IMPORTANCE OF MICROORGANISMS Flashcards
How are microorganisms associated with human health and welfare?
some are beneficial (e.g yoghurt, cheese, penicillin production) while others cause disease and spoil food
why are microorganisms ideal for studying fundamental life processes?
They perform life processes similarly to higher organisms, grow rapidly and require minimal space
what are some essential biological characteristics common to all organisms?
ability to reproduce, metabolize food, excrete waste, react to the environment and mutate
what are the 3 major groups of bacteria?
Archaebacteria, cyanobacteria and Eubacteria
Definition of microbiome
community of microorganism which lives in a specific environment
what are key characteristics of archaebacteria?
they live in extreme environments like acidic hot water (thermoacidophiles) and highly salty water (halophiles)
what are cyanobacteria and why are they important?
they are autotrophic, produce oxygen and can fix nitrogen from the air
what is the primary role of Eubacteria?
They function as decomposers and disease causing organisms
what is the basis of bacterial classification in Bergey’s manual?
Bacteria are classified based on Gram staining (Gram +ve or Gram -ve) and their medical/commercial importance
Define the following toxonomic terms: Family, Genus, Species and Strain
Family: Group of related of related genera
Genus: Group of related species
Species: Group of related strains
Strain: A single isolate of a species
How is bacterial species naming conventionally written?
The genus name is capitalized, the species name is lowercase and both are italicized or underlined ( Escherichia coli)
What makes Escherichia coli metabolically versatile?
It can produce energy via fermentation, aerobic respiration or anaerobic respiration using different electron acceptor
What are the 2 possible pathways after glycolysis in bacterial mechanism?
Anaerobic respiration and aerobic respiration (Catabolism)
How does E.COLI adapt to different environments for energy production?
It can switch between aerobic and anaerobic respiration and use different carbon sources like glucose or lactose
what are the 2 main types of bacterial metabolism?
Catabolism(energy-yielding metabolism) and Anabolism (biosynthetic metabolism)
What is the role of ATP in bacterial metabolism?
ATP stores and transfer energy between catabolic and anabolic processes
what happens during catabolism in bacteria?
Bacteria break down energy sources (starch polysaccharides) into simpler molecules producing energy and heat
How do bacteria use metabolic products in anabolism?
They use molecules form catabolism to synthesize essential substances like proteins and enzymes
what is the most common pathway for sugar metabolism in bacteria?
Glycolysis
Why is glycolysis important for bacterial metabolism?
It provides the initial breakdown of glucose, producing energy and metabolic intermediates for further processing
What is the difference between autotrophs and heterotrophs
Autotrophs can use CO2 as a carbon source while heterotrophs cannot and must obtain carbon from organic sources like glucose
How do phototrophs obtain energy?
They obtain energy from sunlight through photosynthesis
Define metabolism in microbial cells
It is the sum of all chemical transformations catalyzed by enzymes in a cell
What is the difference between catabolism and anabolism?
Catabolism breaks down molecules to release energy while anabolism build up complex molecules using energy
