Basic Structure and Identification of Bacteria Flashcards
How do bacteria reproduce?
Via binary fission (cell division)
Do bacteria have cell walls?
Most bacteria have cell walls, but not all bacteria do. We can use this fact to treat certain bacterial infections.
Do bacteria have a nuclei?
No, bacteria do not have nuclei
What type of DNA do bacteria have?
Circular DNA
What are commensal bacteria?
Bacteria that do not harm their host (Ex. normal flora in the mouth)
What are opportunistic bacteria?
A bacteria that can cause an infection if it gets into part of the body that it is not normally in
What is a pathogenic bacteria?
A bacteria that always harms the host in some way
Do bacteria have prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells?
Bacteria are prokaryotic and humans are eukaryotic
What bacterial enzyme is required to duplicate the circular bacterial DNA and what is the significance of this?
Gyrases –> These enzymes reduces strain while double-stranded DNA is being unwound by elongating RNA-polymerase or helicase
We can target these enzymes with certain medications
How does RNA synthesis differ in bacteria?
Bacteria use prokaryotic polymerases while humans use eukaryotic polymerases
How do humans get folate in their systems?
Since humans cannot make their own folate, we depend on bacteria to do this for us. We can use this knowledge to target certain bacteria, but if we kill the good bacteria we then become completely depend on our diet for folate
What enzymes do bacteria use to make folate?
Dihydropteroate synthase and dihydrofolate reductase
What is LPS?
Lipopolysacharide which only bacteria have (primarily only gram negative bacteria)
Gram positive morphologies (basics)
Thick cell wall which contains Teichoic acid (antibodies attach to this) and thick Peptidoglycan layer
Shapes: Bacillus and Coccus
Gram positive staining
Stains purple as their thick cell walls retain the crystal violet dye even after washing with alcohol
Gram negative morphologies (basics)
Thin cell wall (thin peptidoglycan layer), contains Lipopolysachardies and an Inner AND Outer Membrane
Shapes: Bacillus, Coccus, and can also included curved, corkscrew, and straight shapes
Gram negative staining
Stains red as their thin cell walls do NOT retain the crystal violet dye
Gram variable staining
Can stain purple OR red depending on the conditions
Gram variable morphologies
Have a unique cell wall (example tuberculosis) which causes variables when staining and may be difficult to stain
What are some conditions where you would be unable to see the bacteria via a gram stain?
- Spirochetes: spiral/corkscrew bacteria –> required dark field microscopy or antibody staining to see
- Atypical bacterial (Ex. Chlamydia, Legionella, Mycoplasma) which have no significant cell wall or are intracellular
Single coccus
One round shaped bacteria
Always gram +
Diplococci
Cocci in pairs (groups of two)
Can be gram + or -
Streptococci
Cocci in chains
Usually gram +
Coccus (singular)/Cocci (pleural)
A round shaped bacteria
Staphylococci
Cocci in large groups
Usually gram +