Microbiology Genomics and Meta-omics Techniques Flashcards
What are the primary areas of microbial biochemistry?
- Structure/function
- Bioenergetic
- Information
Why are proteins and RNA a significant portion of the cell?
Because numerous metabolic reactions happen in the cell
What does DNA store?
- Information for synthesis of proteins for chemical reactions in a cell
What does RNA stand for?
Ribonuclei acid
What are proteins responsible for?
Proteins responsible for building cellular components for maintaining the proper functioning of the cell
What’s inside the double helix?
Organic bases
What is the shape of DNA?
Double helix Covalent bonds
What the examples of base pairs?
- G-C
- T-A
What’s the process from gene to enzyme?
DNA -> mRNA -> Protein/enzyme
What is a gene?
A gene is a segment of DNA that encodes the synthesis of a
gene product, either RNA or protein/enzyme
What happens in transcription?
Gene-encoding DNA segment is copied into messenger RNA (mRNA)
What happens in translation?
mRNA is decoded by ribosomes to produce protein/enzyme
- three nucleotides on mRNA and read by tRNA
What are ribosomes?
- A complex RNA-protein macromolecule, found in all living cells, that serves as the site of biological protein synthesis
- Read the mRNA and synthesize protein
What does mRNA stand for?
Message RNA
What are features of mRNA?
Unstable and short lived
What is transfer RNA?
- Combined with an amino acid and incorporated it into a growing protein chain
What is ribosomal RNA?
- Found in combination with proteins in ribosomes
What is mRNA?
- Single stranded copy of a small part of the DNA
- Carries instructions from DNA to make protein
What is the range for genome size of bacteria and archaea?
130 kbp to > 14 Mbp
What are Meta-omics techniques?
The collection, classification, storage, and analysis of
biochemical and biological information using computers (called bioinformatics) especially as applied to molecular genetics and genomics
What are some meta-comic techniques?
- 16S rRNA gene sequencing (microbe’s identity)
- Metagenomics (gene present)
- Metatranscriptomics (gene transcription activity/metabolic pathway activity)
- Proteomics (enzyme activity, 3D protein structure
prediction)
What is used in sequencing platforms?
- Short- read sequencer
What is the criteria for the gene target for Phylogeny Taxonomy?
- The gene target should be present in all bacteria
and archaea - Adequate genetic variation within gene target to
distinguish between different species of bacteria and archaea
What is the 16S rRNA gene?
Encodes for an RNA product called 16S rRNA
What does 16s rRNA form?
16S rRNA forms part of the prokaryotic ribosome (Conserved in parts – highly variable in other parts)
How does the sequencing analysis happen?
DNA extraction -> 16S rRNA gene sequencing -> 16S rRNA gene sequence data -> bioinformatics analysis
What’s an example where 16S rRNA Sequencing Analysis took place?
Anaerobic Fluidized-bed Membrane
Bioreactor (AFMBR)
What is involved in Metagenomics?
- Investigate community of microorganisms present without the necessity of obtaining pure cultures
- Predicts metabolic potentials
- High resolution identification of microbes and correlation of genomes with functions of interest
What the sequencing of metagenomics?
- DNA extraction
- Archaeal/Bacterial genomes present in a sample
- Genomes cut into small fragments
- Sequencing of random pool of fragments
- Alignments of DNA sequences with a comp
- Bioinformatics analysis
What is Geobacter?
Geobacter species are anaerobic respiration bacterial species which have capabilities that make them useful in bioremediation.
What are Metatranscriptomics used for?
- Analyse mRNA acquired from environmental samples, in order to study the gene expression of microbes
- Determines activity (metabolic pathway)
