Ch.9 Interactive glossary

Question 1

A bacterial strain that can donate chromosomal genes to a recipient through conjugation.

Answer 1

High frequency recombinant (Hfr)

Question 2

A bacteriophage that enters a bacterium but does not replicate; the phage DNA may remain in the bacterial cytoplasm or attach to the bacterial chromosome.

Answer 2

Temperate phage

Question 3

A bacteriophage that replicates within a bacterium and destroys the bacterium.

Answer 3

Virulent phage

Question 4

A cluster of genes that encode several pathogenic characteristics.

Answer 4

Pathogenicity island

Question 5

A DNA molecule containing DNA from two different sources.

Answer 5

Recombinant DNA molecule

Question 6

A DNA plasmid in the cytoplasm of an F+ bacterial cell that may pass to a recipient bacterial cell in conjugation and change the recipient into an F+ cell.

Answer 6

F factor

Question 7

A process by which a virus replicates within a host cell and ultimately destroys the host cell.

Answer 7

Lytic cycle

Question 8

A transduction in which the prophage carries some bacterial genes when it breaks free from the chromosome; the bacterial genes are then replicated and carried into the next cell by the virus.

Answer 8

Specialized transduction

Question 9

A type of bacterial recombination in which a virus transports fragments of DNA from a donor cell to a recipient cell.

Answer 9

Transduction

Question 10

A type of bacterial recombination in which competent bacteria acquire fragments of DNA from disintegrated donor cells and incorporate the DNA into their chromosomes.

Answer 10

Transformation

Question 11

A type of bacterial recombination in which genetic material passes from a live donor cell into a live recipient cell during a period of contact.

Answer 11

Conjugation

Question 12

A type of transduction in which a prophage accidentally incorporates bacterial DNA into its own DNA while replicating during the lytic cycle; the bacterial DNA is then carried into the next cell by the virus.

Answer 12

Generalized transduction

Question 13

A type of virus that attacks and replicates within bacteria.

Answer 13

Bacteriophage (phage)

Question 14

An enzyme that binds together DNA fragments and is important in genetic engineering experiments.

Answer 14

DNA ligase

Question 15

An enzyme that cleaves a DNA molecule at the sugar-phosphate bond; used in genetic engineering techniques.

Answer 15

Endonuclease

Question 16

An enzyme that splits open a DNA molecule at a specific restricted point; important in genetic engineering techniques.

Answer 16

Restriction endonuclease

Question 17

An identical copy of something like a plasmid.

Answer 17

Clone

Question 18

An organism whose genes have been changed to produce new characteristics or a useful product.

Answer 18

Genetically-modified organism (GMO)

Question 19

Referring to organisms containing DNA from another source.

Answer 19

Transgenic

Question 20

Refers to the ability of a recipient cell to take up DNA in the recombination process of transformation.

Answer 20

Competence

Question 21

Refers to the commercial and industrial applications derived from genetic engineering.

Answer 21

Biotechnology

Question 22

Single-stranded DNA molecules that recognize and bind to a specific nucleotide sequence on a pathogen.

Answer 22

DNA probe

Question 23

That part of a phage replicative process when the bacterium carries a prophage, which is then spread through DNA replication and binary fission.

Answer 23

Lysogenic cycle

Question 24

The collective genomes of all prokaryotes in a microbial community.

Answer 24

Metagenome

Question 25

The comparison of DNA sequences between organisms.

Answer 25

Comparative genomics

Question 26

The identification of gene function from a gene sequence.

Answer 26

Functional genomics

Question 27

The mechanism for DNA transfer from one microorganisms to another.

Answer 27

Genetic recombination

Question 28

The movement of DNA segments between bacterial cells of the same generation.

Answer 28

Horizontal gene transfer

Question 29

The passing of genes from one cell generation to the next.

Answer 29

Vertical gene transfer

Question 30

The study of an organism’s genome.

Answer 30

Genomics

Question 31

The study of the interactions between microbial genomes in a defined community.

Answer 31

Environmental genomics

Question 32

The use of bacterial and microbial genetics to isolate, manipulate, recombine, and express genes.

Answer 32

Genetic engineering

Question 33

The use of microorganisms for environmental cleanup.

Answer 33

Bioremediation

Question 34

The viral DNA of a temperate phage inserted into the bacterial DNA.

Answer 34

Prophage