Microbio Essential terms

Question 1

Peptidoglycan

Answer 1

component of cell wall; gram + have lots, gram - have little

Question 2

Glycocalyx

Answer 2

sticky secretion of polysaccharides and/or polypeptides that helps bacteria attach to the host; capsule = firmly attached, slime layer = soluble loose layer; prevents desiccation; also aids in formation of biofilms because other bacteria can stick to it

Question 3

Virulence

Answer 3

the ability to cause infectious disease

Question 4

Virulence factor

Answer 4

something that the bacteria possesses that makes it able to infect and cause disease

Question 5

Monotrichous

Answer 5

one flagellum

Question 6

Amphitrichous

Answer 6

one flagellum at each end

Question 7

Lophotrichous

Answer 7

multiple flagella at each end

Question 8

Peritrichous

Answer 8

flagella all over

Question 9

Taxis

Answer 9

bacterial movement; run = flagella rotate counterclockwise, tumble = clockwise

Question 10

Axial filaments

Answer 10

ilaments between the outer layer and cell membrane which make the bacteria move like a corkscrew; advantageous because no antigens; example in spirochete; enable easier burrowing through mucous layers etc.

Question 11

fimbrae

Answer 11

little projections, not flagella or cilia; proteinaceous, bristles; sticky due to adhesion proteins at their ends; used to attached to host or to pull bacteria along; also important in biofilms

Question 12

NAG

Answer 12

sugar in peptidoglycan

Question 13

NAM

Answer 13

sugar in peptidoglycan

Question 14

Gram positive

Answer 14

category of bacteria that have a thick layer of peptidoglycan in their cell wall which binds the stain and appear purple

Question 15

Gram negative

Answer 15

category of bacteria that have a thin layer of peptidoglycan in the cell wall and numerous liposaccharides; when stained, the liposaccharides come off and the dye that entered the cell leaks out so it doesn’t stain; appear pink

Question 16

Teichoic acid

Answer 16

polyalcohol in peptidoglycan of gram + bacteria

Question 17

Lipoteichoic acid

Answer 17

polyalchol attached to lipid in cell membrane; attaches peptidoglycan to cell membrane

Question 18

Outer membrane

Answer 18

beyond cell membrane; encloses endoflagella in axial filament

Question 19

Lipid A

Answer 19

Lipid A, part of lipopolysaccharide; released from gram - bacteria when they die

Question 20

Pyrogen

Answer 20

a chemical that causes fever

Question 21

Lysozyme

Answer 21

enzyme found in human tears that digests peptidoglycan

Question 22

Plasmolysis

Answer 22

when a cell becomes dehydrated, the cell membrane

Question 23

Active transport types

Answer 23

• symport: one compound is actively transported out, which then couples with another molecule and drags it in through another channel passively
• uniport: durr
• antiport: eg Na/K pump

Question 24

Group translocation

Answer 24

a compound enters a protein channel, but as it is imported it is chemically altered (eg. phosphorylated) so that its concentration gradient does not pull it back out

Question 25

Inclusion

Answer 25

vacuoles with nutrients stored away

Question 26

Endospores

Answer 26

highly resilient dormant form of bacteria; formed in response to high stress; made by vegetative bacterial cell which disintegrates after; low metabolism