Micro-organisms Flashcards
Characteristics of bacteria?
-Small
-Found everywhere
-Kingdom Monera
-Uni-cellular
-No nucleus
-Heterotrophs or autotrophs
What is a heterotroph?
Cannot make their own food but take in food from other organisms
What is an autotroph?
Make their own food
Bacteria shapes?
-Round, e.g. tetanus
-Rod, e.g. streptococcus
-Spiral, e.g. syphilis
Explain how bacteria reproduces?
Called binary fission
-DNA replicates
-Cell elongates causing DNA to divide
-Cells separate
Optimum conditions for bacteria division?
- Temperature (colder=slower growth)
- pH (7)
- Access to oxygen
Pros of bacteria? (economic uses)
-Makes yoghurts and cheese
-Makes antibiotics
Cons of bacteria?
-Causes food to go bad
-Can cause diseases (pathogens)
Uses for antibiotics?
-Transplants
-Dialysis
-Suppressed immune systems
-Joint replacements
What is antibiotic resistance?
As bacteria reproduce so quickly, mutations are more likely to occur. This causes the bacteria to no longer be killed by antibiotics
Characteristics of viruses?
-Smallest micro-organism type
-Parasite
-Can often damage and kill host cells
-E.g. Covid 19, influenza, chicken pox
Explain the structure of a virus
Nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) is protected by a protein coat
Non-living features of a virus?
-Contains DNA or RNA, not both (living things contain both)
-Cannot reproduce by themselves
Living features of a virus?
-Have a protein coat
-Contain DNA or RNA
Explain viral reproduction
-Viruses are obligate parasites, meaning they need a host to reproduce and survive
