Actinomycetes

Question 1

Actinomycetes general characteristics

Answer 1

◾ slender, filamentous, fungal-like organisms
◾ filaments may fragment and single cells may be seen as cocci or bacilli
◾ gram-positive
◾ non-motile
◾ non-capsulated
◾ spore-forming
◾ aerobic or anaerobic

Question 2

Actinomyces are aerobic or anaerobic?

Answer 2

anaerobic

Question 3

Actinomyces
(a) naturally found where
(b) acid fast or not?

Answer 3

(a) normal flora of oropharynx, GIT, urogenital tract
(b) not-acid fast

Question 4

Differentiate between Actinomyces and fungi according to the following criteria:
(a) cell type
(b) cell wall
(c) genetic material
(d) reproduction
(e) size

Answer 4

(a) cell type: Actinomyces is prokaryotic; fungi are eukaryotic
(b) cell wall: Actinomyces cell wall contains peptidoglycan; fungi cell wall contains chitin
(c) genetic material
(d) reproduction
(e) size