Unit 2 Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

What is a catabolic reaction?

A
  • Break down of complex molecules into smaller molecules

- Energy is released

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is an anabolic reaction?

A
  • Build up of complex molecules

- Energy is used

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What does an enzyme do within a metabolic pathway?

A

Catalyses each step

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the name of an alternative route in respiration?

A

sorbitol

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are membranes made up from?

A
  • Phospholipids

- Protein molecules

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

How are membranes described?

A

Fluid mosaic model

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Definition of Diffusion?

A

Movement of molecules from a high concentration to a region of low concentration down a concentration gradient.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are the 3 proteins in membranes?

A

Pumps
Pores
Enzymes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What do protein pores do?

A

Transport water molecules and certain ions from one side to the other; requires no energy
Span the membrane

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What do protein pumps do?

A

Transport Sodium and Potassium ions across the membrane using energy.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What does Temperature, concentration of glucose and oxygen affect?

A

Rate of active transport, the rate of respiration and the release of ATP.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the role of ATP synthase?

A

Catalyses the synthesis of ATP

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is an important feature in cell organelles?

(ratio) and what does this allow?

A

Large surface area: volume

Allows high concentrations and reaction rates

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are lysosomes and what do they do?

A

They are a powerful digestive enzyme

Localise the metabolic activity of the cell.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is the main substrate in respiration? and what does it do?

A

Glucose

Broken down to release energy as ATP

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What breaks down Lactose?

A

B-galactosidase

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is the equation for the breakdown of Lactose?

A

Lacose = Glucose + galactose

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is a regulator gene?

A

Codes for a repressor molecule

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is a repressor gene?

A

“Switches off” the operator gene

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is an Operator gene?

A

Controls the structural gene by “switching it on/off”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is a structural gene?

A

Codes for the enzyme B-galactosidase

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are the stages if Lactose is absent in the production of B-galactosidase?

A

1- Regulator gene switched on
2- Repressor molecule produced
3- Repressor molecule binds with the operator gene
4- Operator gene is switched off
5- Structural gene is switched off
6- No enzyme produced - no B-galactosidase

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What are the stages if Lactose is present in the production of B-galactosidase?

A
1- Regulator gene switched on
2- Repressor molecules produced 
3- Repressor molecule binds with Lactose (inducer)
4- Operator gene switched on
5- Structural gene switched on
6- Enzyme produced - B-galactosidase
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What happens when all the lactose has been used up? and what does that prevent?

A

The repressor molecule can bind to the operator gene; switching it off - enzyme is no longer produced.
This prevents any unnecessary use of resources such as amino acids and ATP

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What is the control of metabolic pathways due to?

A

The presence or absence of particular enzymes and the regulation of the rate of reaction of key enzymes within the pathway

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What controls the regulation of metabolic pathways?

A

Both intra- and extra-cellular signal molecules.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Why are enzymes important?

A

Speed up a chemical reaction,
lower the activation energy
Remain unchanged at the end of the reaction
Biological catalysts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What happens at higher temperatures within a metabolic pathway?

A

The reactant molecules absorb more energy and their chemical bonds become more and more unstable.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

What is the activation energy?

A

The energy needed to break the chemical bonds in the reactant molecules and so start the reaction.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

What are enzymes made of?

A

Proteins

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

What determines the shape of the protein?

A

Sequence of amino acids

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

What is the shape of most enzymes?

A

Globular

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

What determines the shape of the active site?

A

Sequence of amino acids

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

What is induced fit?

A

How closely the active site fits around the substrate.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

What are the factors needed for enzyme action?

A
  • suitable temperature
  • pH
  • supply of substrate molecules
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Orientation of reactants

A

The substrate molecules can only fit into the active site if they are correctly orientated.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

What is the rate of reaction against substrate concentration?

A

At low concentration, the reaction rate is low. As the substrate concentration increases, more and more of the active sites are filled.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

What is an inhibitor?

A

A substrate that slows down or inhibits the rate of an enzyme catalysed reaction.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

What are the 3 types of inhibitors?

A

Competitive inhibitors
Non-competitive inhibitors
Feedback inhibition or (end product inhibition)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

What is a competitive inhibitor?

A
  • Competes with the substrate molecule for the active site.
  • Similar shape to substrate
  • rate of reaction to be slower; as the concentration of substrate increases, so does the rate of reaction
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

What is a non-competitive inhibitor?

A

Binds to another part of the enzyme, altering the shape of the active site

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

What is feedback inhibition (end product inhibition)

A

If the end product of a final reaction in a metabolic pathway builds up, it may bind to the active site or another part of the 1st enzyme. The active site is altered and the pathway stops.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

What does feedback inhibition prevent?

A

Prevents too much end product being produced.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

What are the 3 stages of cellular respiration?

A
  • Glycolysis
  • Citric acid cycle
  • Electron transfer
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

What is the ATP released in respiration used for?

A

Active transport, DNA Replication, protein synthesis, cell division and contraction of muscle fibres

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

What is the word equation for respiration?

A

Glucose + oxygen = carbon dioxide + water + ATP

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

What can Pyruvate be broken down into during Fermentation?

A

Lactate (3C) or ethanol (2C) + CO2 (1C)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

What happens when Glucose is broken down?

A

Hydrogen ions and electrons are removed

energy is released

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

What removes hydrogen ions and high-energy electrons?

A

Dehydrogenase enzymes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

What is Phosphorylation?

A

An enzyme-catalysed chemical reaction that attaches a phosphate group to another

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

Where does Glycolysis occur?

A

In the cytoplasm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

What are the two stages of Glycolysis?

A
  • Energy investment stage

- Energy pay-off stage

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

What happens during the 1st stage of Glycolysis?

A

Glucose turns into an intermediate

2ATP -> 2ADP + Pi

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

What happens during the 2nd stage of Glycolysis?

A

The intermediate turns into 2x Pyruvate
4ADP + Pi -> 4ATP
2NAD -> 2NADH

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

What happens if oxygen is present during Glycolysis?

A

Pyruvate enters the second stage; the citric acid cycle then electron transfer stage

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

Where does the citric acid cycle take place?

A

Matrix of the mitochondria

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

Benefit of a folded inner membrane?

A

increases the surface area so more of the electron transport chain molecules can fit in

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

What is the main site of ATP synthesis

A

Mitochondria

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

What helps maintain high reaction rates?

A

Accumulation of reactants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

What is needed for the citric acid cycle to occur?

A

Oxygen

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

What is Pyruvate broken down into?

A

Carbon dioxide and an acetyl group

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

What does the acetyl group combine with? and what does it form?

A

Combines with Coenzyme A to produce: Acetyl Coenzyme A

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

What does Acetyl Coenzyme A join with when entering the cycle? and what does the form?

A
Oxaloacetate (4C)
Forms Citrate (6C)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
64
Q

Name another Hydrogen carrier present in the citric acid cycle?

A

FAD -> FADH2

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
65
Q

What happens when electrons are passed down the electron transfer chain?

A

Energy is released

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
66
Q

What is the energy used for during the Electron Transfer chain?

A

Used to pump hydrogen ions from the mitochondrial matrix to the inner membrane space

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
67
Q

How to hydrogen ions return to the matrix?

A

Through a channel in the enzyme ATP synthase

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
68
Q

What is needed for the electron transfer chain?

A

Oxygen

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
69
Q

What does the Electron transfer chain produce?

A

The most ATP molecules

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
70
Q

What releases the high energy electrons?

A

NADH and FADH2

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
71
Q

What is oxygen described as during the Electron transfer chain?

A

The final electron acceptor

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
72
Q

What is the word equation for the Electron transfer chain?

A

Low energy electrons + hydrongen ion + oxygen = Water

e- + 2H+ + 1/2 O2 = H2O

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
73
Q

How many molecules of ATP does the electron transfer chain generate?

A

34 molecules

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
74
Q

What is the total amount of ATP molecules from respiration?

A

38 ATP

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
75
Q

What can be broken down to make Glucose, used in respiration?

A

Starch

Glycogen

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
76
Q

What other sugars can be converted into Glucose or other intermediates?

A

Sucrose, Lactose and Maltose

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
77
Q

What can be used as alternative respiratory substrates in respiration?

A

Fats and proteins

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
78
Q

What can fat molecules be broken down into? and what are they converted into?

A

Glycerol - an intermediate

Fatty acids - Acetyl Coenzyme A

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
79
Q

What are proteins digested into? and what are they converted into?

A

Amino acids - Pyruvate, Acetyl Coenzyme A and intermediates in the citric acid cycle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
80
Q

What piece of apparatus measures oxygen consumption?

A

Respirometer measures oxygen uptake over a period of time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
81
Q

What is used to measure metabolic rate (apparatus)

A

Calorimeter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
82
Q

How can metabolic rate be measured?

A

Monitoring an animals heat loss

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
83
Q

In unicellular organisms, how to exchanges occur? (oxygen delivery)

A

Directly with the external environment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
84
Q

In which type of organisms are closed circulatory systems found?

A

All vertebrates and few invertebrates

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
85
Q

What is an advantage about closed circulatory systems?

A

Blood is carried at high pressure which enables efficient delivery of O2 and nutrients to the cells of larger and more active animals

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
86
Q

Features of arteries :

A
  • carry blood away from the heart
  • High pressured blood
  • thick muscular walls; withstand the pressure
  • narrow central lumen
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
87
Q

Features of Veins :

A
  • Carry blood back to the heart
  • lower pressure
  • Valves prevent backflow of blood
  • thinner muscular walls
  • Larger central lumen
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
88
Q

Features of capillaries :

A
  • Walls are only one cell thick

- Across the thin walls; the exchange of dissolved gases and other chemicals occur

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
89
Q

Single circulatory system:

A

A fish
Two chambers
Blood only passes through the heart once

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
90
Q

Disadvantages of a single circulatory system

A

reduces pressure so limits the rate that the blood can flow

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
91
Q

Features of double circulatory systems:

A
  • Birds and mammals
  • 2 atria and 2 ventricle
  • no mixing of blood
  • oxygen rich blood and oxygen poor blood
  • blood passes through the heart twice
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
92
Q

Features of incomplete circulatory systems:

A

Frogs and other amphibians

  • 3 chambers [ 2 atria and 1 ventricle ]
  • mixing of blood
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
93
Q

What is the metabolic rate of a fish?

A

Low

94
Q

What is the metabolic rate of a Reptile and an Amphibian?

A

Low

95
Q

What is the metabolic rate of a bird?

A

High

96
Q

What is the metabolic rate of a mammal?

A

Very high

97
Q

What are the 2 types of lungs ?

A
Alveolar lungs (mammals)
Septate lungs (one giant alveolus)
98
Q

When is gas exchange fast?

A

When the area for diffusion is large and the path for diffusion is short

99
Q

Lung arrangement in Amphibians:

A
  • Diffusion of gases across its external body surface
  • Skin has a dense network of capillaries
  • Diffusion takes place directly through the skin as blood vessels are close to the permeable skin
100
Q

Internal anatomy of snakes?

A

They reply on muscles used in locomotion to ventilate their lungs

101
Q

What does a Trachea do?

A

Splits into the two primary bronchi airways that direct air into either the left or right lung.

102
Q

What kind of lungs do snakes have?

A

Septate

103
Q

How many airsacs do Birds have and what do they act as?

A

8 or 9

They act as “bellows” to keep air flowing through the lungs

104
Q

In birds, what is the site of gas exchange called?

A

Tiny channels called parabronchi

105
Q

What is unusual about the passage of air in birds? and what does that improve?

A

requires 2 cycles of inhalation and exhalation

- Improves efficiency of ventilation and provides the bird with high levels of O2.

106
Q

What are the 2 airsacs called in birds?

A

Posterior

Anterior

107
Q

How do animals transport most of their oxygen?

A

Bound to proteins called respiratory pigments

108
Q

What happens if the tissues don’t receive enough oxygen? (high altitudes)

A

The kidneys synthesise and secrete the hormone erythropoietin (EPO) that stimulates the generation of more erythrocytes (red blood cells)

109
Q

What is TheVO2 max?

A

The volume of oxygen used by the person, per kilogram of body mass, per minute.

110
Q

“the higher the value for VO2 max…”

A

the greater the aerobic fitness for that individual

111
Q

What are organisms affected by?

A

Abiotic factors such as pH, water salinity or temperatures

112
Q

What happens if an organism is not living in its optimal abiotic conditions?

A

The population density is lower

113
Q

What are abiotic factors a major factor in determining?

A

The distribution of a species

114
Q

What is a Conformer?

A

Allows its internal conditions to change in accordance with changes in the variable

115
Q

What is a Regulator?

A

Uses internal mechanisms to control internal changes in the face of external fluctuations.

116
Q

What are Regulators able to alter?

A

Their normal metabolic rate by employing physiological means

117
Q

What is Tolerance?

A

If the change of the conditions is small, the conformer is still able to function

118
Q

How is a Conformers ability to control internal environment by physiological means?

A

Limited

119
Q

How is a Regulators ability to control internal environment by physiological means?

A

Efficient

120
Q

What do conformers have in terms of ecological niches that can be exploited?

A

Narrow range

121
Q

What do Regulators have in terms of ecological niches that can be exploited?

A

Wider range

122
Q

What strategy to conformers have?

A

Behavioural

123
Q

What strategy do regulators have?

A

Physiological

124
Q

What is Negative Feedback control?

A

A principle which brings about Regulation.

Corrective mechanisms are switched on and effector organs respond.

125
Q

What does Negative Feedback control require?

A

Energy

126
Q

What can body temperatures outside the normal range do?

A

Can reduce the efficiency of enzymatic reactions and alter the fluidity of cellular membranes with potentially fatal results

127
Q

What happens when there is a DECREASE in body temperature?

A
  • Shivering
  • increased metabolic rate
  • sweating decreases
  • vasoconstriction
  • hair erector muscles contract
128
Q

What detects that their is an increase/decrease in body temperatures?

A

Thermoreceptors in the hypothalamus (skin)

129
Q

What happens when there is an INCREASE in body temperature?

A
  • decreased metabolic rate
  • sweating increases
  • vasodilation
  • hair erector muscles relax
130
Q

What is the role of the hypothalamus?

A

Sending appropriate nerve impulses to the effector organs

131
Q

What is the role of the skin?

A

leading role in temperature regulation

132
Q

What is Vasodilation?

A

When arterioles leading to the skin become dilated, which increases the volume of blood at the skin surface and as a result; heat lost by radiation increases

133
Q

What is Vasoconstriction?

A

When arterioles leading to the skin become constricted. This limits the volume of blood at the surface of the skin and therefore less heat lost through radiation

134
Q

What features do Ectotherms have?

A
  • Gain most of their heat from external sources
  • unable to regulate its body temperature
  • have behavioural means
  • lower metabolic rates
135
Q

What features do Endotherms have?

A
  • warmed mostly by heat generated by metabolism
  • steady body temperature
  • high metabolic rates
136
Q

What are all metabolic processes within an organism controlled by?

A

Enzymes

137
Q

Within enzyme activity, what happens to reactant molecules when temperatures rises?

A

Have more and more kinetic energy , which increases the chances of successful collisions and this increases the rate of reaction

138
Q

What happens to enzymes when temperature goes above 37 degrees?

A

Enzyme structure begins to denature as bonds break and the active site changes.

139
Q

What are diffusion rates?

A

The rate of diffusion of a substance is directly proportional to the temperature.

140
Q

What happens to molecules of a substance at high temperatures?

A

Have greater kinetic energy and therefore diffuse at a faster rate

141
Q

Reduction in metabolic rate

A

The mechanism involves some reduction of the metabolic rate to minimise the energy expenditure

142
Q

What is dormancy?

A

When an organisms metabolism is reduced to promote survival during adverse conditions

143
Q

What are the 2 types of Dormancy?

A

Predictive or consequential

144
Q

What is predictive dormancy?

A

a regular pattern, before the onset of the adverse conditions

145
Q

What is consequential Dormancy?

A

less predictable habitats, enter a period of dormancy in response to the arrival of the adverse condition

146
Q

What is Torpor?

A

A period of reduced activity in organisms with high metabolic rates. They save energy while avoiding difficult and dangerous conditions

147
Q

What happens to the organism during Torpor?

A

A short time energy saving response
breathing and heart rate decreases
body temperature falls
oxygen consumption is lowered

148
Q

What is Hibernation?

A

An extended period of torpor; an adaptation to cold winter conditions and food scarcity

149
Q

What happens to the organism during Hibernation?

A
  • body temperature drops and its internal “thermostat” is turned down
  • breathing rate falls
  • heart rate is lowered
  • oxygen consumption decreases as metabolic rate drops
150
Q

What is Aestivation?

A

Response to the onset of very hot and dry conditions

151
Q

What happens to the organism during Aestivation?

A
  • Metabolic rate drops
  • heart rate drops/stops
  • breathing rate stops
152
Q

What is Migration?

A

A regular, long distance change in location which is to avoid metabolic adversity

153
Q

Advantages of migration include:

A
  • Access to more favourable feeding opportunities
  • avoidance of extreme of temperatures
  • better breeding grounds with fewer predators
154
Q

What are the factors which trigger migration?

A

Decreased number of daylight hours, temperature, changes in food availability and genetic factors

155
Q

What provides signals that guide migration?

A

Environmental stimuli

156
Q

What is Photoperiod?

A

The length of time that is in daylight; primary trigger to migration

157
Q

What does increasing photoperiod do?

A

Stimulates the production of hormones and other physiological changes that prepare a bird for migration

158
Q

Name techniques used for observing and tracking migratory behaviour.

A
  • Tagging and ringing (metal bands)
  • satellite tracking (waves)
  • Radar (pulses of electromagnetic waves)
159
Q

What is innate behaviour?

A

When it will be observed by all individuals in a population; fixed, flexible and inherited

160
Q

What is learned behaviour?

A

Acquired or modified as a result of the specific experiences of an individual.
Vary between members of the same species

161
Q

What are extremophiles?

A

Organisms that can live in environments so extreme that to most other organisms, the conditions would be fatal.

162
Q

What “extremes” can extremophiles thrive in?

A

extremes of temperatures, high sulphur and salt levels and complete absence of oxygen

163
Q

What is an example of an extremophile?

A

Thermophilic bacteria living in hot springs or seabed vents may generate ATP by removing high energy electrons from inorganic molecules.

164
Q

What are the 3 domains of life?

A

Archaea
Bacteria
Eukaryotes `

165
Q

What is another name for microorganisms?

A

Microbes

166
Q

Microorganisms are said to be:

A

Highly adaptable and able to make use of a wide variety of substances for their metabolism

167
Q

Where are microorganisms found?

A

A wide range of ecological niches

168
Q

What must every organism obtain?

A

all of the substances required for energy generation and cellular biosynthesis from its environment

169
Q

What is bacteria grown in?

A

Culture medium

170
Q

What are the chemicals and elements that are used for bacterial growth?

A

Nutrients or nutritional requirements

171
Q

What do microorganisms require?

A

An energy source which may be chemical or light.

172
Q

What other requirements might some microorganisms need?

A

A supply of raw materials to produce cellular building blocks such as amino acids and nucleotides.

173
Q

What specific complex molecules might some microorganisms need?

A

Fatty acids or certain vitamins to be present in their growth medium

174
Q

In the growth of a microorganism, what are the correct ranges of physical conditions required?

A

Oxygen concentration, temperature and pH

175
Q

What are microorganisms normally grown in?

A

Liquid medium (broth) or on a solid medium (agar jelly)

176
Q

What is the growth medium contain within?

A

Petri dishes, flasks or bottles

177
Q

Industrially, what are microorganisms cultured in?

A

Industrial fermenters (bioreactor)

178
Q

What are the features of an Industrial fermenter?

A
  • Water jacket
  • Filter
  • Thermostatic control
  • Air inlet
  • Paddle
179
Q

What is the function of the Water jacket?

A

Maintains temperature by continual stream of cold water

180
Q

What is the function of the Filter

A

Maintains sterility by filtering out air-borne microorganisms

181
Q

What is the function of the Thermostatic control?

A

Controls temperature of cold water in jacket

182
Q

What is the function of the air-inlet?

A

Controls oxygen levels; providing steam of air

183
Q

What is the function of the paddle?

A

mixes culture and growth medium

184
Q

What optimum environmental conditions must be maintained to produce the maximum yield of a product?

A
  • sterility
  • suitable temperature
  • oxygen levels
  • pH
185
Q

What is sterility?

A

The growth of unwanted microorganisms is prevented using aseptic techniques

186
Q

Examples of sterility:

A

all equipment and culture media; by heating under pressure in an autoclave or in large industrial fermenter vessels, steam cleaned

187
Q

What are the 4 stages in growth of unicellular organisms?

A
  • lag phase
  • exponential (log) phases
  • stationary phase
  • death phases
188
Q

What happens during the lag phase?

A

There is little or no increase in cell number; enzymes are induced

189
Q

What happens during the exponential phase?

A

Cells grow and multiply at the maximum rate

190
Q

The exponential growth takes place due to what?

A

high availability of substrate and conditions which are close to optimal.

191
Q

What happens during the stationary phase?

A

The number of cells produced by binary fission is equal to the number of cells dying so the growth rate is 0.
Cells produce secondary metabolites

192
Q

What is the stationary phase due to?

A

the nutrients in the culture medium being depleted

193
Q

What happens during the death phase?

A

number of cells dying is greater than the number of new cells dividing

194
Q

What is the death phase due to?

A

The lack of substrates and toxic accumulation of metabolites

195
Q

What is mean generation time (doubling time)?

A

The time taken for a cell to divide into 2

196
Q

What does a total cell count involve?

A

counting all cells present in the sample whether alive or dead

197
Q

What does a viable cell count involve?

A

counting only the number of cells which are alive and able to grow

198
Q

What are primary metabolites?

A

compounds related to the synthesis of microbial cells and are produced in the active growth phase (exponential)

199
Q

What do primary metabolites include?

A

amino acids and nucleotides

200
Q

What are secondary metabolites?

A

population is in the stationary growth phase and are of economic value.

201
Q

What is a precursor?

A

large quantities of an early metabolite

202
Q

What is an inducer ?

A

Induced the formation of certain key enzymes

203
Q

What is an inhibitor?

A

Reduces or stops the activity of an enzyme

204
Q

How can the wild strain of microorganisms be improved?

A
  • Mutagenesis
  • Selective breeding and culture
  • Recombinant DNA
205
Q

What is Mutagenesis?

A

a process which changes the genetic information of an organism and results in a mutation

206
Q

What is selective breeding and culture?

A

individual strains of microorganisms each with desirable characteristics are selected and allowed to breed

207
Q

What are 2 examples of desirable characteristics?

A

rapid growth and genetic stability

208
Q

Transfer of DNA is always what?

A

one way

209
Q

What is horizontal gene transfer?

A

when some bacteria can transfer plasmids or pieces of chromosomal DNA to each other to produce new strains

210
Q

What happens when bacteria dies?

A

Their DNA may be released into the environment

211
Q

What is recombinant?

A

When a different cell now contains DNA fro from two different cells combined

212
Q

What is one aim of recombinant DNA technology?

A

to obtain many copies of a particular gene; by marking transgenic bacteria or yeast cells containing the desired gene

213
Q

what does recombinant DNA technology enable?

A

transfer gene sequences from one organism to another

214
Q

What is a safety mechanism of genes being introduced?

A

to prevent the microorganisms from surviving in an external environment

215
Q

What does restriction endonuclease do?

A

cuts the DNA into smaller fragments

216
Q

What 3 features does a plasmid have?

A
  • restriction site
  • origin of replication
  • marker gene(s)
217
Q

What is a restriction site?

A

a specific sequence of bases on the plasmid’s DNA

218
Q

What can the restriction endonuclease produce?

A

Sticky ends

219
Q

What is the origin of replication?

A

the one point where DNA synthesis always begins.

220
Q

What does the origin of replication contain?

A

genes that control its self-replication

221
Q

What is important about the origin of replication?

A

the one point where DNA synthesis always begins.

222
Q

What is the function of the marker gene?

A

enables the scientist to determine whether a host cell has taken up the recombinant plasmid or not.

223
Q

What do plasmids act as?

A

Vectors

224
Q

What can plasmids be used for?

A

to transfer a section of DNA from one organism to another

225
Q

What does a plasmid have? (4)

A
  • only one origin of replication
  • multiple regulatory sequences
  • two or more genes with particular properties such as resistance
  • only one restriction site
226
Q

What is ligase used for?

A

to seal the open plasmid

227
Q

advantage of artificial chromosomes:

A

can carry far more foreign DNA than a plasmid.

228
Q

What is a consequence of bacteria not containing introns?

A

the desired protein may be incorrectly folded or lack post-translational modifications.

229
Q

Why are safety procedures put in place?

A

to limit the occurrence of any potential hazards.

230
Q

What do aseptic techniques include?

A
  • use of sterile equipment
  • sterilising working areas
  • thoroughly washing hands before and after all procedures
231
Q

Definition of ethics

A

the moral principles governing or influencing conduct.

232
Q

Examples of microorganisms made from microorganisms that could be used as a biological weapon:

A
  • anthrax
  • smallpox
  • ricin