Quiz #1 Vocabulary Flashcards
1
Q
probe
A
-short length of DNA that can be labelled to hybridize to a complementary molecule
2
Q
redfield ratio
A
- fixed ratio of elements in ocean
- C:N:P = 106:16:1
3
Q
synechococcus
A
- prevalence varies seasonally
- autofluoresce
- photosynthetic
- very common, one of the first studied
- cyanobacterium
- nitrogen fixer
4
Q
thermohaline circulation
A
- occurs in polar climates
- cold water forms ice, leaves salt behind
- surrounding water is very salty and cold (so denser) and sinks, fresher water is pulled in to replace it
- dense water moves along the seafloor, creates deep-ocean currents
- transports nutrients, O2, CO2, etc…
5
Q
FISH
A
- fluorescence in situ hybridization
- probe is labelled with a fluorescent dye, will bind to ribosomal RNA
- fix cells, use probe, wash away excess dye, hybridize them
- now, only those cells that the probe attached to are marked fluorescently
- helpful for distinguishing between groups, like bacteria and archaea
6
Q
dead zones
A
- 85% of the freshwater flow into the Gulf of Mexico comes from the US and 64% of this originates from the Mississippi River: Leads to Dead Zones with very low oxygen
- large influx of nutrients, they get decomposed by bacteria, process consumes oxygen, region is left anoxic
7
Q
NifH
A
-major protein in nitrogen fixation
8
Q
order of ions in the sea
A
Cl> Na >SO4>NO3->Fe(3+)
9
Q
the great plate count anomaly
A
- orders of magnitude of cultures go from 10, 100, 1000, 10000, etc…
- 10 is too few but 1000 is too many
- difficult to get a plate with an appropriate number of colonies to count
10
Q
niskin bottles
A
- used to collect water at specific depths
- sample the water column
11
Q
most probable number method
A
- plate counts to know how many bacteria are in seawater
- a statistical method used to estimate the viable numbers of bacteria in a sample by inoculating media in 10-fold dilutions
12
Q
flow cytometer
A
-direct count method
-forces the cells through a very narrow tube, almost single file
-a light source shoots through at them, scatters light & fluoresces (bigger cells scatter more light)
can indicate cell size and cell count
13
Q
euphotic zone
A
- the depths to which light can penetrate
- photosynthesis occurs here
- same as photic zone
14
Q
primer
A
- short length of DNA used to initiate synthesis of a new DNA strand
- universal or specific
- can be used to duplicate desired gene
15
Q
RT-PCR
A
- take mRNA, do reverse transcriptase, gives you complementary DNA
- run standard PCR on the cDNA, gives an amplified double stranded DNA fragment
- do this when the DNA you want to replicate is in the form of RNA to start
