microbiology Flashcards
Who came up with the biological species concept ?
Ernest mayr
What is the definition of a species ?
Are populations of organisms that have a high genetic similarity which can transfer genetic material.
What are genes and proteins that are measures of evolutionary change called ?
Chronometers
What methods are there available for genetic comparison ?
16s RNA sequencing
18s RNA sequencing
DNA-DNA hybridisation
What is the threshold for DNA-DNA similarity to be considered a species ?
> 70%
What is the problem with 16s RNA sequencing ?
Molecule being sequenced is on 1500bp in length and the rate of evolutionary change is 1bp every 1 million years. Meaning prokaryotes with 97%similarity may have diverged 50mya.
What is the problem with DNA-DNA similarity ?
DNA-DNA similarity is only a measure of the similarity of the DNA shared between two strains: it does not account for the DNA that is unique to one species or the other
What is the solution to the low resolving power of 16s RNA comparison ?
Whole genome sequecing allowing comparison of every gene.
What is the definition of symbiosis ?
A term used to describe an exclusive and close relationship between 2 species.
What 3 key points define symbiosis ?
- Creates a unique metabolism or structure.
- Selective co-evolution of the two species from generation to generation
- The symbiosis must be maintained through natural selection.
What are the 5 types of symbiosis ?
Mutualistic Commensal Neutral Competitive Parasitic
Give an example of Ectosymbiosis and Endosymbiosis
Outisde the cell way-rumen bacteria
Within cavity-Algae of clams
What type of endosymbiosis occurs in the cell ?
intracellular-Rhizobium
When is the paracium-chlorella symbiosis beneficial ?
When nutrients are low it is beneficial when low light levels it is parasitic.
What does the vertebrate gut biome allow ?
Anaerobic fermentation to occur in rumens allowing digestion of cellulose.
The convoluta-tertrasel symbiosis is an example of intracellular symbiosis what is unique about the green algae?
In symbiosis the green algae have no cell wall but not in symbiosis they are different in structure.
What is produced by the fermentation of cellulose ?
Volatile fatty acids.
What are the 2 layers of tissue that make up a coral and what separates them ?
Endoderm- Contain zooxanthellae
Ectoderm- Contain mucus glands
Separated by mesoglea
What do mucin genes produce and what is the product made of ?
mucus- Glycoprotein (80%oligosaccharide 20% protein core)
How much of the energy produced by zooxanthellae is given to the host coral ?
78% is given to host
45% is used to produce mucus
What did the evolution of surface mucosa do ?
Changed the relationship of eukaryotes and microorganisms forever.
What caused the loss of the acroporids ?
White band disease
why cant kochs postulates be used for coral disease ?
1 Most marine microbes cant be cultured.
2 Diseased and healthy corals are connected by water so cannot collect isolates
3 Coral disease is thought to be caused by multiple agents
4 Difficult to prove symptoms are unique and that the same disease has been created in the lab.
What do polyps use to feed ?
Expand at night and use nematocysts
One of the principles of kochs postulates is that the cultured pathogen should cause disease to a healthy organism. What is wrong with this ?
Some pathogens only infect weakened organisms.
What is the rhizophere ?
Zone of soil around plant roots whereby soil properties are influenced by roots.
What did van luijk observe ?
That grass grew better on non sterile soil in comparison to sterile soil.
What are PGPR ?
Plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria colonise the rhizosphere, the rhizoplane (root surface), or the root itself (within radicular tissues)
What is the main characteristic of an effective PGPR ?
Ability to aggressively colonise plant roots (high competition).
How do PGPR bioferilise ?
The production of stimulatory phytohormones
Lowering of the ethylene level in plant.
Improvement of the plant nutrient status by
liberation of phosphates and micronutrients from insoluble sources by the production of metabolites to lower pH and siderophores.
What pathway do PGPR use to produce auxins ?
Indole 3 pyruvate pathway.
What is tryptophan and what do PGPR do with it ?
Tryptophan is a precursor for auxins and PGPR convert it to indole 3-acetic acid (IAA).
How do PGPR reduce ethylene levels ?
Produce ACC deminase which cleaves the ethylene precursor ACC.
What does ethylene do to plants ?
inhibits root elongation.
What does low levels of IAA do ?
Promotes root elongation.
How do PGPR solubilise phosphates ?
Lower pH of soil via production of metabolites.
Why are siderphores so useful ?
Siderophores bind to iron3 and enters the plant and release the iron3 in the form iron2. Also useful for the prevention of proliferation of pathogens as they out .compete pathogen for nutrients.
What is biocontrol ?
Where the activity of a pathogen is reduced through the agency of another living organism.
PGPR biocontrol how ?
Production of siderophores, by colonising roots thus excluding other microorganisms and through the production of metabolites such as anitbodies and lysozymes.
What is ISR ?
induced systemic resistance- Mediated by rhizobacteria it resembles Systemic acquired resistance.
What induces ISR?
Lipopolysaccaharides and siderophores
Trichoderma harianum is a plant growth promoting fungi what dies it do ?
Improves soil formation and provides fungicides
What are the characteristics of a good PGPB ?
Enhance growth Ability to survive and form a biofilm Ability to colonise roots Ability to compete Safe to environment Tolerant to adverse conditions
What do liquid inoculants contain ?
Mainly water with minerals and organic oils
What is peat used for and what is the problem with this ?
Used as an organic carrier of rhizobia but this causes destruction of peat bogs.
What are cyanobacteria inoculants made from ?
The soil from their habitats
How are synthetic formulations created.
Bacteria encapsulated in polymer. This is placed in a fermenter to provide nutrion until numbers of bacteria is optimal.