Week 1- Bacte Intro Def Of Terms Flashcards
degree of pathology caused by an organism;
the disease-evoking power of a microorganism
Virulence
liquid or semisolid medium meant
to preserve and maintain the integrity of the specimen
for the period between specimen collection and
laboratory processing of the sample.
Transport medium
bacteria that grow best at high
temperatures (optimal growth at 50 to 60°C)
Thermophiles
unit of asexual reproduction that appears as a
highly refractile body in the cell
Spores
media that support the growth of one
group of microbes but not of another type
Selective media
bacteria that grow best at cold
temperatures (optimal growth at 10 to 20°C)
Psychrophiles
microorganisms that lack a true nucleus
and nuclear membrane
Prokaryotes
demonstrating a variety of shapes and
forms; for a Gram-stain, neither disctinctly coccoid nor
rod-shaped; also used to describe the Gram-stain
morphology od bacteria that exhibit a combination of
cocci, bacilli, coccobacilli, and filamentous forms in a
single stained smear
Pleomorphic
extra chromosomal, circular pieces of DNA
found in many strains of bacteria
Plasmids
nonmotile, long, hollow protein tubes that connect
two bacterial cells and mediate DNA exchange
Pili
organisms capable of causing
disease
Pathogenic bacteria
microorganisms that can live and
reproduce only in a strict anaerobic environment (0% O2)
Obligate anaerobes
microorganisms that require oxygen
(O2) for growth
Obligate aerobes
culture media that are complex; made
of extracts of meat or soybeans
Nutrient media
laboratory growth medium whose
contents are simple and completely defined
Minimal medium
microorganisms that require
environments containing concentrations of oxygen lower
than that present in the atmosphere (about 20%)
Microaerophilic
organisms that grows best in moderate
temperature neither hot nor cold (25°C to 40°C)
Mesophiles
incorporation of the genetic material of a
bacteriophage with that of the host bacterium
Lysogeny
organism that requires organic
substrates as a source of carbon for growth and
development
Heterotrophs
“salt-loving”; an organism that grows best in
media with an increased concentration of NaCl
Halophilic
bacteria that retain the crystal
violet complex; appear blue-black on Gram-stained
smears
Gram-positive bacteria
bacteria that do not retain the
crystal violet complex; stained red by the safranin
counterstain
Gram-negative bacteria
spindle shaped or tapered at each end
Fusiform
exterior protein filaments that rotate; used by
microorganisms for motility
Flagella
nonflagellar, sticky, proteinaceous, hair-like
appendages that adhere some bacterial cells to each
other and to environmental surfaces
Fimbriae
process in which a molecule is oxidized
to produce energy without an exogenous electron
acceptor; organic molecules usually serve as electron
donors and electron acceptors
Fermentation
microorganism that does not
require oxygen (O2) for growth but will use oxygen (02)
and grow better if it is present
Facultative anaerobes
organism with complex cell; structures in
which the genetic material is organized into a
membrane-bound nucleus
Eukaryotes
media that allow grouping of
microbes based on different characteristics
demonstrated on the medium
Differential media
organelle in some prokaryotic cells, such as a
bacterial cell located outside the cell wall of the bacteria;
usually made up of polysaccharides but could be
composed of other materials
Capsule
used to describe microorganisms that
require an increased concentration of CO2
Capnophilic
any microorganism or infectious
substance, or any naturally occurring, bioengineered, or
synthesized component of any such microorganism or
infectious substance, capable of causing death, disease,
or other biological malfunction in a human, animal,
plant, or other living organism
Biological agent
potential pathogens inhibited by
the nonpathogenic resident microbiota
Bacterial interference
also referred as eubacteria; single-celled
organisms that lack a true nucleus and multiply by binary
fission
Bacteria
organisms that produce organic
compounds from carbon dioxide as a carbon source
Autotrophs
microorganisms that grows
best in the absence of oxygen (O2) but can toerate low
concentrations of oxygen (O2)
Aerotolerant anaerobes
the ability of bacteria, such as the
Mycobacterium spp., to retain dye when treated with
mineral acid or acid-alcohol solution
Acid-fastness