intro to Bacteria MW% + Flashcards
What is the difference between gram positive and negative bacteria in gram staining appearance and in their shape?
Gram positve bacteria= purple
Gram negative bacteria= red
Cocci - Spherical
Bacilli – Rod Shaped
Outline the differences between gram positive and negative bacteria in terms of the cell wall?
Gram positive
- plasma membrane
- periplasmic space
- thick peptidogylcan.
Gram negative
- plasma membrane
- periplasmic space
- thin peptidogylcan
- ♦ outer membrane consisting of lipopolysaccharide and protein.
Lipopolysaccharides (LPS)
Elicit strong immune responses in animals and humans.
What does peptidoglycan provide?
- Strength and shape
What is the role of capsule ?
- Prevents bacteria from phagocytosis
What is the role of flagellum?
- Important for motility
What is the role of fimbriae?
- Important for adherence
What is the role of spore?
- Bacterial spores are highly resistant, dormant structures (i.e. no metabolic activity) formed in response to adverse environmental conditions.
- They help in the survival of the organisms during adverse environmental conditions; they do not have a role in reproduction.
What is the role of plasmids?
- Contains a small, circular, double-stranded DNA molecule
What is a bacteriophage?
- A virus that infects bacteria
Explain the classification of and nomenclature used for bacterial species
Name is based on genus(taxonomic rank) and species, first part refers to the genus and the second part refers to the species i.e Staphylococcus aureus
Strains of a species have similar characteristics so DNA typing techniques is used to identify specific strains.
Describe how bacteria replicate and create genetic variation?
- replicate by binary fission
–identical progeny (descendants)
- genetic variation by
–spontaneous mutation
–transfer of DNA
Describe briefly the detection and culture of bacteria?
- Individual bacteria
–can only be seen with a microscope
–stain
- Colonies of individual bacteria
–cultured on solid medium (agar)
–bacterial colonies can be seen by eye
Strains of species
Have a similar charecteristics so can only be differentiated using DNA typing technique.
Function of penicillin binding proteins
Involved in the final stages of the synthesis of peptidoglycan.
