Bacteria Flashcards
On a gram stain what colour does gram positive bacteria appear?
Purple
On a gram stain what colour does gram negative bacteria appear?
Red/pink
What shape are cocci and bacilli bacteria?
Cocci - spherical
Bacilli - rod shaped
Describe the structure of peptidoglycan?
Carbohydrate polymers, linked by beta 1,4 glycosidic bonds
Descrie the structure of a lipopolysaccharide?
Lipid and O antigen
What are the differences in the cell wall structure between gram positive and negative bacteria?
Positive - thick peptoglycan layer
Negative - Thin peptoglycan layer, presence of lipopolysaccharides
What is the function of the bacteria capsule?
Prevents phagocytosis of bacterial cells
What is the function of the flagellum?
Provides locomotion
What is the function of fimbriae?
adherence
Why would bacterium go throught the process of spore formation?
Unfavorable environmental conditions
Why is spore formation advantageous for bacteria?
Spores are resistant to unfavorable environmental conditions
What is a bacrophage?
Virus that infects a bacteria
WHat s the lysogenic cycle?
The process in which DNA from the bacrophage is integrated into the normal bacterial DNA
What is a plasmid
Small circle of DNA material that is separate from the rest of the bacterial DNA and can replicate independently
What are the functions of plasmids?
Can transfer resistance between bacterial cells by forming bridges between cells and sharing the DNA information
