Midterm 1 Flashcards
Main difference between bacteria and archea
Bacteria have peptidoglycan in cell wall
Strain
Descendants of a single pure culture
Species
Group of strains with similar traits
What does a simple stain show
Size, shape, morphology
Hyperthermophiles
High temperature, branched saturated membrane
Psychrophiles
Low temperature, unsaturated membrane, fewer H bonds
Acidophiles
Low pH, pump H+ out of cell
Alkaliphiles
High pH, increase H+ in cell, produce acidic metabolites
Comensals
One benefits, other is unharmed
Differential media
Distinguish what bacteria possess certain traits by interaction with media
MacConkey Agar selects for…
Gram Negative Cells
MacConkey Agar differentiates….
Lac+ from Lac-
Binary Fission
Primary reproduction of bacteria
2 daughter cells from mother
Steps of binary fission
- DNA replication
- Elongation
- Septum forms via divisome
- Cells split
4 growth phases of bacteria
- Lag
- Log
- Stationary
- Death
Lag phase
Nutrients/DNA being replicated, cells not splitting yet
Log phase
Cells rapidly split and number increases exponentially
Stationary phase
Nutrients are low so growth slows
Cell density high
Death phase
Cells degrade
Months to years
Counting chamber
Manually counts cells/mL from a plate
Live and Dead cells
Plate counting
Manually count colonies from a plate
CFU (collony forming unit)
Only shows viable cells
Limitations to plate counting
Colonies can blend together
1 colony can come from multiple cells
One cell can only make one colony
Serial dilutions
Make plate counting easier to count/more accurate
Cell mass methods
- Dry weight
- Turbidity
Dry weight mass
Will include live and dead cells
Turbidity
Uses spectroscopy
Based on absorbance/scattered light
Includes dead cells
Hypertonic solution
Water leaves cell
Hypotonic solution
Water enters cell
Compatible solutes
For hypertonic solutions
- Prevents escape of water from cell
How does a cell react to a hypotonic solution
Mechanosensitive channels
- Water enters cell
- Cytoplasm stretches
- Channels open
- Solutes leave cell
Osmotic pressure relieved
Damage caused by pH changes
Cytoplasmic membrane, protein activity
How is cytoplasm pH maintained
Importing or exporting protons
What group exports protons
Acidophiles
Inside pH is too low (acidic)
Therefore, make more basic
What group imports protons
Alkalphiles
Inside pH too high (basic) therefore, make more acidic
What do hyperthermophiles have that others don’t
Most ether lipids
Levels of temperature bacterium
Psychrophiles
Psychrotrophs
Mesophiles
Thermophiles
Hyperthermophiles
What temperature does mesophiles like
Human body temperature
~37C
What are most psychrophiles responsible for
Refrigerated food spoilage
What are most mesophiles responsible for
Human pathogens
What role does oxygen have with bacteria
Essential for some, toxic to others
How does oxygen damage some bacteria
Forms Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)
Oxidizes sensitive groups
Reactive Oxygen Species do what
React with proteins lipids, nucleic acid
Remembering why oxygen can be toxic
H2O vs H2O2
How do bacterial enzymes help protect against ROSs
Break down molecule/change it
2H2O2 -> 2H2O + O2
Obligate aerobes
Need oxygen
Obligate anaerobes
Grow without oxygen
What does oxygen kill
Obligate anaerobes
What does oxygen do to facultative anaerobes
Beneficial, not essential
What does oxygen do to aerotolerant anaerobes
No impact
What levels of oxygen do microaerophiles need
Low Oxygen
Can’t survive atmospheric levels
Testing Oxygen sensitivity
Top is oxic
Bottom is anoxic
Wherever cells end up in tube show ideal oxygen levels
Autoclaving
High pressure steam
Sterilizes
Pasturization
Kills pathogens with moderate heat
What does cold do to bacteria
slows metabolic activity
What effect do hypertonic conditions have on microbial growth
Dehydration slows microbial growth
What do extreme pH conditions do to microbial growth
Impacts protein function and slows growth
What products have general targets
Disinfectants and antisepctics
Disinfectant
Used for objects
Antiseptic
Used on live tissue
What have specific targets
Antibiotics
Targets are specific to bacteria
Oligotrophic environment
Low nutrients
Bacteria activate stringent response
Response to oligotrophic environment
Slowed metabolism, increased protein production to protect cell/dna
Persister cells and endospores can form
Persister cells
Growth arrested bacterial cells
Resistant to antibiotics
Endospores
Form inside a vegetative mother cell
Different structure, same genetics
Released via lysis
Resistance of endospores
Highly resistant to UV, heat, desiccation
Protected against chemicals, antibiotics, phage
Advantage of endospores resistance
Better survival in poor conditions
Can reform vegetative cells in proper conditions
What does the core of an endospores contain
Nucleotide
Ribosomes
Etc
What surrounds an endospore core
Cortex (peptidoglycan)
Coat (Protein)
Exosporium
Impermeable
Endospore formation
- Cell division
- Septum forms
- Forespore develops
- Forespore engulfed
- Cortex forms
- Coat forms
- Lysis
Planktonic
Free floating (bacterium in lab)