Intro to Micro Flashcards
The microbial world includes
Virus
* Bacteria
* Fungus
* Parasites
Extremophiles
sychrophiles, thermophiles, radio resistant,
alkaliphiles, acidophiles, halophiles, xerophiles, barophiles, endoliths
Clinical Microbiology
Investigation of human infection by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa
infection control, epidimiology
PROKARYOTE
Very small Bacteria & Archaea
no nucleaus
dna shape Circular (free floating)– 1 chromosome
no membrane enclosed organelles
Ribosomes- 70S (50S & a 30S subunit)
and divide through fission or budding
EUKARYOTE
Fairly large- Fungi, Plants & Animals
have a nucleas
dna is linear inside the nucleus - many chromosomes
membrane enclose organelles - mitochondria
Ribosomes- 80S (60S & 40S subunit)
divide via mitosis or Meiosis
Virus
type of cell
reproduction
shape
genetic structure
size
Non cellular
reproduces by Invades a host cell and takes over the cell causing it to make copies of the viral DNA/RNA.
Destroys the host cell releasing new viruses.
Icosahedron helix
Either RNA or DNA surrounded by a protein
coat smallest at <1um
bacteria
type of cell
reproduction
shape
genetic structure
size
Prokaryotic- unicellular
reproduces by fission- a form of asexual reproduction
Cell replicates its own DNA and splits in two
Coccus
Rod
spirochetes
Supercoiled DNA and RNA floating freely in cytoplasm
1-5 um
Fungus
reproduction
shape
genetic structure
size
Eukaryotic, Unicellular, multicellular
reproduces - Sexual or asexual spores, budding, rhizoids and fragmentation
Yeasts Molds
DNA contained inside a nucleus
4-10um
Parasite
Eukaryotic, Unicellular/multicellular
Amoeba-fission or asexual reproduction
Worms- sexual -lay eggs inside host bod
Amoeba
Eggs
worms
DNA contained inside a nucleus
4-10um - the biggest
Pili or Fimbriae
Flagella
Both are tubes of protein
(shorter than flagella)
* Both are virulence factors allow bacteria to attach to human cells or adhere & colonize surfaces
* Only conjugation pili are used to transfer genetic material between bacteria
* Neither have anything to do with bacterial motility
* Both are antigenic
Protein appendages for motility
* Are antigenic
Capsule
not all bacteria have one
* Made of polysaccharides
* Help bacteria adhere to tissue and surfaces
* Protects bacteria from immune system antibodies & phagocytosis
* Barrier against some antibiotics
* Antigenic can be negatively charged and could repel WBCs that are also neg charged
Plasma, Cytoplasmic or Cell Membrane
Phospholipid bi-layer
* Allows selective permeability & active transport of material in and out of the cell
* By passive diffusion of small molecules though bilayer
* Or through protein transport channels
* Proteins also provide enzymes needed for metabolism, phospholipid synthesis & DNA replication
* Proteins may be an anchor for pili or
flagella the phospolipid molecule has phosphate head - hydrophilic attracted to water
lipid tail - hydrophobic tail
Cell Wall
Provides shape, structural support & osmotic protection
* Composition depends on microorganism type
* Peptidoglycan (murein) & lipid (most bacteria)
* Chitin (fungus)
* Mycolic Acid (Mycobacteria or acid-fast bacteria)
* Mycoplasmas have no cell wall at all
* Confers gram staining characteristics of bacteria - antigenic
outer structures of the bacterial cell
Plasma, Cytoplasmic or Cell Membrane
Cell Wall
Capsule
Pili or Fimbriae
Flagella
INNER BACTERIAL CELL STRUCTURES
Cytoplasm
Ribosome
Chromosome
Endospore
Cytoplasm
Amorphous fluid with carbohydrates, proteins, enzymes, other metabolites, ribosomes & the bacterial chromosome
* If a bacteria has any plasmids -will be
found in the cytoplasm
Ribosome
Synthesize amino acids & proteins
* 70S made up of 30S & 50S subunits
* This difference from eukaryotic cells (80S made up of 60S & 40S) allow for the use of antibiotics that target only bacterial ribosome
Chromosome
A single negatively charged supercoiled double strand of DNA
* May also have small amounts of RNA, RNA polymerase
kept in the nucleoid
Endospore
Are formed by some bacteria as a survival response to adverse conditions in the environment
* Spores are resistant to dehydration, chemicals & temperature change
* Germinate under favorable nutritional conditions
* Bacterial spores are not reproductive structures
killed by autoclaving or glutaraldehyde
clostridium -
BACTERIAL TAXONOMY
Classification and grouping of organisms
* Based on genotype and phenotype
Phenotype is based on readily observable characteristics - shape color
* Macroscopic/microscopic morphology
* Staining characteristics
* Nutritional requirements
* Biochemical reactions
* Antigenic properties
* Resistance profiles
Genotype is the genetic makeup of an organism
* DNA/RNA base sequence analysis
Taxonomy of all living things
Domain→Kingdom→Phylum→Class→Order→Family→Genus→Species
Bacterial nomenclature
starts at Family
* But the commonly used name is binomial- it only includes the Genus & species
Example: Salmonella typhi
* The family is Enterobacteriaceae, but the organism is named based on
* The Genus: Salmonella
* The Species: typhi
when writing the first letter is capitalized they must be italized when typing but underlined when handwritten**
Main subspecies classifications there are two
Subspecies are an even smaller grouping of bacterial species that are too closely related to be a completely different species but that have enough unrelated characteristics to make them not exactly the same.
Biotype or biovar: based on slight & specific biochemical or physiological differences among species of the same genus
Serotype or serovar: based on more specific antigenic differences among species of the same genus ex e coli 0157:h7 vc just e coli
BACTERIAL GENETICS
CHROMOSOMAL
Bacterial genes are found on a chromosome free floating in the cytoplasm
* A single, closed, circular piece of double-stranded DNA
* Supercoiled
* Encoded with directions for essential functions like protein synthesis, cell growth, replication and survival
* Some genes are always expressed = constitutive
* Some genes are silent and expressed only under certain conditions = inducible
BACTERIAL REPLICATION
Duplication of chromosomal DNA for insertion into a daughter cell
* Begins at specific positions in chromosomes called “origins” where initiator proteins bind to DNA to start the process
* At origin point, two replication forks form and enzymes move in opposite directions to reform two identical double strands of DNA. One for the original and one for the daughter cell
daughter cells are genetically identical to
parent - bacteria divides by binary fission
Mutations:
changes in the original nucleotide sequence of an organism’s genotype
* Can occur spontaneously
* Can be due to an error during replication
* Can be due to chemical factors in the environment
* Or by introduction of foreign DNA into the cell by mutagens such as plasmids, transposons or bacteriophages
* May not cause any detectible changes
* May provide a survival advantage like toxin production or resistance to antibiotics
* May kill the cell
PLASMIDS
MUTAGEN
Smaller circular double stranded DNA outside the chromosome but still in the cytoplasm – not essential for cell survival
* Bacteria can have 1 – 100’s of plasmids
* Can replicate independently of chromosome thru conjugationhorizontal transfer from one bacterial species to another
* Or replicate with the chromosome and be passed on to a daughter cell
* Contain genes encoding for: Antibiotic resistance, toxin production virulence factors, and proteins for transfer of
plasmid to other bacteria
TRANSPOSONS
MUTAGEN
jumping genes
Moveable genetic elements of DNA segments
* Often causes spontaneous mutations, can encode resistance to antibiotics
* Can only replicate with the chromosome or piggy-backed on a plasmid
do not replicate independently like plasmids
BACTERIOPHAGE
A virus that infects and replicates within bacteria by injecting their genome into the bacteria’s cytoplasm
Two types of viral genome replication cycles:
Lytic cycle
Lysogenic cycle
Lytic cycle
- Virulent viral bacteriophage-host cell is lysed
- Lysis releases newly replicated packages of viral DNA that can infect other bacteria
Lysogenic cycle
Temperate (not continuing to replicate) viral bacteriophage - host cell is not lysed
* Phage DNA combines with the bacterial chromosome, creating the prophage
* Prophage is replicated along with the host chromosomes
* Lysogenic cycle can continue indefinitely - Or become lytic
MECHANISMS OF GENE TRANSFER
IN BACTERIA
Vertical Transfer
* Normal replication of chromosome -binary fission - mother to daughter
* Organism replicates it genome and provides exact copies to descendants
Horizontal Transfer
* Donor contributes part of genome to recipient that are not descendants
– usually through plasmids, bacteriophages, or incorporation of free naked DNA
* Recipient will have a different genes than other descendants
* Acquired DNA is incorporated into the chromosome or plasmid by Genetic Recombination
Conjugation - Both plasmid and chromosomal
genes can be transferred. Need a fertility gene F+ resulting in two cells with double stranded DNA
Transduction - Transfer of bacterial genes by a bacteriophage
BACTERIAL CLASSIFICATION based on nutritional needs
Autotrophs and heterotrophs
Autotrophs
Don’t need preformed organic compounds for energy
* Get energy photosynthetically or by oxidation of inorganic compounds
* Do not need organic carbon.
* Example of an inorganic carbon source = Carbon dioxide
Heterotrophs
Require organic carbon for growth
* Obtain carbon from preformed carbon and nitrogen containing compounds or glucose
* Acquire energy by oxidizing or fermenting organic substances
* Often the same substance (like glucose) can be used as both the carbon & energy source
All bacteria that inhabit the human body are Heterotrophs