BIO 251 Exam 1

Microbiology

The study of microorganisms

Microbes are

ubiquitous (everywhere)

Bacteria

single-celled organisms that lack a nucleus; prokaryotes

Archaea

Domain of unicellular prokaryotes that have cell walls that do not contain peptidoglycan

Protozoa

one-celled organisms that are more complex than bacteria

Fungi

A kingdom made up of nongreen, eukaryotic organisms that have no means of movement, reproduce by using spores, and get food by breaking down substances in their surroundings and absorbing the nutrients

Helminths

parasitic worms

Viruses

tiny particles, smaller than bacteria and other pathogens, which must invade living cells in order to reproduce; when they invade, the cells are damaged or destroyed in the process releasing new particles to infect other cells

Algae are

autotrophic protists

Eukaryotic

A cell characterized by the presence of a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles. Eukaryotes can be unicellular (protists) or multicellular (fungi, plants and animals).

Prokaryotic

An organism whose cells do not have an enclosed nucleus, such as bacteria.

Theory of Evolution

states that organisms change and develop over time to adapt an increase rate of survival

Photosynthesis

Plants use the sun's energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars

Biotechnology

The manipulation of living organisms or their components to produce useful products.

genetic engineering

The direct manipulation of genes for practical purposes.

Recombinant DNA

DNA produced by combining DNA from different sources

Bioremediation

The use of living organisms to detoxify and restore polluted and degraded ecosystems

Pathogens

disease causing agents, such as bacteria and viruses

infectious disease

A disease that is caused by a pathogen and that can be spread from one individual to another.

Cellular Organization

All living things are composed of one or more cells

Organelles are

like tiny organs within cells.

spontaneous regeneration

The mistaken idea that living things can arise from non living sources

Abiogenesis

spontaneous generation

Biogenesis

the production of living organisms from other living organisms

Leeuwenhoek

1670's ; father of modern microbiology; first to observe living cells

sterile

no living microbes

aseptic technique

method used to make the environment, the worker, and the patient as germ-free as possible

Germ Theory of Disease (Koch's Postulates)

1) the suspected pathogen should be present in all cases of the disease animals and absent from the healthy animals.

2) the suspected pathogen should be grown in pure culture

3) cells from a pure culture of the pathogen should cause disease in healthy animal

4) the pathogen should then be reisolated and shown to be the same as the original

Macromolecules are

polymers built from monomers

Monomer

a molecule that can be bonded to other identical molecules to form a polymer.

Polymer

A long molecule consisting of many similar or identical monomers linked together.

Carbohydrates

Broken down to glucose to provide energy.

Monosaccharides

glucose, fructose, galactose

Disaccharide

A double sugar molecule made of two monosaccharides bonded together through dehydration synthesis. (maltose)

Polysaccharides

Carbohydrates that are made up of more than two monosaccharides (lactose, sucrose)

Lipids

Energy-rich organic compounds, such as fats, oils, and waxes, that are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Triglycerides

an energy-rich compound made up of a single molecule of glycerol and three molecules of fatty acid. (fats, oils)

Phospholipids

a lipid consisting of a glycerol bound to two fatty acids and a phosphate group. (membrane components)

Waxes

A type of lipid molecule consisting of one fatty acid linked to an alcohol; functions as a waterproof coating on many biological surfaces such as apples and other fruits.

Steroids (cholesterol)

Minor component of all animal cell membranes; precursor of bile salts, vitamin D, and steroid hormones.

Proteins

Chains of amino acids

Amino acids

a simple organic compound containing both a carboxyl (—COOH) and an amino (—NH2) group.

nucleic acids

DNA and RNA

DNA

A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes.

RNA

A single-stranded nucleic acid that passes along genetic messages

Pentoses

5 carbon sugars

Hexoses

6 carbon sugars

Glucose

the form of sugar that circulates in the blood and provides the major source of energy for body tissues. When its level is low, we feel hunger.

Fructose

a hexose sugar found especially in honey and fruit.

Maltose

glucose + glucose

Lactose

glucose + galactose

Cellulose

A substance (made of sugars) that is common in the cell walls of many organisms

Agar

a gel-like polysaccharide compound used for culturing microbes; extracted from certain red algae

peptide bond

The chemical bond that forms between the carboxyl group of one amino acid and the amino group of another amino acid

nitrogen base, pentose sugar, phosphate group

3 parts of a nucleotide

Purines

Adenine and Guanine

Pyrimidines

Cytosine and Thymine

Chitin

A chemical that provides both toughness and flexibility

peptidoglycan

A protein-carbohydrate compound that makes the cell walls of bacteria rigid

Lipopolysaccharide

LPS is a phospholipid layer with sugars. Many of these sugars act as antigens and allow us to differentiate strains of bacteria. Plays an important role in endotoxic shock.

Glycocalyx

The external surface of a plasma membrane that is important for cell-to-cell communication

Glycerol

A three-carbon alcohol to which fatty acids are covalently bonded to make fats and oils.

primary protein structure

sequence of amino acids

secondary protein structure

occurs when the sequence of amino acids are linked by hydrogen bonds

tertiary protein structure

3D folding pattern of a protein due to side chain interactions

Cysteine

An amino acid with a sulfur atom that joins together two peptide strands

quartenary protein structure

protein consisting of more than one amino acid chain

Antibodies

Specialized proteins that aid in destroying infectious agents

double helix

The form of native DNA, referring to its two adjacent polynucleotide strands wound into a spiral shape.

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

compound used by cells to store and release energy

guanosine triphosphate (GTP)

an energy transfer molecule similar to ATP that releases free energy with the hydrolysis of its terminal phosphate group

Taxonomy

The scientific study of how living things are classified

nomenclature

naming system

binomial system of nomenclature

System of naming a species by the combination of the genus name and a specific epithet.

domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species

taxonomic categories from top to bottom

beneficial relationships

many relationships between microorganisms and humans

Viruses are not

cells

Woese-Fox System of Taxonomy

place all organisms into three domains: eukarya, bacteria, and archaea

Bacteria Anatomy

Rods

Round

Spirals

Rods (bacilli)

bacteria with a rod shaped morphology

round bacteria

cocci

spiral bacteria

spirilla

cell (cytoplasmic) membrane

a thin sheet of lipid and protein that surrounds the cytoplasm and controls the flow of materials into and out of the cell pool

Bacterial chromosome or nucleoid

composed of condensed DNA molecules. DNA directs all genetics and heredity of the cell and codes for all proteins

ribosomes in bacteria

70s ribosomes are different from eukaryotic ribosomes 80s - attack site for some antibiotics such as tetracycline and gentamicin

Cytoplasm of bacteria

contains a single chromosome

Nanotubes

intercellular connections that pass material from one cell to the next

Endospore

A thick-walled protective spore that forms inside a bacterial cell and resists harsh conditions.

intracellular membranes

compartmentalize functions within the cell

S layer protein

used for protection

Fimbriae

attachment structures on the surface of some prokaryotes

outer membrane of bacteria

contain phospholipids and lipopolysaccharides

the cell wall of bacteria is made up of

peptidoglycan

Cytoskeleton (bacteria)

Some bacteria produce long polymers of protein similar to eukaryotic actin:

-arranged in helical shape

-contribute to cell shape

-have also been identified in archaea

-unique to non-eukaryotic cells-may be a potential target for antibiotic development

Pilus (bacteria)

used to draw another bacteria in close to transfer DNA to it

inclusion/granule

stored nutrients such as fat, phosphate, or glycogen deposited in dense crystals or particles that can be tapped into when needed

bacterial microcompartments

protein coated packets used to localize enzymes and other proteins in the cytoplasm

Plasmid

A small ring of DNA that carries accessory genes separate from those of the bacterial chromosome

Flagellum (bacteria)

rotating filament present in some bacteria that pushes the cell forward

Pleomorphism

variations in size and shape among cells of a single species