biodiversity, cell specialisation and evolution Flashcards
what are the 4 types of eukaryotes
animals, plants, fungi, protists
what are the 2 types of prokaryote
bacteria and archaea
what are the main differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes
P - smaller
E - larger
P - no nucleus, free floating DNA
E - membrane bound nucleus
P - high replication
what does biodiversity mean
the variety of life and how diverse it is
define a species
a group of related organisms capable of interbreeding to produce viable offspring
define population
a group of individuals of the same species living in a particular geographic area
define community
all individual organisms belonging to all of the species which live in a particular geographic area
define community
all of the abiotic factors and the entire community of species which co-exist in a certain area
what are extremophiles
microorganisms living in extreme conditions such as extreme heat. And cannot live without these extremes
bacteria are ubiquitous. What does this mean?
they’re found everywhere
what is the temperature range for psychrophiles
optimum = 0
max = 15
what is the temperature range of psychrotrophs
20-40
what is the temperature range of mesophiles
37-40 (within the body)
what is the temperature range for thermophiles
60-80
what’s an example of a psychrophile
polarmonas vacuolata
what’s an example of a mesophile
eschericha coli
what’s an example of a thermophile
baclius stearothermophilius
what is the pH range for acidophiles
below 7 (acidic)
optimum 3
what is the pH range for neutrophiles
optimum is 7
around 6-9
what is the pH range for alkaliphiles
above 7
optimum 9.5
what are the conditions needed for a halophile
needs NaCl to grow
what are the conditions needed for a halotolerant
optimum is no NaCl but can grow a little in its presence
what is the optimum salt concentration for a mild halophile
1-6% NaCl
what is the optimum salt concentration for a moderate halophile
6-15% NaCl
what is the optimum salt concentration for a extreme halophile
15-30% NaCl
what are the oxygen requirements for obligate aerobes
needs oxygen for growth
what are the oxygen requirements for facultative anaerobes
can switch between requiring and not requiring oxygen. Uses anaerobic respiration
what are the oxygen requirements for microaerophiles
require specific reduced levels of oxygen
what are the oxygen requirements for aerotolerant anaerobes
oxygen sensitive, grow equally well with or without oxygen. Uses fermentation metabolism
what are the oxygen requirements for obligate anaerobes
oxygen is toxic, doesn’t need oxygen to grow
what is bacterial redundancy
where multiple bacteria can perform the same role in the same environment
how can redundancy be helpful to other organisms
helpful in our microbiome, if we have more than one commensal organism, so if one is reduced it can take up its role so no harm is done
how can redundancy be bad for the environment
it can lead to one of the bacteria’s no longer being needed leaving a gap in the ecosystem, possibly causing further divergence due to selection pressures caused by the change
what is a microbiome
all of the genetic material of all the microorganisms in one specific environment or location at one time
what do the microbes in the oral cavity do
they aim to avoid build up and flush potential pathogens
what is dysbiosis
a diversion from the normal
such as a change in the amount of a specific bacteria in a microbiome
what is the role of the microbiome in the gastrointestinal tract
break down digested products
- bacteria must be able to survive in highly acidic conditions
- its impacted by diet and lifestyle
what does dysbiosis of the GI tract cause
inflammation, toxicity and disease
what is the role of the microbiome in the skin
its a defence mechanism and triggers an immune response
- constantly varied across different surfaces and time
what does the dysbiosis of the skin microbiome lead to
psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema
what is the role of the microbiome in the reproductive tract
role in maintaining acidic pH
what does dysbiosis of the reproductive tracts microbiome cause
pelvic inflammatory disorder, endometriosis, toxic shock syndrome and infertility
what elements of diversity do muscle cells contain in comparison to other cells
increased frequency of mitochondria for energy
- high endoplasmic reticulum for greater protein synthesis
what is keratinisation
what is serial endosymbiosis
cells integrate into prokaryotes by engulfment and retain functional capacity
