BIOL2420 Exam 1 Review

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering microbiology basics, chemical foundations, and microbial structures based on the Exam 1 review guide.

Prokaryotic organisms

Organisms that lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Virus

An acellular, nonliving infectious agent or particle that replicates only inside a host cell using the host cell’s machinery.

Viral Replication

The process where a virus uses a host cell's machinery to make viral parts and assemble new viruses.

Ribosomes

The site of protein synthesis, found free in the cytoplasm of all cells and attached to the rough endoplasmic reticulum in eukaryotes.

Micrometers ($\mu m$)

The unit of measurement used for the size scale of most microscopic microbes.

Nanometers ($nm$)

The unit of measurement typically used for the size scale of viruses.

Photosynthetic Organisms

Organisms such as plants, algae, and cyanobacteria that perform photosynthesis.

Metabolism

The balance of catabolic reactions (breaking molecules down) and anabolic reactions (building molecules up).

Catabolic reactions

Metabolic reactions that function by breaking molecules down.

Anabolic reactions

Metabolic reactions that function by building molecules up.

Respiratory system

The organ system involved in the majority of infectious diseases worldwide.

Heart disease

The top cause of death in the United States.

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

The scientist who created the first single lens microscope.

Hypothesis

A testable explanation or prediction based on observations.

Sterile conditions

A state where no living microorganisms or viruses are present.

Aseptic techniques

Procedures used to prevent contamination by microorganisms.

Binomial nomenclature

A naming system composed of two taxa: Genus and species.

Morphology

The study of form, structure, and shape.

Atomic Nuclei

The center of an atom composed of $2$ particles: protons and neutrons.

Atom Composition

A structure that is mostly composed of empty space.

Charge

An atomic property that depends on the balance of protons and electrons.

Chemical Bonds

Interactions formed by electrons, especially valence electrons.

Covalent Bonds

The type of chemical bond that holds macromolecules together.

Hydrogen Bonding

A type of bond commonly observed between water molecules and between complementary DNA bases.

Solution

A mixture consisting of a solute and a solvent.

pH of blood

Approximately $7.4$.

pH of pure water

Exactly $7$.

Organic compounds

Carbon-based compounds that usually contain carbon-hydrogen bonds.

Nitrogen

An element found in proteins but not in fats or sugars.

Dehydration synthesis

A reaction that results in the formation of a larger molecule (polymer) and water.

Triglycerides

A type of macromolecule also known as fats.

Conformation

The specific shape of a protein upon which its function depends.

DNA Function

The storage of information that serves as the blueprint for making proteins.

Genetic Code Bases

Adenine ($A$), thymine ($T$), cytosine ($C$), and guanine ($G$).

Direction of Information Flow

The cellular process described as $DNA \rightarrow RNA \rightarrow \text{protein}$.

ATP

The molecule that supplies energy to all chemical reactions in the cell.

Medium

A substance that supports bacterial growth.

Resolution

The clarity or detail of an image that allows $2$ close points to be seen as separate.

Resolution Maximization

Achieved by using shorter wavelengths of light.

Electron Microscopy

A type of microscopy that provides better resolution than light microscopy because electrons have much shorter wavelengths than visible light.

Staining

The application of dyes to specimens for visualization.

Selective Medium

A medium that favors the growth of certain organisms while inhibiting others.

General Purpose Medium

A medium designed to support the growth of many types of organisms.

Flagella

Structures that act as bacterial propellers.

Nucleoid

The region in the bacterial cytoplasm where DNA is contained.

Conjugation

A process also known as the "mating" of bacteria.

Bacterial Adhesion

Enabled by structures such as fimbriae, pili, and/or a glycocalyx (capsule or slime layer).

Teichoic Acid

A component found in the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria.

Endospores

Structures into which bacteria retreat to resist adverse environments.

Archaea

Organisms often found in extreme environments such as hot, salty, acidic, or oxygen-free conditions.

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

An organelle that has ribosomes embedded in its structure.