Clinical Bacteriology 1: Microbial Taxonomy Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the fundamentals of microbial taxonomy, bacterial cell structures, morphological classifications, and modern identification methods.

Microbial Taxonomy

The science of classifying, identifying, and naming microorganisms, providing a systematic framework to study their relationships, characteristics, and evolutionary history.

Bacteriology

A subdivision of microbiology that deals with the study of bacteria, which are unicellular organisms that lack a nuclear membrane and a true nucleus.

Prokaryotic Cells

Cells that do not have a true nucleus.

Eukaryotic Cell

Cells that have a true nucleus.

Cell Wall

A rigid outer layer, typically made of peptidoglycan, that provides structural support and shape to the cell.

Peptidoglycan

A unique mesh-like polymer of sugars and amino acids that forms the essential cell wall of most bacteria, providing structural integrity and protection against osmotic pressure.

Capsule / Glycocalyx

A slippery, outer layer of some bacteria that provides protection and helps in attachment.

Cytoplasmic Membrane

Located inside the cell wall, this structure regulates the passage of substances into and out of the cell.

Cytoplasm

The jelly-like substance that fills the cell, in which all other internal components are suspended.

Nucleoid

An irregularly shaped region within the cytoplasm that contains the bacterial cell’s circular DNA, its main genetic material.

Ribosomes

Small organelles responsible for protein synthesis.

Plasmids

Small, circular, extra-chromosomal DNA molecules that carry genes for specific functions, such as antibiotic resistance.

Flagella

Whip-like appendages that provide motility, allowing the bacteria to move.

Pili / Fimbriae

Hair-like appendages that help the bacteria attach to surfaces or other cells.

Cocci

Spherical or oval bacteria (singular: Coccus).

Bacilli

Rod-shaped bacteria (singular: Bacillus).

Coccobacilli

Very short rods that can sometimes almost be mistaken for cocci (singular: Coccobacillus).

Fusiform

Rod-shaped bacteria having tapered ends.

Vibrios

Bacteria that are characteristically comma-shaped.

Spirilla

Rigid, spiral-shaped bacteria.

Spirochetes

Flexible and undulating, spiral-shaped bacteria.

Coagulase Test

A biochemical test that determines the ability of bacteria to convert fibrinogen into fibrin.

DNA-DNA Hybridization

A genotypic method that measures genomic similarity by assessing the extent of strand re-annealing between DNA of different organisms.

$16S\,rRNA$ Sequencing

Identifies and classifies microbes by analyzing conserved genetic regions, enabling precise phylogenetic placement and differentiation at the species level.

Whole Genome Sequencing

Analyzes the entire genetic material of microbes to provide high-resolution data for identification, evolutionary relationships, and functional insights.