Questions and Answers
What is the basal body?
What shape does a bacillus bacterium have?
Rod shape
What is a capsule in bacterial cells?
A protective layer usually made of mucopolysaccharide
What does the cell envelope consist of?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the function of the cell wall in bacteria?
Signup and view all the answers
What is chemotaxis?
Signup and view all the answers
What shape does a coccus bacterium have?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a colony in microbiology?
Signup and view all the answers
What does cytoplasm refer to?
Signup and view all the answers
What are endospores?
Signup and view all the answers
What is an endotoxin?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the filament in a flagellum made of?
Signup and view all the answers
What are fimbriae?
Signup and view all the answers
What are flagella?
Signup and view all the answers
What does Gram's stain differentiate?
Signup and view all the answers
What does gram-negative describe?
Signup and view all the answers
What does gram-positive describe?
Signup and view all the answers
What are granules in bacterial cells?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the function of a hook in flagella?
Signup and view all the answers
What are inclusions in bacteria?
Signup and view all the answers
What is lipid A?
Signup and view all the answers
What is lipopolysaccharide (LPS)?
Signup and view all the answers
What does lysis refer to?
Signup and view all the answers
What are organelles?
Signup and view all the answers
What is peptidoglycan?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Bacterial Cell Structure and Components
- Basal Body: Anchors the flagellum to the cell envelope with two to four rings on a rod.
- Bacillus: Refers to bacteria with a rod-like shape.
- Capsule: A glycocalyx structure made of mucopolysaccharides that aids in evading phagocytosis and antibody binding.
- Cell Envelope: Comprises all outer layers of a bacterium, providing protection and structural integrity.
- Cell Wall: A rigid layer outside the plasma membrane that shapes and strengthens bacterial cells.
- Cytoplasm: Enclosed by the cytoplasmic membrane, containing all cellular components.
- Colony: A cluster of bacteria originating from a single parent cell.
- Endospores: Resistant, dormant cell forms that allow bacteria to survive unfavorable conditions.
Mobility and Structure
- Chemotaxis: Movement driven by chemical stimuli; important for bacterial navigation.
- Coccus: Describes round-shaped bacteria.
- Flagella: Structures used for locomotion, differing in arrangement among bacterial types.
- Filament: The primary part of flagella, consisting of helical flagellin proteins that enhance motility.
- Hook: A joint structure connecting the flagellum's filament to the basal body, allowing rotation.
Cell Wall Characteristics
- Gram's Stain: A technique categorizing bacteria based on cell wall composition, facilitating identification.
- Gram-negative Bacteria: Have a complex cell wall with less peptidoglycan and are often more virulent.
- Gram-positive Bacteria: Have a simpler wall structure with more peptidoglycan, generally less toxic than gram-negative counterparts.
- Peptidoglycan: A critical component of bacterial cell walls that provides structural integrity and protection against lysis.
Toxins and Immune Response
- Endotoxin (Lipid A): A component of gram-negative bacteria's outer membrane that triggers strong immune reactions, potentially leading to septic shock.
- Granules/Inclusions: Energy reserves made of polysaccharides or polyphosphates, utilized by cells during energy stress.
Additional Structures
- Fimbriae (Pili): Hair-like structures essential for attachment to surfaces and each other, influencing colonization and infection.
- Lysis: The breaking down of cells, which can occur due to various damaging events.
Each of these components plays a vital role in the survival, reproduction, and pathogenicity of bacteria. Understanding these elements is crucial in microbiology and medical applications.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Test your knowledge of bacterial cell structure and function with these informative flashcards. Each card defines key terms related to bacteria, such as the basal body, bacillus, and capsule, providing a solid foundation for understanding microbiology concepts.