Prokaryotes

Flashcards for key vocabulary and concepts related to prokaryotes.

Prokaryotes

Single-celled organisms that lack a defined nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.

Halophile

An organism that thrives in high salt concentrations.

Methanophile

An organism that utilizes methane as its carbon source.

Eukaryota

One of the three domains of life, including animals, plants, fungi, and protists, characterized by cells with a nucleus.

Archaea

One of the three domains of life, consisting of prokaryotic organisms distinct from bacteria, often found in extreme environments.

Bacteria

One of the three domains of life, consisting of prokaryotic organisms with diverse metabolic capabilities.

Thermophile

An organism that thrives in high-temperature environments.

Actinobacteria

A phylum of bacteria known for their role in decomposition and antibiotic production.

Spirochaetes

A phylum of bacteria characterized by their spiral shape and unique motility.

Prokaryotes Earliest Appearance

Appeared on Earth 3.5 - 3.8 billion years ago, making them the first known inhabitants of the planet.

Anoxic Atmosphere

Atmosphere lacking free oxygen.

Phototrophs

Organisms that obtain energy from sunlight to carry out metabolic processes.

Cyanobacteria

Bacteria that obtain energy through photosynthesis/ begin oxygenation of atmosphere.

Microbial Mats/Biofilms

Multi-layered sheet of prokaryotes, mostly bacterial, with some archaeans.

Stromatolites

Fossilized remains of microbial mats; sedimentary structures resulting from prokaryotic mineral precipitation.

Extremophiles

Organisms adapted to survive in harsh environments, unable to survive in moderate conditions.

Acidophiles

Extremophiles that thrive in pH 3 or below conditions.

Alkaliphiles

Extremophiles that thrive in pH 9 or above conditions.

Hyperthermophiles

Extremophiles that thrive in temperature 80–122 °C (176–250 °F).

Psychrophiles

Extremophiles that thrive in temperature of -15-10 °C (5-50 °F) or lower.

Osmophiles

Organism that grows best in high sugar concentrations

Robert Koch

Discovered techniques for culturing bacteria; Koch’s postulates as guidelines for identifying bacteria that cause disease.

Koch's Postulates

Criteria for identifying the causative agent of a disease.

Viable But Not Culturable (VBNC)

Culturable organisms that become unculturable under stressful conditions (dormant state, mechanisms for self-preservation).

Binary Fission

Asexual reproduction in prokaryotes where the chromosome is duplicated, and the cell splits into two identical progeny.

Transformation

Prokaryote takes in DNA shed by another prokaryotic cell in its environment and incorporates the new DNA sequence into its own.

Transduction

Bacteriophages move short pieces of DNA from one bacterium to another, resulting in a recombinant organism.

Conjugation

DNA transfer takes place between prokaryotes via a pilus, bringing the organisms into direct contact with each other.

Pathogen

Infectious agents that cause disease

Epidemic

A disease that occurs in unusually high numbers of individuals in a population at the same time.

Pandemic

A widespread disease, usually worldwide.

Endemic disease

A disease that is always present at low rates in a population.

Emerging disease

A disease that appears in a population for the first time.

Re-emerging disease

A disease that was once under control but is now increasing in occurrence.

Zoonoses

Diseases that primarily infect animals but can be transferred to humans.

Bubonic Plague

Bacterial disease caused by Yersinia pestis which attacks the lymph nodes.

Foodborne Disease

Illness resulting from consuming food contaminated with pathogenic prokaryotes.

Antibiotics

A chemical that that prevents the growth of another organism

Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF)

Conversion of nitrogen gas into ammonia by prokaryotes, essential for plant growth.

Biotechnology

the use of biological systems, living organisms or their by products in the production of commercial goods.

Microbial Bioremediation

The use of prokaryotes in pollution clean up.