Exam 1 Material Flashcards
How are bacteria and archaea different from eukaryotes?
1) the way their DNA is packaged; bacteria lack nucleus and histones
2) the makeup of their cell wall; most bacteria have peptidoglycan and archaea have pseudomurein
3) their internal structures; archaea and most bacteria lack of membrane-bound organelles
What structures are found in all bacteria?
cell membrane, chromosomes, ribosomes, cytoplasm
What structures are found in some, but not all bacteria?
cytoskeleton, pilus, glycocalyx, inclusion/granule, microcompartments, plasmid, flagellum
cell membrane
thin sheet of lipid and protein that surrounds the cytoplasm and controls the flow of materials in and out of the cell
bacterial chromosome
composed of condensed DNA molecules; dna directs all genetics and heredity of the cell
ribosomes
tiny particles composed of protein and RNA that are the sites of protein synthesis
cytoplasm
water-based solution filling the entire cell
cytoskeleton
long fibers that encircle the cell just inside the cytoplasmic membrane and contribute to the shape of the cell
pilus
appendage used for drawing another bacterium close in order to transfer dna
What appendage is used to transfer DNA from one bacterium to another?
Pilus
glycocalyx
coating or layer of molecules external to the cell wall serves protective, adhesive, and receptor functions
inclusion/granule
stored nutrients deposited into dense crystals
microcompartments
protein-coated packets used to localize enzymes and other proteins in the cytoplasm
plasmid
double-stranded DNA containing extra genes
flagellum
specialized appendage, movement pushes the cell foreward and provides motility
What is the average size of bacteria?
1 micrometer
What is the circumference of cocci?
1 micrometer
What is the average length and width of rods?
Length:2 micrometers; width: 1 micrometer
mycoplasma pneumoniae
respiratory infections
spirilla
a rigid, helix, twisted twice or more along its axis like a corkscrew
spirochetes
a spiral cell that contains periplasmic flagella
How can cocci bacteria be arranged?
single, diplococci, tetrads, staphlococci/micrococci, streptococci or sarcina
diplococci
pairs of cocci
tetrads
groups of four
staphlococci
irregular clusters
streptococci
chains
sarcina
cubical packet of eight, sixteen, or more cells
What are the arrangements of bacillus bacteria?
single, diplobacilli, streptobacilli, palisades
palisades
cells of a chain remain partially attached by a small hinge region at the ends
What is an example of a structure possessed by some but not all prokaryotes?
Flagella
What appendages are used for motility?
Flagella and axial filaments(spirochetes)
What appendages are used for attachment/adhesion?
Fimbrae, pili, and nanotubes/nanowires
monotrichous
one flagella at one end of cell
peritrichous
multiple flagella all covering random sites on the cell
amphitrichous
multiple flagella at both ends of cell
lophotrichous
multiple flagella at one end of cell
chemotaxis
movement of bacteria in response to chemical signals
positive chemotaxis
movement toward favorable chemical stimulus
negative chemotaxis
movement away from a repellant
Which chemotaxis moves towards favorable stimulus?
positive chemotaxis
Which chemotaxis moves away from a repellant?
negative chemotaxis
Run
rotation of flagellum counterclockwise, resulting in smooth linear direction
Tumble
reversal of the direction of the flagellum, causing the cell to stop and change course
Spirochetes
possess an unusual, wriggly mode of locomotion due to periplasmic flagella
borelia burgdorferi
primary causative agent of lyme disease
treponema pallidum
causative agent of syphilis
Fimbria/fimbrae
small, bristle-like fibers sprouting off the surface of many bacterial cells
What do fimbrae aid in?
Allow tight adhesion between fimbrae and epithelial cells, allowing bacteria to colonize and infect host tissues
Pilus
used in conjugation between bacterial cells
What appendage is highly characterized in gram-negative bacteria?
Pilus
What do type IV pilus do?
Type IV pilus can transfer genetic material, act like fimbrae & assist in attachment
Nanotubes
very thin, long, tubular extensions of the cytoplasmic membrane
What purpose do nanotubes serve?
Used as channels to transfer amino acids or to harvest energy
Communicate with other bacteria and archaea
S layer
single layers of thousands of copies of a single protein linked together
When is the s layer produced?
When bacteria are in a hostile environment
Glycocalyx
coating of repeating polysaccharide or glycoprotein unitsi
Slime layer
loose, protects against loss of water and nutrients
Capsule
more tightly bound, denser, thicker
What does the capsule protect against?
protects against phagocytosis by white blood cells
Biofilm
responsible for persistent colonization of plastic catheters, IUDS, metal pacemakers, and other implanted medical devices
What is an example of biofilm?
plaque on teeth protects bacteria from becoming dislodged
Cell envelope
composed of 2 or 3 layers that each perform a distinct function, but together act as a single protective unit
What parts make up the cell envelope?
outer membrane, cell wall, and cytoplasmic membrane
Cytoplasmic membrane
a phospholipid bilayer with embedded proteins
What occurs at the cytoplasmic membrane?
energy reactions, nutrient processing, synthesis
What is the purpose of the cytoplasmic membrane?
regulates transport of nutrients and wastes
Selectively permeable
special carrier mechanisms for passage of most molecules
Cell wall
helps determine the shape of bacterium, provides structural support to keep bacterium from bursting when undergoing change in osmotic pressure
How do drugs work at treating infections?
drugs target cell wall, disrupting its integrity and causing cell lysis
Cell lysis
disintegration or rupture of cell
Peptidoglycan
helps cell wall gain relative rigidity
What is the peptidoglycan layer composed of?
compound composed of a repeating framework of long glycan(sugar) chains cross-linked by short peptide (protein) fragments
Gram-positive cell wall
thick, homogeneous sheet of peptidoglycan
20 to 80 mm in thickness
What acids is the gram-positive cell wall composed of?
teichoic acid and lipoteichoic acid
What function do teichoic acid and lipoteichoic acid have?
cell wall maintenance and enlargement during cell divison
Gram-negative cell wall
single, thin sheet of peptidoglycan
What does the thinness of the gram-negative cell wall cause?
greater flexibility and sensitivity to lysis
What is the difference between gram-negative outer membrane and other membranes?
gram-negative cell membrane contains specialized polysaccharides and proteins
What types of molecules pass through the outer membrane of gram-negative cell wall?
Small molecules i.e. glucose and monosaccharides
Porin proteins
special water-filled channels that only allow certain small molecules to penetrate, water soluble compounds
not found in cytoplasmic membrane
lipoproteins
connects outer membrane to peptidoglycan layer
lipopolysaccharides
stabilizes the outer membrane, contributes to the negative charge of outer membrane
What function do lipopolysaccharides have in bacteria?
acts as permeability barrier, helps protect bacteria from host defense
What does the O-antigen of lipopolysaccharides do?
signaling and as a receptor; elicits an immune response by infected host
endotoxin
lipid a portion; stimulates fever and shock reaction in gram-negative infections
What are examples of gram-negative infections that could induce endotoxins?
Meningitis and typhoid fever
What happens if LPS or lipid a enters the bloodstream?
A form of shock develops for which there is no direct treatment
What does the extra barrier in gram-negative bacteria do?
it is resistant to certain microbial chemicals and is more difficult to inhibit or kill than gram-positive bacteria
How do alcohol-based compounds affect cells?
alcohol-based compounds dissolve lipids in the outer membrane and therefore damage the cell
What is an example of alcohol-based compounds being used?
alcohol swabs used to clean the skin before certain medical procedures
What is the difference in treatment between gram-positive infections and gram-negative infections?
Gram-negative infections require drugs that can cross the outer membrane
What are the steps in a gram stain?
1) crystal violet; CV is added to cells in smear and changes/stains cells purple
2) gram’s iodine
What are the steps in a gram stain?
1) crystal violet; CV is added to cells in smear and changes/stains cells purple
2) gram’s iodine; stabilizer causes the dye to form large complexes in the peptidoglycan layer. thicker gram-positive cell walls are more firmly able to trap large complexes
3) alcohol; alcohol dissolves lipids in outer membrane. removes dye from peptidoglycan layer in gram-negative cells
4) safranin; gram-neg bacteria become present due to colorlessness
examples of mycrobacterium
tuberculosis and leprosy
What is a key feature of mycobacterium and norcardia when gram stained?
Stain gram-positive, but bulk of cell wall is comprised of unique lipids
mycolic acid
fatty chains found in cell walls of acid-fast bacteria; contributes to pathogenecity of bacteria
*makes bacteria highly resistant to certain chemicals and dyes
What is different about the cell walls of archaea?
some cell walls are composed of entirely polysaccharides while others have cell walls made of pure protein
Do archaea contain peptidoglycan?
archaea lack true peptidoglycan structure, some may not have cell wall
Mycoplasmas
naturally lack a cell wall
Why are mycoplasmas resistant to certain antibiotics?
due to lack of cell wall, naturally resistant to antibiotics that target the cell wall
hopanoids
cholesterol analog in cell membrane that stabilize the cell against lysis
L forms
some naturally have a cell wall but lose it during part of their life cycle; plays a role in persistent infections; resistant to antibiotics
cytoplasm
70 to 80% water, complex mixture of sugars, amino acids, and salts
What is the purpose of the cytoplasm?
serves as a pool for building blocks for cell synthesis or sources of energy
Where is the heredity material of bacteria stored?
bacterial chromosomes
Where is DNA aggregated?
nucleoid
plamids
nonessential pieces of DNA
What do plasmids confer?
protective traits such as drug resistance and toxins and enzyme production
ribosomes
site of protein synthesis
What are ribosomes composed of?
rRNA and protein
How are ribosomes measured?
using the Svedberg unit, which corresponds to the rate of sedimentation when centrifuged
What is the small subunits measurement?
30S
What is the large subunits measurement?
50S
What is the large and small subunits measurement together?
70S
What is the measurement of an archaeal ribosome?
70S
What is the measurement of a eukaryotic ribosome?
80S
What are inclusion bodies used for?
food storage; pack gas into vesicles for buoyancy; store crystals of iron oxide with magnetic properties
bacterial microcompartments
outer shells made of protein, arranged geometrically
What do microcompartments contain?
concentrates CO2 and houses RubisCO
packed full of enzymes designed to work together in biochemical pathways
cytoskeleton
arranged in helical ribbons around the cell beneath cell membrane
contribute to cell shape
What is special about the cytoskeleton in noneukaryotic cells?
may be a potential target for antibiotic development
action homologue
MreB: many rods, helps determine cell shape?
Tubulin homologue:Fts2 protein
forms a ring that constricts during cell divison
bacterial endospores
dormant bodies
Where are the medically important species found in endospores?
genera Bacillus and Clostridia
vegetative cell
metabolically active
sporulation
induced by depletion of nutrients in the environment
What is special about endospores?
resist extremes of heat, drying, freezing, radiation, and chemicals that would kill vegetative cells
bacillus anthracis
agent of anthrax
clostridium tetani
cause of tetanus
clostridium perfringes
cause of gas gangrene
clostridium botulinum
cause of botulism
clostridium difficile
“c. diff” a serious gastrointestinal disease
What domain is archaea more closely related to?
Eukarya; lack peptidoglycan
Why is archaea more closely related to eukarya than bacteria?
lack peptidoglycan; histone proteins; protein synthesis and ribosomal subunit structures are similar; share rRNA sequences not found in bacteria
extremophiles
some live at extremely high or low temperatures, some need extremely high salt or acid concentrations to survive, some live on sulfur, some produce methane
Bergey’s manual of Systemic Bacteriology
a comprehensive view of bacterial and archael relatedness; based on rRNA sequencing
Bergey’s manual of Determinative Bacteriology
based entirely on phenotypic characteristics; categorizes organisms based on traits commonly assessed in clinical, teaching, and research labs such as seen on in a microscope or metabolic capabilities
bacterial species
a collection of bacterial cells, all of which share an overall similar pattern of traits; should share at least 70 to 80% of their genes