Microbial Genetics

Question 0

Can bacteria survive without plasmids?

Answer 0

Yes; they are not essential for normal metabolism, growth or reproduction

Question 1

What are plasmids?

Answer 1

Small molecules of extra chromosomal DNA that replicate independently

Question 2

What is the function of plasmids?

Answer 2

They can confer survival advantages

Question 3

What is the function of fertility factors as plasmids?

Answer 3

Carry instructions for conjugation

Question 4

What is the function of resistance factors as plasmids?

Answer 4

Carry genes for resistance to antibiotics

Question 5

What is the function of bacteriocin factors as plasmids?

Answer 5

Carry genes to make toxins to kill off its competitors

Question 6

What is the function of virulence plasmids?

Answer 6

Carry instructions that enable bacterium to become pathogenic

Question 7

What type of gene transfer is when organisms replicate their genome and provide copies to descendants?

Answer 7

Vertical gene transfer

Question 8

Which type of gene transfer is normal in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes?

Answer 8

Vertical gene transfer

Question 9

Which type of gene transfer only occurs among prokaryotes?

Answer 9

Horizontal gene transfer

Question 10

Which type of gene transfer involves a donor cell that contributes part of a genome to the recipient cell and can be of a different species?

Answer 10

Horizontal gene transfer

Question 11

What are the three types of horizontal gene transfer?

Answer 11

Transformation, transduction, bacterial conjugation

Question 12

Which type of horizontal gene transfer occurs when a recipient cell takes up DNA from the environment?

Answer 12

Transformation

Question 13

What is the term used to describe the special cells that are able to engage in transformation as a form of horizontal gene transfer?

Answer 13

Competent (only a few bacteria can do this)

Question 14

Competent cells engaging in transformation as a form of horizontal gene transfer take DNA from what kinds of organisms?

Answer 14

Both live and dead

Question 15

Which type of horizontal gene transfer involves the transfer of DNA from one cell to another via a replicating virus?

Answer 15

Transduction

Question 16

What type of transduction gene transfer involves the phage carrying random DNA from donor to recipient?

Answer 16

Generalized transduction

Question 17

Which type of transduction gene transfer involves only certain DNA being transferred from donor to recipient?

Answer 17

Specialized transduction

Question 18

What is a bacteriophage?

Answer 18

A virus that attacks bacteria

Question 19

What is the term used to describe donor DNA being incorporated into the recipient’s chromosome during transduction?

Answer 19

Recombination

Question 20

Which type of horizontal gene transfer involves the transfer of DNA from one cell to another, mediated by conjugation pili?

Answer 20

Conjugation

Question 21

During conjugation (horizontal gene transfer), what requirement is there for the donor cell?

Answer 21

F plasmid (F+)

Question 22

In conjugation (horizontal gene transfer), what is the cell called that lacks the F plasmid?

Answer 22

F- cell (the recipient cell)

Question 23

What type of disease is the salt water infection, vibrio vulnificus?

Answer 23

Emerging disease