Biodiversity Flashcards
LUCA
last universal common ancestor is the hypothesized common ancestral cell from which the three domains of life, the Bacteria, the Archaea, and the Eukarya originated
Bacteria
one of the two prokaryotic domains of life. Domain Bacteria includes organisms such as Escherichia coli and other familiar microbes.
Archaea
one of the two prokaryotic domains of life. Archaea superficially resemble bacteria, but they are distinguished by a number of unique biochemical features
Eukarya
the third domain of life, characterized by traits that include membrane-enclosed cell nuclei and mitochondria. Domain Eukarya includes animals, plants, fungi, and protists (a general term for single-celled eukaryotes)
“Prokaryote”
a microorganism lacking a cell nucleus or any other membrane-bound organelles. Prokaryotes comprise two evolutionarily distinct groups, the Bacteria and the Archaea
Spirochetes
any of a group of spiral-shaped bacteria, some of which are serious pathogens for humans
Chlamydias
a common STD that can cause infection among both men and women
Proteobacteria
major group (phylum) of bacteria
Cyanobacteria
a very large and diverse phylum of photosynthetic prokaryotes
Lyme disease
caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, common vector-borne disease
Syphilis
bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI)
E. coli
bacteria found in the environment, foods, and intestines of people and animals
Salmonella
bacterial infection is spread through contaminated food or water and affects the intestinal tract
Vibrio cholerae
caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae
Yersinia pestis
caused by the bacterium, Yersinia pestis
Bacillus anthrax
caused by gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis
Staphylococcus
caused by staphylococcus bacteria
Stromatolite
a calcareous mound built up of layers of lime-secreting cyanobacteria and trapped sediment, found in Precambrian rocks as the earliest known fossils
Domains
the three monophyletic branches of life (Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya)
Photoautotroph
An organism that obtains energy from light and carbon from carbon dioxide. (Contrast with chemoautotroph, chemoheterotroph, photoheterotroph.)
binary fission
Reproduction of a prokaryote by division of a cell into two comparable progeny cells
Peptidoglycan
The cell wall material of many bacteria, consisting of a single enormous molecule that surrounds the entire cell
Biofilm
A community of microorganisms embedded in a polysaccharide matrix, forming a highly resistant coating on almost any moist surface
Halophiles
A group of euryarchaeotes that live exclusively in very salty environments