Lecture 9 Flashcards
Question: What is the primary target of β-lactam antibiotics?
Answer: The bacterial cell wall.
Question: What are some roles of the prokaryotic cell envelope?
Answer: Its roles include controlling what enters and exits the cell, protecting against stresses, antibiotics, immune cells, and other external factors.
Question: What structures make up the prokaryotic cell envelope?
Answer: The cytoplasmic membrane and all layers that surround it, including the cell wall, peptidoglycan, outer membrane (in Gram-negatives), and other layers outside the cell wall such as the capsule.
Question: What are the main components of the cytoplasmic membrane?
Answer: The cytoplasmic membrane consists of a lipid bilayer and proteins.
Question: What are the primary components of bacterial cytoplasmic membranes?
Answer: Bacterial cytoplasmic membranes are mainly composed of phospholipids.
Question: What is the primary function of the cytoplasmic membrane?
Answer: The cytoplasmic membrane serves as a semipermeable barrier, allowing water and very hydrophobic substances to diffuse through while restricting the diffusion of hydrophilic substances such as ions and most nutrients.
Question: How does the lipid composition of the cytoplasmic membrane vary depending on conditions?
Answer: The lipid composition of the cytoplasmic membrane varies depending on conditions such as temperature.
Question: How are fatty acids attached to glycerol in bacterial cytoplasmic membranes?
Answer: Fatty acids are attached to glycerol by ester bonds.
Question: Describe the structure of glycerol in bacterial cytoplasmic membranes.
Answer: Glycerol is bonded to a phosphate group, which may have substituents like ethanolamine.
Question: What is the amphipathic nature of phospholipids in bacterial cytoplasmic membranes?
Answer: Phospholipids are amphipathic, meaning they have both polar and non-polar regions.
Question: What are the functions of transporters in the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane?
Answer: Transporters facilitate the import of substances such as nutrients, the export of substances like extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) for biofilms and toxins, signal transduction to detect external stimuli, and energy transduction.
Question: How do enzymes in the electron transport chain (ETC) contribute to the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane’s function?
Answer: Enzymes in the ETC generate a proton gradient across the membrane, known as the proton motive force (PMF), which powers ATP synthesis, transport processes, and other cellular activities.
Question: What is the source of energy for ATP synthesis and transport processes in the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane?
Answer: The proton motive force (PMF) generated by the electron transport chain (ETC) enzymes serves as the energy source for ATP synthesis and transport processes.
Question: Describe the typical environment for bacteria in terms of tonicity.
Answer: Bacteria are usually in a hypotonic environment, where there are more solutes inside the cell than outside.
Question: What effect does a hypotonic environment have on bacterial cells?
Answer: In a hypotonic environment, water is drawn into the bacterial cell, leading to swelling. This influx of water can potentially cause osmotic lysis.
Question: What is the main component of the cell wall in most bacteria?
Answer: Peptidoglycan (PG) is the major component of the cell wall in most bacteria.
Question: How do bacteria survive in hypotonic conditions?
Answer: Bacteria survive in hypotonic conditions through various mechanisms such as regulating osmotic pressure through osmoregulation, modifying cell wall composition, and employing specialized transport systems to expel excess water.
Question: What is the relationship between osmolarity and the cytoplasmic membrane?
Answer: Osmolarity refers to the concentration of solutes in a solution, and the cytoplasmic membrane plays a crucial role in maintaining osmotic balance within bacterial cells by regulating the movement of water and solutes across the membrane.
Question: What is the function of the cell wall in bacteria?
Answer: The cell wall provides structural support and protection to the bacterial cell, helping it maintain its shape and resist osmotic pressure.
Question: What is an additional layer found in the cell walls of Gram-negative bacteria?
Answer: Gram-negative bacteria have an outer membrane in addition to their peptidoglycan layer.
Question: How do the cell walls of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria differ in thickness?
Answer: Gram-positive bacteria have thick cell walls, while Gram-negative bacteria have thin cell walls.
Question: How does the peptidoglycan layer respond to osmotic pressure changes?
Answer: The peptidoglycan layer is elastic and can stretch or contract in response to changes in osmotic pressure, helping to maintain the integrity and shape of the bacterial cell.
Question: What role does the peptidoglycan layer play in bacterial cells?
Answer: The peptidoglycan layer provides strength to the cell wall, determines the shape of the bacterium, and protects against osmotic lysis by resisting the inward pressure exerted by the cytoplasm.
Question: Why is the elasticity of the peptidoglycan layer important for bacterial cells?
Answer: The elasticity of the peptidoglycan layer allows bacterial cells to adapt to changes in their environment, particularly in response to fluctuations in osmotic pressure, helping them to avoid osmotic damage and maintain their structural integrity.