microbial taxonomy

Question 1

what is taxonomy

Answer 1

the science of biological classification

Question 2

what 3 things does taxonomy encompass

Answer 2

classification, identification, nomenclature

Question 3

list the order of the taxonomy hierarchy

Answer 3

domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species

Question 4

T or F: for domain bacteria, there are no kingdoms

Answer 4

true!

Question 5

what suffix does class end in

Answer 5

ia

Question 6

what suffix does order end in

Answer 6

ales

Question 7

what suffix does family end in

Answer 7

eae

Question 8

define species

Answer 8

a collection of bacterial strains that have an overall collection of similar traits that differ from other groups

Question 9

define what a strain is

Answer 9

there are strains within a species. A strain consists of the descendants of a single pure culture that differs in some way from members of the species

Question 10

list some ways strains may differ from the species

Answer 10

biochemical/physiological differences (biovar)
morphology (morphovar)
antigenic differences (serovar)

Question 11

what are the two methods for classifying and identifying microbes

Answer 11

classical and molecular

Question 12

list the 4 classical approaches to classifying/identifying microves

Answer 12

assess morphological characteristics, physiological/metabolic characteristics, biochemical, or ecological

Question 13

describe the assessment of morphological characteristics when classifying/identifying microbes

Answer 13

assess cell shape, size, colonial morphology, endospore shape/location, color

easy to do + analyze

Question 14

describe the assessment of physiological/metabolic characteristics when classifying/identifying microbes

Answer 14

assess carbon/nitrogen/energy sources, fermentation products, motility, oxygen relationships, salt requirement/tolerance

Question 15

describe the assessment of biological characteristics when classifying/identifying microbes

Answer 15

assessing the fatty acid profile. microbes of the same species will have the same types of FAs

Question 16

what is the FAME technique + what does it stand for

Answer 16

fatty acid methyl ester. Technique is used to determine the fatty acid profile of a bacteria + FAs are extracted and analyzed by gas chromotography

Question 17

list 3 ways in which fatty acid profiles are analyzed

Answer 17

chain length, degree of saturation, branched or unbranched chains

Question 18

describe the assessment of ecological characteristics when classifying/identifying microbes

Answer 18

assess where the organism is found in the environment (ie habitat or host preference)