L9 Microbial Interactions, Signalling and Specialised Metabolism Flashcards

1
Q

What is a biofilm

A

A community of microbes attached to a surface

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2
Q

What is chemotaxis

A

Cell movement along a gradient sensing favourable conditions

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3
Q

Explain how bacteria sense a gradient and move towards an attratctant

A

Periods of flagellum movement counterclockwise towards attractant and the clockwise motion to stop forward motion
Period of tumbling to assess gradient

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4
Q

Why is it beneficial to be a biofilm

A

Harder to be consumed or attacked

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5
Q

What can affect biofilm formation

A

Nutrition needs to be plentiful
Physical conditions (pH, iron conc, temp, oxygen)
Co-colinisation

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6
Q

Do interconnections of the periplasm have to be in one species

A

No, different species can form interconnections with one another e.g. Horizontal gene transfer, share of mRNA

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7
Q

What is intercellular SENSING

A

Information gained from environment
Physical conditions, change vaused by other organisms

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8
Q

What is intercellular SIGNALLING

A

Signalling between cells via small organic compounts
Taken up by cell and cause change, involve specific signalling pathways and gene expression

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9
Q

Is Quorum sensing a sensing or signalling prcess

A

Signalling

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10
Q

What is Quorum sensing

A

Secretion of small molecules within a bacterial population which cause a coordinated behaviour when a threshold (quorum) is reached

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11
Q

When dental plaque is removed, why does the same composition of species return

A

Chemical interdependence formed during sugar metabolism

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12
Q

Can the metabolites of one species impact others

A

Yes

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13
Q

What impacts can secondary / specialist metabolites have on another species

A

Phenotypic or intracellular

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14
Q

What are actinomycetes

A

High GC content, gram positice soil inhabitants

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15
Q

What causes the earthy smell when it rains

A

Actimomycetes rekeases volatile geosmin from dead cells

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16
Q

What are some life forms of Actinomycetes beside soil saprotrophs

A

Pathogenic
Plant endophytes

17
Q

What are Streptomyces

A

Type of actinomycetes
Filamentous spore former

18
Q

Where are streptomyces found and what is their metabolsim

A

Soil obligate aerobes, heterotrophic saprotroph

19
Q

Why are streptomyces mistaken for fungus

A

They form mycelia so growth form looks similar to fungus

20
Q

What is an arthropsore

A

Structure that branches off streptomyces mycelia
Released into atmosphere to find new food source

21
Q

What is important about the secondary products of streptomyces

A

Produce many antibiotics

22
Q

What are possible roles of antibiotics in nature

A

Killing off competitors
Incidental biochemistry (pathway has to produce something)
Communication (but can they reach these concentrations in nature)

23
Q

What is hormesis

A

The most plausable reason for antibiotics in nature - they have a dual effect
High conc - the antibiotic kills
Low conc - it acts as a signalling molecule

24
Q

How many species of lichens are there

25
How much land surface is covered by lichens
10%
26
How long ago have lichen fossils been found
600-700MYA
27
What is cryptobiosis
Lichens shutting down their metabolism under harshest conditions until they have passed
28
What makes up a lichen
Fungus and algae or cyanobacteria
29
What is the structure fo a lichen
Fungus Medulla (fungus and photobiont) Fungus
30
What is in the lichen medulla
Loost interwoven matrix of mycobiont with photobiont and air spaces
31
How can lichen spread
Parts (soredia), breaking off fungus spores
32
What is soredia
Clumps of tissue containing mycobiont and photobiont
33
How does the fungus proect the algae in a lichen
From predation by protists Thick hydrophobic fungal layers are resistant to dessication and protect against UV light
34
What are 3 secondary products released by lichens
Usnic acid Parietin Vulpinic acid
35
What is usnic acid
Antimicrobial, against MRSA
36
What is parietin
Antimicrobial and anti-cancer properties
37
What does vulpinic acid do
Posion wolves and foxes