Olson- Microbial Genetics and Antibiotic Resistance

Question 1

The acquisition of what virulence factor allows staphylococcus aureus to cause necrotizing fasciitis? Streptococcus pyogenes?

Answer 1

Staphylococcus aureus: PV Leukocidin

Streptococcus Pyogenes: Endotoxin B

Question 2

What type of mutation allows a bacteria to acquire large-scale DNA changes?

Answer 2

Homologous recombination

Question 3

What are pathogenicity islands?

Answer 3

Regions of bacterial DNA where transposons are common and are medically relevant due to their ability to make bacteria more virulent

Question 4

What are three mechanisms through which bacteria can acquire new DNA? which is most common?

Answer 4

Transformation (Least common)

Conjugation (Most common)

Transduction

Question 5

What toxins are coded by a specialized transduction gamma phage?

Answer 5

ABCDE

Shiga-like toxin
Botulinum toxin
Cholera 
Diphtheria toxin
Erythrogenic toxin

Question 6

Why is penicillin G ineffective against gram negative cells?

Answer 6

It is unable to penetrate the outer cell layer