Bacteria and Viruses

Flashcards covering the topic of Bacteria and Viruses

Archae

Prokaryotes that live in extreme environments and may be the ancestors of eukaryotes.

Eubacteria

Very diverse bacteria composed of many different species; cell walls contain peptidoglycan.

Heterotroph (Dependent)

organisms that obtain energy from other living things

Autotroph (Independent)

Independent organisms that make their own usable energy

Chemo-

Uses the energy from organic molecules for life processes

Photo-

Uses light energy for life processes

Obligate Aerobes

Requires oxygen for life processes.

Obligate Anaerobes

Requires no oxygen for life processes.

Facultative anaerobes

Can function with or without oxygen.

Decomposers and Nitrogen Fixers

role of bacteria, transfer nitrogen into a usable form and continue the matter/energy cycle

Transformation

The transfer of genetic material from one bacterium to another.

Human Symbiosis

bacteria living inside humans to help them function: digestive and infection prevention bacteria, food production, medicine production

Viruses

non-living pieces of DNA: acellular, lack metabolism, growth development, show parasitic traits

Viral Composition

DNA or RNA core surrounded by a protein coat called a capsid that cannot replicate without a host cell.

Bacteriophage

A virus that infects bacteria.

lytic cycle

Viral phage attaches to host cell, injects DNA, host cell translates viral DNA, cell lyses (bursts), releasing more phages.

lysogeny

Phage injects nucleic acids, viral information incorporated into host cell's genome without being translated, copied during mitosis, eventually alters cell functions so that the lytic cycle begins.

Retroviruses

Viruses that transduce cells "in reverse" by injecting RNA, which is written back into DNA via reverse transcriptase, becoming a provirus copied during mitosis and causing lytic cycle to begin

Epidemic

Large number of afflicted hosts in a small area in a short period of time, last a short time

Endemic

A disease that is commonly present in a population, generally at low frequencies

Pandemic

Disease that spreads worldwide

what does a pandemic disease require?

common vectors, long incubation periods, lysogenic modes of infection

bacterial disease mechanisms

using host cells for food, releasing toxins into tissue and blood

Vaccines

Weakened or dead form of a virus or bacteria used to build an immune response against future infection.

Antivirals

Pharmaceuticals designed to inhibit the development of viruses.

Antibiotics

Compounds which block the growth and reproduction of bacteria

antibiotic resistance

bacteria adapts to be resistant to antibiotic, making it less effective

how are the lytic cycle and lysogeny different?

during the lytic cycle, the virus quickly overtakes the cell. in lysogeny, the viral genetic information can lie dormant within a cell until it is ready to be copied.