Bacterial Cell Morphology and Eukaryal Microbes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to bacterial cell morphology and the characteristics of eukaryal microbes as discussed in the lecture.

Bacterial Morphologies

Shapes and arrangements of bacterial cells including cocci, bacilli, vibrios, spirilla, and pleomorphic.

Nucleoid

The region in a bacterial cell's cytoplasm that contains chromosomal DNA and proteins, and lacks a membrane.

Plasma Membrane

A phospholipid bilayer embedded with proteins, involved in nutrient transport and energy metabolism.

Peptidoglycan

A polymer that constitutes the cell wall of bacteria, providing shape and mechanical strength.

Gram-positive Bacteria

Bacteria with a thick peptidoglycan cell wall containing teichoic acid, generally retaining the Gram stain.

Endospores

Dormant structures formed by some Gram-positive bacteria under stressful conditions, helping ensure survival.

Flagella

Long, whip-like structures that propel bacteria through liquid environments; can be of various types like monotrichous and peritrichous.

Chemotaxis

The movement of bacteria toward or away from chemical stimuli, involving chemoreceptors.

Eukaryal Cells

Cells belonging to eukarya, characterized by a membrane-bound nucleus and organelles, such as mitochondria and chloroplasts.

Fluid Mosaic Model

A model describing the plasma membrane structure, emphasizing the movement of proteins within a lipid bilayer.

Chloroplasts

Organelles in plant cells responsible for converting solar energy to chemical energy through photosynthesis.

Cytoskeleton

A network of fibers that provides shape, support, and movement to eukaryal cells, composed of microtubules, microfilaments, and intermediate filaments.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A model organism, a type of yeast used in studies, characterized by its chitin cell wall and heterotrophic metabolism.

Mitosis

A process of cell division resulting in genetically identical daughter cells, crucial for growth and repair.

Meiosis

A type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in genetic variation.