bacteria terms

Question 1

Catalase

Answer 1

 Converts hydrogen peroxide to water
 Counteracts neutrophil ability to kill bacteria via
production of oxygen free radicals

Question 2

• Coagulase

Answer 2

 Clots plasma, converts fibrinogen to fibrin
 Bacteria can hide within the clot
 White cells, antibodies, even antibiotics do not
penetrate clots well

Question 3

• Peptidoglycan

Answer 3

 Endotoxin-like activity

 Attracts leukocytes

Question 4

• Cytotoxins

Answer 4

 Membrane damaging toxins that lyse eukaryotic

cells including neutrophils

Question 5

• Enterotoxins

Answer 5

 Diarrhea and vomiting (staphylococcal food

poisoning)

Question 6

• Toxic shock syndrome toxin

Answer 6

 Cause of toxic shock syndrome

 Only certain strains produce

Question 7

• Exfoliatin toxins A and B

Answer 7

 Causes scalded skin syndrome

 Only certain strains produce

Question 8

beta-lactamase

Answer 8

• Enzyme that degrades antibiotics in penicillin

family

Question 9

• Hemolytic patterns

Answer 9

 Alpha hemolytic = incomplete hemolysis
 Beta hemolytic = complete hemolysis
 Gamma hemolytic = no hemolysis

Question 10

• Type III secretion systems

Answer 10

 Some bacteria have a common system for
delivering their virulence factors into targeted
eukaryotic cells
 This secretion system functions as a “molecular
syringe” that facilitate transfer of bacterial
virulence factors into the host cell