Exam 1 Vocab/concepts Flashcards
Acid-fast stain
A term referring to the property of mycobacteria to retain carbon fuchsin even in the presence of acid alcohol. The staining procedure is used to diagnose tuberculosis.
Amphitrichous
Type of flagellar arrangement. A single flagellum (or multiple flagella) can extend from both ends of the cell
Appendages
Accessory structures that sprout from the surface of bacteria. They can be divided into two major groups: those that provide motility and those that enable adhesion.
Archaea
Prokaryotic single-celled organisms of primitive origin that have unusual anatomy, physiology, and genetics, and live in harsh habitats; when capitalized (Archaea), the term refers to one of the three domains of living organisms as proposed by Woese.
Axial filament
A type of flagellum (called an endoflagellum) that lies in the periplasmic space of spirochetes and is responsible for locomotion. Also called periplasmic flagellum.
Bacillus
Bacterial cell shape that is basically cylindrical (longer than it is wide ); plural is bacilli
Bacteria
(plural of bacterium) Category of prokaryotes with peptidoglycan in their cell walls and a single, circular chromosome. This group of small cells is widely distributed in the earth’s habitat
Bacterial chromosome
A circular body in bacteria that contains the primary genetic material. Also called nucleoid.
Basal body
Part of the flagellum that anchors the hook (filament is insetted into hook) to the cell body; it is a stack of rings that is anchored through the cell wall to the cell membrane
Capsule
In bacteria, the loose, gel-like covering or slime made chiefly of simple polysaccharides. This layer is protective and can be associated with virulence
Cell membrane
Inner layer of cell envelope (gram negative and inner layer below cell wall and outer layer); bilayer of lipids with proteins embedded
Chemotaxis
The tendency of cells to move in response to a chemical gradient (toward an attractant or to avoid adverse stimuli). In inflammation, it refers to the movement of blood cells in reaction to chemical signals.
Chlamydias
Tiny gram negative bacteria that are obligate parasites inside the vacuoles of host cells; members cause a type of STD and pneumonia
Coccobacillus
An elongated coccus; a short, thick oval-shaped bacterial rod.
Coccus
A spherical-shaped bacterial cell; plural is cocci
Conjugation
In bacteria, the contact between donor and recipient cells associated with the transfer of genetic material such as plasmids. Can involve special (sex) polo. Asp a for, pf sexual recombination in ciliated protozoans.
Cyanobacteria
Widespread and ecologically important photosynthetic bacteria; evidence indicates their role in the evolution of chloroplasts in eukaryotic cells
Cytoplasm
Dense fluid encased by the cell membrane; the site of many of the cell’s biochemical and synthetic activities.
Cytoplasmic membrane
In eukaryotes is a bilayer of phospholipids and sterols with proteins embedded
Biofilms
A complex aggregate of interacting microbial cells that adhere to each other and to surfaces by means of polysaccharide matrix. Biofilms permit communication among participants, which facilitates their survival and adaptation
Biotechnology
The use of organisms (microbes, plants, animals) or their products in the commercial or industrial realm
Bacterial endospore resistance
Bacteria that have a two-phase life cycle that allows them to withstand hostile environments and survive for long periods of time.
Cell wall
Outer layer of cell envelope; composed of peptidoglycan and other molecules
Chagas disease (NTD)
Chagas disease (NTD): A disease transmitted by insects that can be lifethreatening. There are two phases: acute and chronic. Both can have no symptoms and be life-threatening. Can have fever, fatigue, headache, rash, loss of appetite, and can lead to cardiac and intestinal complications.
Cilia
(singular: cilium) Eukaryotic structure similar to flagella that propels a protozoan through the environment
Clostridium Difficile
Clostridium Difficile: A bacterial infection that is hard to get rid of because it is a spore that is resistant to antibiotics
Cytoskeleton
A fine intracellular network of fibers, filaments, and other strands that function in support and shape of cells
Decomposer
A consumer that feeds on organic matter from the bodies of dead organisms. These microorganisms feed from all levels of the food pyramid and are responsible for recycling elements (also called saprobes)
Diplobacilli
An arrangement of bacilli where a pair of cells is attached at their ends
Diplococcus
Spherical or oval-shaped bacteria, typically found in pairs
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
An intracellular network of flattened sacs or tubules with or without ribosomes on their surfaces
Endospore
A small, dormant, resistant derivative of a bacterial cell that germinates under favorable growth conditions into a vegetative cell. The bacterial genera Bacillus and Clostridium are typical sporeformers
Endosymbiosis
The evolutionary process through which prokaryotic cells came together in a mutually beneficial association that gave rise to eukaryotic cells during billions of years of coevolution
Endotoxin
A bacterial intracellular toxin that is not ordinarily released (as an exotoxin). Endotoxin is composed of a phospholipid-polysaccharide complex that is an integral part of gram-negative bacterial cell walls. Endotoxins can cause severe shock and fever
Enzymes
A protein biocatalyst that facilitates metabolic reactions
Eukaryotic Cell
A cell that differs from a prokaryotic cell chiefly by having a nuclear membrane (a well-defined nucleus), membrane-bound sub cellular organelles, and mitotic cell division
Extreme halophiles
Extreme salt-loving
Extremophiles
Organisms capable of living in harsh environments, such as extreme cold or heat
Filament
A helical structure composed of proteins that is part of bacterial flagella
Fimbriae
Short, numerous surface appendages on some bacteria that provide adhesion but not locomotion
Flagellum
(Plural: flagella) A long appendage used to propel an organism through a fluid environment. Flagella of bacteria and eukaryotes are similar in general function but differ significantly in structure
Fluid mosaic model
A conceptualization of the molecular architecture of cellular membranes as a bilipid layer containing proteins. Membrane proteins are embedded to some degree in this bilayer, where they float freely about
Genetic engineering/bioengineering
A field involving deliberate alterations (recombinations) of the genomes of microbes, plants, and animals through special technological processes
Germination (of endospores)
Breaking of dormancy that happens in the presence of water and a specific germinating agent
Glycan
A polysaccharide
Glycocalyx
A filamentous network of carbohydrate-rich molecules that coats cells
Golgi apparatus (Golgi complex)
An organelle of eukaryotes that participates in packaging and secretion of molecules
Gram stain
A differential stain for bacteria useful in identification and taxonomy. Gram-positive organisms appear purple from crystal violet-mordant retention, whereas gram-negative organisms appear red after loss of crystal violet and absorbance of the safranin counterstain
Gram-negative
Harder to treat with drugs, less permeable, turn red due to counterstain, larger periplasmic space, contain LPS (an endotoxin), and has 2 major layer and an outer membrane
Gram-positive
Will stain purple from violet crystals, more permeable, small periplasmic space, has teicohic acid, has one major layer
Granules
Small particle that can be a secretory vesicle
Hans Christian Gram
A Danish physician that developed the Gram stain, commonly used to delineate two different groups of bacteria
Haploid
A cell that contains a single set of unpaired chromosomes
Heredity
Genetic inheritance
Histones
Proteins associate with eukaryotic DNA. These simple proteins serve as a scaffolding to compact and condense DNA into chromosomes, while also enhancing or preventing the expression of certain genes
Hyperextrmophiles (extremophiles)
Hyperextrmophiles (extremophiles): microorganisms (archaea) that love extreme environments
Hyperthermophiles
Archaea that love high temperatures
Inclusion bodies/inclusion
A relatively inert body in the cytoplasm such as storage granules, glycogen fat, or some other aggregated metabolic product.
Leeuwenenenhook
Dutch merchant who created the first microscope
L-forms
Bacteria that normally have a cell wall that lose it during part of their life cycle
Lipopolysaccharide
A molecular complex of lipid and carbohydrate found in the bacterial cell wall. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of gram-negative bacteria is an endotoxin with generalized pathologic effects such as fever
Lipoproteins
A protein in cell walls of gram-negative bacteria