Fecal Matter and Microbiome Transfers

This array of flashcards covers significant vocabulary terms and concepts from the provided biology lecture notes, focusing on fecal microbiome transfers, antibiotics, genetic diversity, and molecular biology.

Fecal microbiome transfer

The process of transferring fecal matter from a healthy donor into a sick patient to restore health by re-establishing a healthy microbiome.

Microbiome

A community of microorganisms that inhabit a particular environment, particularly the gut, and play a crucial role in health.

C. Diff

Clostridium difficile, a bacterium causing severe diarrhea and other intestinal issues, often due to antibiotic use.

Antibiotic resistance

The ability of bacteria to survive the effects of drugs that once killed them or inhibited their growth.

Biopharmaceutical

A product produced from living organisms or contain components of living organisms, often used as a medicinal product.

Selection pressure

Environmental factors that influence which individuals in a population survive and reproduce, leading to changes in the composition of the population.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that can affect genetic information and organism traits.

Genetic diversity

The total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species, crucial for adaptation and survival.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or a particular habitat or ecosystem, including diversity at the ecosystem, species, and genetic levels.

Keystone species

A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.

Ligase

An enzyme that connects DNA fragments by forming covalent bonds, essential for DNA replication and repair.

Okazaki fragments

Short sequences of DNA synthesized discontinuously on the lagging strand during DNA replication.

DNA polymerase

An enzyme that synthesizes new strands of DNA by adding nucleotides complementary to the template strand.

Primase

An enzyme that synthesizes short RNA primers to initiate DNA replication.

Phosphodiester bond

A covalent bond in which a phosphate group links the sugars of two nucleotides, forming a strand of DNA or RNA.

Helicase

An enzyme that unwinds and separates the double-stranded DNA by breaking hydrogen bonds between bases.