LM 2.1: Bacteria Growth & Cell Walls Flashcards
how fast does bacteria grow?
it can be extremely rapid
high surface-to-volume ratio
exponential growth
how does surface-to-volume ratio effect bacteria growth?
surface to volume ratios limit metabolic efficiency
a bacteria’s need for nutrients, and rate of waste generation, are proportional to volume
its rate of taking up nutrients, or pumping out waste products, is proportional to surface area
what is the lag phase of the bacterial growth curve?
bacteria adapting to new environment
little to no growth
large changes in gene expression
what is the logarithmic/exponential phase of the bacterial growth curve?
period of most rapid increase in cell mass
growth is balanced, constant growth rate
gene expression is constant
Most bacterial studies involve this phase
what is the stationary phase of the bacterial growth curve?
nutrient(s) become limiting – cells begin to starve
genes necessary for starvation survival are transcribed
the most common state of existence for most bacteria
cell growth balances cell death (loss of VIABILITY)
in many cases, this is when toxins are produced
some bacteria begin to sporulate
what is the death phase of the bacterial growth curve?
rapid cell death
new cell growth begins to balance cell death (“cannibalism”)
bacteria become more resistant to environmental stresses
some cells become persisters
which bacteria are spore-forming bacterial pathogens?
- bacillus
2. clostridium
what are the characteristics of bacterial endospores?
very resistant to high temperatures (survives boiling >1h)
resistant to desiccation, low and high pH
sSensitive to irradiation
multilayered spore coat
can remain viable for >1000s of years
what are the 3 ways you can kill bacteria?
- sterilization
- disinfection
- antisepsis
what is sterilization?
use of physical or chemical agents to destroy all microbial forms, including bacterial spores
- heat = >120 C for 15 minutes wet or hours if dry
- ionizing radiation
- filtration = removes cell, spores from liquids
what is disinfection?
use of physical procedures or chemical agents to destroy most microbial forms
bacterial spores and other relatively resistant organisms (e.g., mycobacteria, some viruses, fungi) may remain viable
- alcohols
- phenols
- detergents
- halogens
- UV irradiation
- ethylene oxide
what is antisepsis?
use of chemical agents on skin or other living tissue to inhibit or eliminate microbes; not sporocidal
- soaps
- isopropanol
what is the function of the bacterial cell wall?
- mediates adherence to target cells (adhesins, fimbriae, pili)
- mediates invasion of target cells
- mediates motility and chemotaxis
- contains export machinery for toxins
- in many cases contains intrinsic toxins
what is a major target for antibiotics?
bacterial cell wall
it’s because there’s no similar structure that exists in human cells
what is the cytoplasmic membrane of bacteria?
phospholipid bilayer with proteins
they’re mechanically weak but they’re an effective barrier against ion diffusion
they are really similar to animal cells so they’re difficult antibiotic targets
what are the two approaches to resisting osmotic pressure?
- strengthen membrane itself like with sterols
2. surround membrane with a retaining wall = this is what most bacteria do!
what are the roles of the retaining wall?
- hold in cytoplasmic membrane
confer cell shape:
- spheres
- rods
- spirals
- permit rapid diffusion of small molecules
- entry of nutrients
- exit of waste products
what shape are cocci?
spheres
what shape are bacilli?
rods
what are the characteristics you’d want in a cell wall?
- strong to resist osmotic pressure
- flexible to change sape during cell division
- open to permit rapid diffusion of small molecules