including Treponema, Borrelia, and Leptospira.

Anoxygenic photosynthesis

A process that oxidizes sulfur compounds instead of water, does not release oxygen, and is performed by purple and green sulfur bacteria.

Oxygenic photosynthesis

A process that oxidizes water and releases oxygen, as performed by Cyanobacteria.

Heterocysts

Specialized cells used for nitrogen fixation found in many Cyanobacteria.

Low $G:C$ concentration bacteria

Gram-positive bacteria grouped by a low relative amount of guanine and cytosine, such as Clostridium and Bacillus.

Clostridium

A genus of Low $G:C$ Gram-positive bacteria that includes endospore-forming obligate anaerobes like C. botulinum, C. tetani, and C. perfringins.

Bacillus

A genus of Low $G:C$ Gram-positive bacteria that are endospore-forming aerobes, such as B. anthracis and B. theringiensis.

High $G:C$ concentration bacteria

Gram-positive bacteria grouped by a high relative amount of guanine and cytosine, including Actinomyces, Corynebacterium, Mycobacterium, Propionibacterium, and Streptomyces.

Sulfolobus

A member of Domain Archaea that oxidizes sulfur compounds to generate energy.

Methanogens

Obligate anaerobe Archaea, such as Methanobacterium, that produce methane gas by reducing carbon compounds or carbonates.

Halobacteria

Halophiles within Domain Archaea, such as Halobacterium, that live in highly saline (high salt) environments.