Quiz 1

Question 1

You obviously need to know the basics of what microbiology

Answer 1

microbiology is the study of microorganisms too small to be observed with the naked eye
- includes some nonliving entities (viruses, viroids, prions)
- includes some macroscopic organisms (worms)

Question 2

What are some of the reasons as to why we need to care about microbiology? (reason #1)

Answer 2

1) Microbes have killed billions of people
- changes to our genome, medicine developments, and have altered the course of history

Question 3

What are some of the reasons as to why we need to care about microbiology? (reason #2)

Answer 3

2) Microbes help our environment
- form the base of the food chain
- degrade dead organic matter and recycle the nutrients
- help remove CO2 from the air and toxins from soil and water
- most photosynthesis on this earth is done by microbes

Question 4

What are some of the reasons as to why we need to care about microbiology? (reason #3)

Answer 4

3) Microbes keep us alive
- grow in/on us as normal flora
- help us digest food and block pathogens from infecting

Question 5

What are some of the reasons as to why we need to care about microbiology? (reason #4)

Answer 5

4) Microbes used in industry
- critical in producing food and beverages (ex. beer, wine, cheese, yogurt, etc.)
- used for production of chemicals
- some genetically engineered to make medically relevant drugs
– Insulin, blood clotting factors, HGH, vitamins

Question 6

How are prokaryotic cells different from eukaryotic cells?

Answer 6

• much smaller (usually 1000x smaller than our cells)
• unicellular
• simple cell structure (lack internal membranes and organelles)

Question 7

What are basic features of “normal” bacteria (Monera)

Answer 7

• unicellular, very small
• haploid DNA genome
• some actively move using flagella and pili
• many produce toxins that cause harm to other species in order to gain nutrients or kill competitors all with the goal of spreading further
• generally characterized based on the structure of outer cell wall (gram positive vs gram negative

Question 8

gram positive vs gram negative

Answer 8

gram positive = thick cell wall
gram negative = thin cell wall

Question 9

What are Archae and how do they differ from the Monera?

Answer 9

• differ genetically
• often live in extreme environments like hydrothermal vents, Dead Sea, low pH, and salt flats

Question 10

What are basic characteristics of fungi? What are hyphae/mycelium?

Answer 10

• unicellular or multicellular
• scavenge organic compounds
• most grow as multi-branches tubes called hyphae/mycelium
• very few cause human disease (yeast infections, nail fungus, black lung)

Question 11

What are basic characteristics of algae?

Answer 11

• all are photosynthetic
• some are unicellular and microscopic, others are macroscopic
• don’t impact humans, but can impact other species
  – base of food chain, can cause red tide

Question 12

How are algae similar to plants and how are they different?

Answer 12

• look like plants on the surface but are not
• have cellulose cell walls, but lack roots, leaves, and stems