Bacterial Metabolism and Respiration Quiz

The study of microorganisms, especially those that cause disease in humans.

The process by which microbes increase in number.

Substances that kill or inhibit the growth of microbes.

The interaction between a host organism (like a human) and a pathogen (a disease-causing microbe).

The branch of microbiology that specializes in identifying and classifying microorganisms.

The branch of microbiology that deals with bacteria.

The branch of microbiology that deals with viruses.

The study of tiny living things (microbes).

Bacteria are prokaryotes with a single, circular DNA molecule (chromosome) and are smaller than eukaryotic cells.

Some bacteria cause various human infections like syphilis, pharyngitis, and anthrax.

Fungi are eukaryotes found in soil, plants, indoors, and on skin. They can cause diseases in humans.

Fungal diseases can range from mild skin rashes to serious illnesses like fungal meningitis, and are often similar to other illnesses like flu or tuberculosis.

A parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host, obtaining its food from the host, often causing disease.

Microscopic, single-celled organisms that can be parasitic causing infections from a single organism.

Large, multicellular organisms (often visible) that are parasitic

Parasites that live on the surface of the host, like ticks or lice.

Bacteria are single-celled organisms with a simple structure, lacking a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

A resource for identifying bacteria and archaea based on their morphology, staining properties, and biochemical characteristics.

A guide for classifying bacteria and archaea based on their genetic relationships, using rRNA sequencing.

A database of officially recognized bacterial species, based on published scientific articles.

A database for identifying and classifying fungi.

Bacteria take in small molecules like amino acids, sugars, and peptides through their cell wall. The cell membrane then uses facilitated diffusion or active transport to move these nutrients into the cytoplasm.

Gram-negative bacteria have an extra space between the cell wall and cell membrane called the periplasmic space. This space is used for preliminary digestion of larger molecules before they enter the cell.

Metabolism is the sum of all chemical reactions in a cell. It includes breaking down complex molecules for energy (catabolism) and building new molecules using that energy (anabolism).

Understanding metabolism is crucial because it helps us find ways to control bacterial growth by targeting the specific metabolic pathways that are essential for their survival.

Bacteria use three main metabolic pathways to get energy: aerobic respiration (with oxygen), anaerobic respiration (without oxygen), and fermentation.

Energy production using oxygen as the final electron acceptor, converting it to water (H2O). It involves three coupled pathways: glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and the electron transport chain.

Energy production without oxygen. Uses alternative electron acceptors, such as nitrates, sulfates, or carbonates. Less ATP is produced because only parts of the TCA cycle and electron transport chain operate.

Incomplete glucose breakdown without oxygen, using organic compounds as electron acceptors. It yields a small amount of ATP and produces byproducts like ethanol (in yeast) or acids (in bacteria).

The molecule that receives electrons at the end of an electron transport chain, enabling the release of energy to produce ATP. In aerobic respiration, this is oxygen; in anaerobic respiration, other molecules like nitrates or sulfates serve this role.

Anaerobic respiration uses an electron transport chain with inorganic molecules as the final electron acceptor, yielding more ATP than fermentation. Fermentation does not use an electron transport chain and uses organic molecules as final electron acceptors, producing much less ATP, but generating byproducts like alcohol or acids.

A complex molecule found in bacterial cell walls, composed of sugars (N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylmuramic acid) and amino acids. It gives strength and rigidity to the bacterial cell.

Bacteria with a thick peptidoglycan layer that stains purple with Gram staining. This layer makes them resistant to certain antibiotics.

Bacteria with a thin peptidoglycan layer and an outer membrane containing lipopolysaccharides. They stain pink with Gram staining.

A complex molecule found in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. It plays a role in the bacteria's structure and can trigger a strong immune response in the host.

Polymers found in the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria. They help with the absorption of magnesium by the cell.

A protective layer of polysaccharides that surrounds some bacteria. It helps the bacteria evade the host's immune system and is often associated with virulence.

The process by which bacteria acquire nutrients from their environment to fuel their cellular activities.

The degree to which a pathogen is able to cause disease. It can be increased by factors like a capsule that protects the bacteria from the immune system.

A system for organizing, classifying, and naming living organisms. It focuses on classification and nomenclature.

The modern taxonomic system that classifies organisms into three domains: Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. It was developed by Dr. Carl Woese in 1990.

The basic unit of taxonomy, representing a specific recognized type of organism. For sexually reproducing organisms, a fundamental definition of 'species' is reproductive compatibility.

A system for scientifically naming organisms using two parts: the genus name and the species name. It is written in italics or underlined.

A subgroup within a species with one or more characteristics that distinguish it from other subgroups. They are not genetically identical.

Microbiology includes Bacteriology (study of bacteria), Virology (study of viruses), Mycology (study of fungi), and Parasitology (study of parasites).

A specialized area of microbiology focused on understanding microorganisms that cause diseases in humans.

Medical Microbiology specifically deals with identifying and controlling microbes that cause diseases in humans.

Knowing how microbes grow and reproduce helps us develop strategies to control their growth and prevent infections.

Substances that kill or inhibit the growth of microorganisms.

Antimicrobial agents target essential processes in microbes, like cell wall synthesis, protein synthesis, or DNA replication.

Understanding this interaction explains how microbes cause disease and helps us develop treatments and preventive strategies.

Bacteria are single-celled organisms with a simpler structure than other organisms. They lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles like mitochondria.

Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology helps scientists identify bacteria based on their visible characteristics, like shape, staining properties, and how they break down food.

Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology uses DNA information, specifically rRNA sequences, to understand how bacteria are related to each other.

Mycobank and Index Fungorum are databases that help scientists classify and identify different types of fungi.

Bacteria are named using a two-part system called binomial nomenclature. The first part is the genus name (always capitalized) and the second is the species name (lowercase).

Viruses are genetic elements that can replicate only within living cells (bacteria, animals, or plants). They cannot reproduce independently due to their lack of cellular machinery.

Viruses are called obligate intracellular parasites because they cannot carry out metabolic functions on their own and require a host cell's resources for replication.

The extracellular form of a virus, also known as a virus particle, is called a virion. It's metabolically inactive and doesn't perform any life processes.

A virus with a lipid envelope surrounding its protein coat (capsid).

A virus lacking a lipid envelope, possessing only a protein coat (capsid).

The core structure of a virus, consisting of its nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) enclosed within its protein coat (capsid).

Viruses are classified based on the type of organism they infect, such as animal viruses or plant viruses.

Viruses are further classified based on their genetic material: either DNA or RNA.

A heat treatment process that kills harmful microbes in liquids like milk and beer without significantly altering their taste.

Surgical techniques that use chemicals to kill microbes on instruments and around wounds to prevent infections.

The idea that microorganisms are responsible for causing diseases.

A set of four criteria used to prove that a specific microbe causes a specific disease.

The microorganism must be found in abundance in all organisms suffering from the disease, but should not be found in healthy organisms.

The microorganism must be isolated from a diseased organism and grown in pure culture.

The cultured microorganism should cause disease when introduced into a healthy organism.

The microorganism must be re-isolated from the inoculated, diseased experimental host and identified as being identical to the original specific causative agent.

The two main types of metabolic reactions are anabolism (biosynthesis) and catabolism (degradation). Anabolism builds complex molecules using energy, while catabolism breaks down complex molecules to release energy.

This refers to the source of energy that a bacterium uses to perform its metabolic processes. The main types are: "chemo" (from chemical compounds) and "photo" (from light).

This refers to the source of carbon that a bacterium uses to build its cellular components. The main types are: "organo" (from organic compounds) and "litho" (from inorganic compounds).

This is the molecule that receives electrons during energy production in a metabolic pathway. It's essential for the release of energy from food molecules. The main types are: "oxygen" (aerobic respiration) and "non-oxygen" (anaerobic respiration and fermentation).

A cell that lacks a membrane-bound nucleus and other organelles. Examples include bacteria and archaea.

A single, circular molecule of DNA that carries most of a bacterial cell's genetic information.

Small, circular pieces of DNA found in some bacteria that can carry additional genes. These genes can benefit the bacteria in certain situations, like antibiotic resistance.

Bacteria are much smaller than eukaryotic cells and lack organelles. Eukaryotic cells have a nucleus and more complex structures.

Fungal diseases can range from mild skin rashes (like athlete's foot) to serious lung infections (like aspergillosis) and even life-threatening conditions (like fungal meningitis).

A parasite is an organism that lives in or on another organism (the host) and benefits by taking nutrients from the host, often harming it.

The three main classes of human parasites are protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites.

Protozoa are single-celled organisms that can multiply inside humans, while helminths are multicellular, large organisms that can't multiply inside humans.

The shape of a bacterial cell, which can be round (coccus), rod-shaped (bacillus), curved (vibrio), spiral (spirillum), or corkscrew-shaped (spirochete).

A type of bacteria that forms chains of round cells. It can cause infections like strep throat.

A type of bacteria that forms clusters of round cells. It can cause skin infections and food poisoning.

A type of rod-shaped bacteria that is common in the intestines. Most strains are harmless, but some can cause food poisoning.

A type of rod-shaped bacteria that causes anthrax, a serious disease that can affect animals and humans.

A type of curved bacteria that causes cholera, a severe diarrheal disease.

A type of corkscrew-shaped bacterium that causes syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease.

Long, whip-like structures that help bacteria move. They are made of a protein called flagellin.

In Gram-negative bacteria, the periplasmic space is a region between the cell wall and cell membrane. It's like a 'pre-digestion' zone where larger molecules break down before entering the cell.

Medical Microbiology is important because it helps us understand how microbes cause diseases, develop vaccines and antibiotics, and create effective sanitation practices to prevent infections.

Koch's Postulates are a set of four criteria used to prove that a specific microbe causes a specific disease. They provide a rigorous framework for establishing a cause-and-effect relationship between a microbe and a disease.

A virion is a fully formed virus particle found outside of a host cell. It's metabolically inactive, meaning it doesn't perform any life processes on its own.

The main types of metabolic reactions are anabolism (biosynthesis) and catabolism (degradation). Anabolism uses energy to build complex molecules, while catabolism breaks down complex molecules to release energy.