Microbial Diversity

Question 1

What is taxonomy?

Answer 1

The science of biological classification

Question 2

Name and describe the 3 parts of taxonomy.

Answer 2

CLASSIFICATION: arrangement of organisms into groups (TAXA).

NOMENCLATURE: assignment of NAMES to taxa.

IDENTIFICATION: Determining which TAXON a new organism belongs to.

Question 3

What is currently the highest taxonomic rank?

Answer 3

Domain

Question 4

What are the current taxonomic ranks?

Answer 4

Domain
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species

Question 5

What does it mean that each taxonomic rank is non-overlapping?

Answer 5

Can’t be part of more than one rank at the same taxonomic level.

To be part of a rank you must have:

1. properties of the rank above
2. some extra properties which are more restrictive than the rank above

Question 6

Define the term “microbial species”

Answer 6

A group of microbes with many stable properties which is very different from other species.

Largely based on GENETIC differences.

Question 7

Define the term “strain”

Answer 7

Variants of the same species

Question 8

Strains differ from one another in many ways:

Define the terms “biovar”, “morphovar”, “serovar” and “pathovar”.

Answer 8

Biovars - differ biochemically or physiologically

Morphovars - differ morphologically

Serovars - differ in antigenic properties

Question 9

What is a “type strain”?

Answer 9

It is the most fully characterised member of the species.

It is often used as a reference point for the species.

but is NOT necessarily the most representative/common.

Question 10

What are the 3 main types of taxonomic classification?

Answer 10

1. Phenetically: grouped by phenotypic characteristics
   (observable characteristics)
2. Genotypically: compare genetic similarity
3. Phylogenetically: grouped based on probable evolutionary relationships (rRNA)

Question 11

Types of phenetic classification?

Answer 11

1. Morphological: shape, size, etc.
2. Physiological and metabolic: biochemistry
3. Ecological: where/how do they live?