Microbiology Flashcards
A virologist is researching acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus (HSV). Viral DNA analysis reveals a mutation in the thymidine kinase gene, resulting in a mutated enzyme that does not phosphorylate acyclovir to its active form. In an experiment, a resistant HSV type 2 strain containing this mutation is cultured in a cell line, and the cell culture is coinfected with a nonresistant HSV type 1 strain. It is found that some of the newly produced type 1 virions acquire resistance to acyclovir, and subsequent progeny continue to be resistant. Which of the following mechanisms best explains the observed findings?
A. Interference
B. Phenotypic mixing
C. Reassortment
D. Recombination
E. Transformation
D. Recombination
This scenario describes the exchange of genetic information between 2 virus strains that have nonsegmented, double-stranded DNA genomes. Recombination refers to the exchange of genes between 2 chromosomes via crossing over within homologous regions. The resulting progeny can have recombined genomes with traits from both parent viruses. In this case, the thymidine kinase genes in HSV type 1 and 2 virions are likely to have significant sequence similarity, allowing cross over to occur with relatively high frequency.
______ occurs when one virus inhibits replication and/or release of a second virus that is infecting the same cell. Simple interference would not result in recombinant progeny virions.
A. Interference
B. Phenotypic mixing
C. Reassortment
D. Recombination
E. Transformation
Interference
_____ can occur when a host cell is coinfected with 2 viral strains and progeny virions contain parental genome from one strain and nucleocapsid (or envelope) proteins from the other strain. This may result in progeny acquiring additional traits (eg, enhanced ability to infect new host cells due to different nucleocapsid proteins). However, as the genome is unchanged, subsequent progeny would not retain these traits.
A. Interference
B. Phenotypic mixing
C. Reassortment
D. Recombination
E. Transformation
Phenotypic mixing
_____ refers to changes in genomic composition that occur when host cells are coinfected with 2 segmented viruses that exchange whole genome segments. This process can cause sudden alterations in surface antigens of the viral progeny, as observed with the highly mutagenic influenza virus. However, because the herpesvirus genome is nonsegmented, it does not engage in reassortment.
A. Interference
B. Phenotypic mixing
C. Reassortment
D. Recombination
E. Transformation
Reassortment
_____ is the uptake of naked DNA by a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell. In virology, transformation also describes incorporation of viral DNA into a host cell chromosome (lysogeny). Transformation alters the genetic composition of the host cell but typically causes no genomic change in progeny virions.
A. Interference
B. Phenotypic mixing
C. Reassortment
D. Recombination
E. Transformation
Transformation
_____ refers to gene exchange that occurs through the crossing over of 2 double-stranded DNA molecules
A. Interference
B. Phenotypic mixing
C. Reassortment
D. Recombination
E. Transformation
Recombination
____ describes the mixing of genome segments in segmented viruses that infect the same host cell.
A. Interference
B. Phenotypic mixing
C. Reassortment
D. Recombination
E. Transformation
Reassortment
A 26-year-old man comes to the office due to a 3-day-history of dysuria and urethral discharge. The symptoms developed about 2 weeks after he had unprotected sexual intercourse with a new partner. His temperature is 37.1 C (98.8 F). On physical examination, a mucoid discharge is expressed with gentle milking of the penis. Gram stain of the discharge reveals numerous neutrophils with intracellular diplococci. A sample of the discharge is placed on an antibiotic-containing medium, and bacterial colonies are cultured. Which of the following terms best describes the medium?
A. Differentiation
B. Enrichment
C. Reducing
D. Selective
E. Synthetic
D. Selective
This patient with dysuria and urethral discharge has gonococcal urethritis as indicated by the Gram stain showing gram-negative diplococci within leukocytes. Neisseria gonorrhoeae can be cultured on Thayer-Martin VCN selective medium, which contains vancomycin, colistin, nystatin, and trimethoprim. These antibiotics kill potential contaminants such as gram-positive organisms (vancomycin), gram-negative organisms other than Neisseria (colistin and trimethoprim), and fungi (nystatin).
This patient with dysuria and urethral discharge has ___ _____ as indicated by the Gram stain showing gram-negative diplococci within leukocytes.
gonococcal urethritis
__ ___ can be cultured on Thayer-Martin VCN selective medium, which contains vancomycin, colistin, nystatin, and trimethoprim. These antibiotics kill potential contaminants such as gram-positive organisms (vancomycin), gram-negative organisms other than Neisseria (colistin and trimethoprim), and fungi (nystatin).
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
____ media help identify cultured organisms based on their metabolic and biochemical properties. Examples of _____ media include the MacConkey and eosin methylene blue (EMB) agars used to culture enteric organisms. Organisms that ferment lactose will appear pink on MacConkey agar and black on EMB agar.
A. Differentiation
B. Enrichment
C. Reducing
D. Selective
E. Synthetic
Differential
_____ media contain special growth factors required for some organisms. Examples include the X and V factors required by Haemophilus or the anaerobic conditions needed by Clostridium species.
A. Differentiation
B. Enrichment
C. Reducing
D. Selective
E. Synthetic
Enrichment
____ media (eg, thioglycolate broth) remove oxygen and are used to culture anaerobic organisms.
A. Differentiation
B. Enrichment
C. Reducing
D. Selective
E. Synthetic
Reducing
A ____ medium is any chemically-defined medium for which all of the chemical contents are known
A. Differentiation
B. Enrichment
C. Reducing
D. Selective
E. Synthetic
synthetic
Lipopolysacharide: mechanism
Activates macrophages —> widespread release of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-a
Lipopolysacharide: Presentation
Bacteremia and septic shock
K1 Capsular Polysaccharide: Mechanism
Prevents phagocytosis and complement-mediated lysis
K1 Capsular Polysaccharide: Presentation
Neonatal meningitis
Shiga toxin: Mechanism
Inactivates 60S ribosomal subunit, halting protein synthesis and causing cell death
Shiga toxin: Presentation
Gastroenteritis (Bloody)
Heat-stable/heat-labile enterotoxins: Mechanism
promotes fluid and electrolyte secretion from intestinal epithelium
Heat-stable/heat-labile enterotoxins:: presentation
gastreoenteritis (watery)
P-Fimbriae: mechanism
allows adhesion to uroepithelium
P-Fimbriae: presentation
urinary tract infection
A patient has _____ diarrhea due to Escherichia coli O157:H7, or Shiga toxin–producing E coli (STEC). The transmission of STEC occurs primarily via consumption of contaminated beef products, but isolated cases without a clear source can occur.
bloody
After colonization and adherence to intestinal epithelial cells, STEC elaborates Shiga toxin (virtually identical to that produced by Shigella dysenteriae). Enterocytes bind to Shiga toxins, which then inactivate the 60S ribosomal subunit within the host cells by cleaving an adenine nucleobase from the integrated 28S RNA. This leads to inhibition of protein synthesis and apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells. Clinical manifestations include:
Watery diarrhea that becomes bloody within 1-3 days.
Shiga toxin can spread through the damaged intestinal epithelium to the bloodstream and capillary endothelial cells in the kidney, leading to ___ ___ ___ approximately a week after gastrointestinal symptoms. Manifestations include thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and renal insufficiency.
Hemolytic uremic syndrome
Clostridioides difficile produces 2 exotoxins, one of which is a cytotoxin (toxin _) that disrupts the cytoskeleton by ____ actin and causing cell death.
Clostridioides difficile produces 2 exotoxins, one of which is a cytotoxin (toxin B) that disrupts the cytoskeleton by depolymerizing actin and causing cell death.
___ produced by Corynebacterium diphtheriae (diphtheria toxin) inactivate elongation factor 2 via ribosylation, which leads to the inhibition of protein synthesis and cell death
Exotoxins
Enterotoxigenic E coli produces heat-labile toxin (LT) and heat-stable toxin (ST). LT ____ (increases/decreases_ intracellular cyclic AMP in intestinal mucosal cells, which leads to the ___ (increased/decreased) absorption and increased secretion of sodium, chloride, and water; ST increases intracellular cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP), also contributing to diarrhea and electrolyte loss. Watery, not bloody, diarrhea occurs.
Enterotoxigenic E coli produces heat-labile toxin (LT) and heat-stable toxin (ST). LT increases intracellular cyclic AMP in intestinal mucosal cells, which leads to the decreased absorption and increased secretion of sodium, chloride, and water; ST increases intracellular cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP), also contributing to diarrhea and electrolyte loss. Watery, not bloody, diarrhea occurs.
____ means pain in a joint
Arthralgia
____ infection is marked by the presence of HBsAg, HBeAg, and anti-HBc, and a lack of anti-HBs.
Acute hepatitis B virus (HBV)
____ Infections are often asymptomatic, but many patients have a few months of jaundice, fatigue, nausea, and right upper–quadrant discomfort.
Acute hepatitis B virus (HBV)
___ infection: Perinatal transmission is most common in high-prevalence countries (eg, Sub-Saharan Africa); in low-prevalence regions (eg, United States), most cases occur due to unprotected sex or intravenous drug use.
Acute hepatitis B virus (HBV)
HBV is a hepadnavirus composed of:
- an __ __ envelope that contains viral-encoded proteins (HBsAg) and host lipid components.
- an ___ _____ core that contains a circular, partially double-stranded DNA genome and a DNA polymerase with reverse transcriptase activity.
- an outer lipid envelope that contains viral-encoded proteins (HBsAg) and host lipid components.
- an icosahedral nucleocapsid core that contains a circular, partially double-stranded DNA genome and a DNA polymerase with reverse transcriptase activity.