Viruses, Bacteria, and Protists Study Guide Flashcards
Describe the characteristics for an organism to be considered “living.”
All living things are composed of cells.
Living things possess differing levels of complexity (For example, a cell has a membrane. This is only one complex part of a cell. Cells have ribosomes for making proteins, another part.)
Living things use e in metabolic processes.
Living things respond to their environment,
All living things adapt to the environment.
All organisms reproduce to keep the lineage going.
All organisms grow and develop.
Describe the hierarchy of life from cells to biosphere.
Cells – This is the basic unit of life. (Either Prokaryotic or Eukaryotic.)
Tissues – These are composed from cells with common structure and function.
Organs – This functional structure is a collection of similar tissues working together.
Organ Systems – These are composed of organs working together. (There are 11 systems in animals.)
Organism – This when all the organ systems are working together to create a multi-cellular organism. (This is a great example of Emergent Properties.)
Population – A group of the same species, in the same place, at the same time, and showing signs of reproduction.
Community – A group of interacting populations in the same area at the same time.
Ecosystem – Groups of interacting communities all experiencing common aboitic factors.
Biosphere – The entire part of the planet that can support life.
This is the basic unit of life. (Either Prokaryotic or Eukaryotic.)
Cells
These are composed from cells with common structure and function.
Tissues
This functional structure is a collection of similar tissues working together.
Organs
These are composed of organs working together. (There are 11 systems in animals.)
Organ Systems
This when all the organ systems are working together to create a multi-cellular organism. (This is a great example of Emergent Properties.)
Organism
A group of the same species, in the same place, at the same time, and showing signs of reproduction.
Population
A group of interacting populations in the same area at the same time.
Community
Groups of interacting communities all experiencing common aboitic factors.
Ecosystem
The entire part of the planet that can support life.
Biosphere
How do you name a species according to the binomial nomenclature?
The Genus name is written first and has a capitalized first letter. The Species name is written second and is not capitalized. The whole name is written in Latin and italicized.
Describe the Linnaeus’ taxonomic classification.
In Linnaeus’ system, organisms are grouped according to shared characteristics into a hierarchical series of fixed categories ranging from subspecies at the bottom to kingdom at the top. (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Genus, Species)
Describe the basic structure of a virus.
Viral Genome - Viruses possess either a double or single strand of DNA or RNA. (This is how viruses are classified.) Viruses contain very small amounts of DNA or RNA– most are 4 to 500 genes total.
Viral Protein Coat (Capsid) - protects the DNA or RNA and helps with the attachment of the virus to a host cell. It is built from protein units called capsomeres.
Viral Envelope - This is a cloak derived from the previous host cell plasma membrane. (It is an example of mimicry. It looks like a normal cell, but it is actually like a Trojan horse. The danger is inside.) The AIDS/HIV virus has a viral envelope derived from the T-helper white blood cells.
Bacteriophages - These are viruses that attack bacteria.These are some of the largest and most complex viruses.
Viruses are not living organisms. They cannot be “killed”. They can be broken apart using chemicals though.
Viruses possess either a double or single strand of DNA or RNA. (This is how viruses are classified.) Viruses contain very small amounts of DNA or RNA– most are 4 to 500 genes total.
Viral Genome
protects the DNA or RNA and helps with the attachment of the virus to a host cell. It is built from protein units called capsomeres.
Viral Protein Coat (Capsid)
This is a cloak derived from the previous host cell plasma membrane. (It is an example of mimicry. It looks like a normal cell, but it is actually like a Trojan horse. The danger is inside.) The AIDS/HIV virus has a viral envelope derived from the T-helper white blood cells.
Viral Envelope
These are viruses that attack bacteria.These are some of the largest and most complex viruses.
Bacteriophages
cannot reproduce outside their host cell, meaning that the parasite’s reproduction is entirely reliant on intracellular resources.
Obligate Intracellular Parasite
They use reverse transcriptase, an enzyme, to turn RNA into DNA. (It. does transcription backwards. It turns “mRNA” into double stranded DNA, so that it can incorporate into the host DNA. AIDS/HIV and the common cold virus are both retroviruses.
Retroviruses
These are naked, infectious RNA molecules. They attack plants only. (“oid” means “like”… they are “like” viruses as they are infectious.)
Viroids
These are infectious proteins. Mad Cow – Kruetzfeldt-Jacob Disease is one example. The destroy brain cells thus driving the cow “mad” until it dies. The human version is KJD above.
Prions
Describe the basic structure of bacteria.
All prokaryotes are unicellular. Three basic shapes of prokaryotes exists: Cocci, Bacilli, Helical. Most prokaryotes will have a cell wall. (This is not the same as a plant’s cell wall.) This structure is primarily for protection of the underlying cell membrane. It also helps prevent the prokaryotes from bursting in an aquatic environment. (The cell is hypertonic to water.) The cell wall is mainly composed of proteins and sugars. These are called peptidoglycans. Scientists perform a Gram staining for easy, fast identification of most bacteria. Gram + (stain blue) (They possess a thick peptidoglycan layer.) Gram - (stain Red) (These posses a thin peptidoglycan layer between phospholipids layers.) Gram- are more dangerous to humans and are usually resistant to antibiotics. Some bacteria produce a Capsule that covers the cell wall. The capsule is a sticky substance for adherence to surfaces. This capsule material is what actually makes people sick; not the bacteria. Some prokaryotes have flagella, or cilia/fimbraie, or a helix body shape for movement. Some prokaryotes can move by “sliming”. (“Spitting” out a layer of mucous in front of them to slide on.)
Describe the basic shapes of prokaryotes.
Cocci (Means “round”.)
Bacilli (Means “rod”.)
Helical (Means “spiral”.)
refers to movement in response to a stimulus. (These terms could be used with any organism.)
(+) indicates movement “toward”; (-) indicates movement “away”.
The prefix tells the type of stimulus. (photo-light; geo-gravity; rheo-current; chemo-chemical)
Taxis
The eating of dead material. (These are decomposers.)
Saprobes
These harm other organisms.
Parasites
Feeding on Ammonia– NH3 make Ammonium – NH4.
Nitrogen Fixation
Feeding on Ammonium and producing Nitrite – NO2 as waste OR feeding on NO2 and producing Nitrate – NO3 as waste.
Nitrification
Using sunlight energy, CO2, and H2O to make sugar.
Photosynthesis
