bacteria and viruses

Question 1

Prokaryote

Answer 1

a microscopic single-celled organism that has neither a distinct nucleus with a membrane nor other specialized organelles. Prokaryotes include the bacteria and cyanobacteria.

Question 2

Bacilli

Answer 2

Bacillus is a genus of Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria, a member of the phylum Firmicutes, with 266 named species. The term is also used to describe the shape of certain bacteria; and the plural Bacilli is the name of the class of bacteria to which this genus belongs.

Question 3

Cocci

Answer 3

A coccus is any bacterium or archaeon that has a spherical, ovoid, or generally round shape. Bacteria are categorized based on their shapes into three classes: cocci, bacillus and spirochetes cells. Coccus refers to the shape of the bacteria, and can contain multiple genera, such as staphylococci or streptococci.

Question 4

Spirilla

Answer 4

Spirillum is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria in the family Spirillaceae of the Nitrosomonadales of the Betaproteobacteria. There are two species of Spirillum with validly or effectively published names - Spirillum winogradskyi and Spirillum volutans.

Question 5

Binary Fission

Answer 5

Fission, in biology, is the division of a single entity into two or more parts and the regeneration of those parts to separate entities resembling the original. The object experiencing fission is usually a cell, but the term may also refer to how organisms, bodies, populations, or species split into discrete parts.

Question 6

Endospore

Answer 6

An endospore is a dormant, tough, and non-reproductive structure produced by some bacteria in the phylum Firmicutes. The name “endospore” is suggestive of a spore or seed-like form, but it is not a true spore. It is a stripped-down, dormant form to which the bacterium can reduce itself.

Question 7

Nitrogen fixation

Answer 7

Nitrogen fixation is a chemical process by which molecular nitrogen, with a strong triple covalent bond, in the air is converted into ammonia or related nitrogenous compounds, typically in soil or aquatic systems but also in industry.

Question 8

Bioremediation

Answer 8

Bioremediation is a process used to treat contaminated media, including water, soil and subsurface material, by altering environmental conditions to stimulate growth of microorganisms and degrade the target pollutants.

Question 9

Antibiotic

Answer 9

An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the treatment and prevention of such infections. They may either kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria.

Question 10

Pathogenic bacteria

Answer 10

Pathogenic bacteria are bacteria that can cause disease. Most species of bacteria are harmless and are often beneficial but others can cause infectious diseases. The number of these pathogenic species in humans is estimated to be fewer than a hundred.

Question 11

Virus

Answer 11

A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. Viruses infect all life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea.

Question 12

Host

Answer 12

In biology and medicine, a host is a larger organism that harbours a smaller organism; whether a parasitic, a mutualistic, or a commensalist guest. The guest is typically provided with nourishment and shelter.