Bacterial Cytoplasms

Question 1

How is genetic information stored within a bacterial cell?

Answer 1

It is stored in the nucleoid

Question 2

Why would bacteria want to store sulphur?

Answer 2

It is used in the synthesis of some amino acids and in iron-sulfur clusters

Question 3

Why would bacteria want to store phosphate?

Answer 3

It is used in DNA, lipids, proteins

Question 4

Why would bacteria want to store carbon?

Answer 4

Carbon is the building-block of life

Question 5

What structure would be produced under conditions with excessive nutrients?

Answer 5

Inclusions would be formed because they store nutrients. When there are excessive nutrients in the environment the bacteria need to store them somehow because it doesn’t need to use it all at once

Question 6

What structures would be produced under conditions with limited nutrients?

Answer 6

Endospores would be formed because they are stable against desiccation and other factors

Question 7

Vegetative Cells vs Endospores

Answer 7

Vegetative cells are active and grow while endospores are dormant to allow for survival in adverse conditions and do not grow or reproduce

Question 8

Why might endospore-forming organisms be a challenge for human health or the food industry?

Answer 8

Endospores are very hard to kill and will survive conditions that active bacteria cannot
Inside of our bodies might be the ideal condition for these endospores and they may come out of their dormancy and make us sick