Chapter 2 Medical Microbiology

Bacteria

Unicellular organisms belonging to the prokaryotic group that lack a true nucleus and some organelles.

Extremophiles

Organisms that thrive in extreme environmental conditions.

Peptidoglycan

A special protein that forms the bacterial cell wall, not found in any other organisms.

Binary fission

Asexual reproduction in bacteria where a single bacterium divides into two identical daughter cells.

Virus

A non-cellular, microscopic infectious agent that can only replicate inside a host cell.

Lytic infection

A method of virus reproduction where the virus penetrates a host cell, replicates, and causes cell lysis.

Capsid

The protective protein coating that surrounds a virus.

Bacteriophage

A type of virus that specifically infects bacterial cells.

Heterotrophic

Organisms that obtain their nutrition by feeding on other organisms or organic matter.

Hyphae

The long thread-like structures that make up the body of fungi.