Microbial taxonomy

Question 1

What are the characteristics used in taxonomy?

Answer 1

Morphological characteristics
Physiological and metabolic characteristics
Genetic characteristics
Other molecular characteristics

Question 2

Describe physiological and metabolic characteristics

Answer 2

Biochemical testing
Relates to enzyme or transport protein activity
Provides indirect genomic comparison

Question 3

Describe genetic characteristics

Answer 3

Gene presence/absence through:
- gene (DNA/RNA) sequencing
- genome sequencing

Question 4

Describe other molecular characteristics

Answer 4

Proteins (mass spectrometry)
Nucleic acid base composition/mole %G+C (2 groups of g.+ bacteria)

Question 5

What is the key idea of sequence comparisons?

Answer 5

The more closely related two organisms are, the less divergent their gene sequences will be

Question 6

Explain point mutation

Answer 6

Swapping one base pair (C->A)
- single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs)

Question 7

Explain deletions

Answer 7

Gene sequence is removed in one strain

Question 8

Explain insertions

Answer 8

Extra sequence is inserted in middle/end of gene sequence

Question 9

What is MSA?

Answer 9

Multiple sequence alignment