Prokaryote
Unicellular organisms that make up the domains archaea and bacteria; most abundant organism
Coccus/cocci
Spherical shaped prokaryotes
Bacillus/bacilli
Rod-shaped prokaryotes
Peptidoglycan
Polymer made of modified sugars linked by short polypeptides; used to build cell walls of bacteria
Gram positive
Bacteria that turn purple during gram staining; thick layer of pdg; less complex structure
Gram negative
Bacteria that turn pink during gram staining; thin layer of pdg; more complex structure
Hans Christian Gram
Developed gram staining procedure
Capsule
A dense, well defined shell made of polysaccharides or proteins; sticky and helps bacteria adhere
Flagella
Structure in prokaryotes that allows for taxis
Binary fission
Process through which prokaryotes reproduce
Horizontal gene transfer
Form of genetic recombination; DNA is combined from different sources
Transformation
DNA is taken from environment
Transduction
Phages insert DNA into the cell
Conjugation
DNA is transferred between two prokaryotic cells via sex pilus
Phototroph
Organisms that receive energy from light
Chemotroph
Obtain energy from chemicals
Autotroph
Produce their own food using CO2 or related compounds
Heterotroph
Require at least one organic nutrient
Photoautotroph
Organisms that receive energy from light
Chemoautotroph
Using inorganic chemicals to produce energy
Photoheterotroph
Using light and organic carbon compounds to produce energy
Chemoheterotroph
Using organic chemical and carbon compounds to produce energy
Obligate aerobe
Requires oxygen for cellular respiration
Obligate anaerobe
Oxygen is lethal to this organism; uses fermentation
Facultative anaerobe
Can use oxygen or fermentation to perform cell functions
Thiomargarita namibiensis
Largest bacterium; proteobacteria that can be seen with the naked eye, found on the coast of Namibia
Helicobacter pylori
Causes stomach ulcers; discovered by Barry Marshall who drank a culture to prove his point
Barry Marshall
Drank a culture of Helicobacter to prove it caused stomach ulcers
Treponema pallidum
Causes syphilis; spirochete
Borrelia burgorferi
Causes lyme disease; spirochete
Streptomyces spp.
Found in soil, used to develop antibiotics; gram positive
Bacillus anthracis
Anthrax; gram positive
Streptococcus pyogenes
Causes strep and necrotizing fasciitis; gram positive
Extremophile
Microscopic organisms that thrive in extreme conditions
Halophile
Salt loving archaea
Thermophile
Heat loving archaea
Psychrophile
Cold loving archaea
Mesophile
Middle loving archaea
Symbiosis
an ecological relationship between organisms that live in close and intimate contact
Symbiont
Smaller participant in symbiosis
Host
Larger participant in symbiosis
Mutualism
Both parties benefit
Commensalism
One party benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed
Parasitism
One party benefits and the other is harmed
How can some archaeal cells withstand such extreme conditions
They all have unique adaptations which help them sustain themselves in extreme conditions. Some of them include unique ways to harvest energy, endospores, and capsules
What cell wall structure dictates the Gram stain result of a bacterium
The thickness of the peptidoglycan layers found in bacteria
Endospores
formed in harsh condition, totem of undying for bacteria
How is genetic diversity generated in prokaryotes
Through mutations, transfer of DNA from another cell, and absorption of DNA from outside sources