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