med bio plasmids and vocab

bacillus

rod shaped

coccus

circle shaped

spirilla

coil, curved

diplo

double, two cells attached

staphylo

clump, cluster of cells

strepto

chain, string of cells

gram positive

purple - thick cell wall

gram negative

pink- thinner layer so they don’t pertain the purple stain, cannot retain primary stain, initial stain washes away

conjugation

process where bacterium transfers genetic material through direct contact, one bacteria serves as donor, other is recipient

transduction

virus transfers genetic material from one bacterium to another viruses infect bacterial cells and use them as host to make more viruses

transformation

bacteria takes up foreign DNA in its environment , key step in DNA cloning,

plasmid

circular DNA strand that may contain genes that offer an advantage to bacterium (ex. antibiotic resistance) plasmids are transferred between bacteria through conjugation

cytoplasm

contents within plasma membrane of cell, includes liquid,

ribosome

non membrane bound organelles responsible for protein synthesis

flagellum

extends from body of bacterium, whips and rotates to propel bacterium forward, main function for mobility

plasma membrane

surrounds cytoplasm of the cell, controls traffic of substances entering and exiting the cell

cell wall

surrounds plasma membrane , provides structural support and protection

capsule

polysaccharide layer outside of cell envelope (cell wall and plasma membrane), functions to protect bacterium from being engulfed by eukaryotic cells, enhances ability of some bacteria to cause disease

pilus

hair like fiber, extends from surface of bacterium, longer thicker than fimbriae, used for bacterial conjugation

fimbriae

extend from surface of bacterium, shorter than pilli, responsible for attachment of the bacteria to the surface of cells and other bacteria

order of walls

plasma membrane, cell wall, capsule