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Questions and Answers
What is microbiology primarily concerned with studying?
Which of the following groups of microorganisms is not unicellular?
What distinguishes bacteria from eukaryotic microorganisms?
Which of the following criteria is used in the classification of microorganisms?
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Which type of microorganism is considered an obligate intracellular parasite?
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What defines a species in microbiology?
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Which taxonomic groupings may be recognized within a species?
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What does the binomial system of nomenclature assign to organisms?
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In scientific nomenclature, how should the genus name be formatted?
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Which of the following is NOT part of the nomenclature rules?
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Which domain includes ancient bacteria that thrive in extreme environments?
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What suffix is typically used to name a family in the hierarchical classification system?
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What is the most exclusive taxonomic category in the hierarchical classification system?
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Which taxonomic group contains similar classes?
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In the classification system, what comes directly after Kingdom?
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What is the primary basis for placing a species in a particular genus?
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Which of the following families is derived from the 'enteric' group of bacteria?
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Which group includes both fungi and medically relevant organisms?
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Study Notes
Microbiology
- The study of microorganisms, which are unicellular or cell-cluster organisms too small to be seen with the naked eye.
- Microbiology encompasses many areas of study such as cell structure, function, genetics, immunology, epidemiology, and ecology.
- Microorganisms are found in every ecosystem and are closely associated with every type of multicellular organism.
- Microorganisms are classified into groups based on evolutionary relationships and are identified by specific characteristics.
- Microorganisms are classified as normal flora and are found in billions of cells in and on healthy human and animal bodies.
- Microorganisms can participate in body functions, such as the degradation of intestinal contents.
- Microorganisms include archaea, bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, algae, and helminths.
- Some microorganisms are harmful pathogens to humans, producing toxic compounds and enzymes or causing direct infection.
Classification of Bacteria
- Bacteria are unicellular prokaryotic organisms with a rigid cell wall surrounding the cell membrane that determines their shape.
- The hierarchical classification system for microorganisms consists of the following:
- Domains (Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya)
- Kingdom
- Phylum
- Class
- Order
- Family
- Genus
- Species
- Bacteria and Archaea were historically considered a single domain but have been separated using modern techniques.
- Bacteria includes environmental prokaryotes, such as blue-green algae or cyanobacteria, and heterotrophic medically relevant bacteria.
- Archaea are environmental isolates that live in extreme environments, such as high salt concentrations, jet fuel, or extreme temperatures.
- Eukarya includes eukaryotes (true nucleus) and medically relevant organisms, including fungi and parasites.
Taxa
- Family: A group of organisms with a common attribute that may contain multiple genera. Family names are formed by adding the suffix -aceae to the genus name (e.g., Streptococcaceae family type genus is Streptococcus).
- One exception to the rule in microbiology is the family Enterobacteriaceae, named after the "enteric" group of bacteria.
- Genus: Contains different species that have several important features in common. Placement of a species within a genus is based on genetic and phenotypic characteristics shared among the species.
- Species: The most basic taxonomic group, defined as a collection of bacterial strains that share common physiologic and genetic features and differ from other microbial species.
- Species definitions are determined using DNA profiling, including a nearly complete 16S rRNA sequence.
- Occasionally, taxonomic subgroups within a species, called subspecies, are recognized.
Nomenclature
- Nomenclature is the naming of microorganisms according to established rules and guidelines in the International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria (ICNB) or the Bacteriological Code (BC).
- The binomial (two-name) system of nomenclature assigns each organism a genus and a species of Latin or Greek derivation.
- The genus designation is always capitalized, and the species designation is always lowercase.
- The two components are used simultaneously and are printed in italics or underlined in script (e.g., Streptococcus pneumonia).
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Description
Explore the fascinating world of microorganisms, including their structure, function, and classification. This quiz covers topics from cell biology to the ecological roles of bacteria and their impact on health. Test your knowledge of various microorganisms and their relationships in ecosystems.
