Microbiology Terminology Test One GTC
About this set
Created by:
simplyblessed5 on August 24, 2011
Classes:
Microbiology205, Micro 210, Microbiology, Navarro College, Lawton, Microbiology, GTC BIO 2113
Log in to favorite or report as inappropriate.
Order by
205 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 bacteria | single celled prokaryotic organisms (only 0.5-2um large). In lab we use oil immersion (1000x) to see them. |
| helminth | parasitic worms |
| prion | infectious particle made up of protein rather than RNA or DNA |
| bacteriology | The science that deals with the study of microorganisms called bacteria. |
| spontaneous generation | idea that living things come from nonliving things |
| domain | Most inclusive taxonomic category; larger than a kingdom. Includes Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya |
| aseptic technique | steps necessary to ensure an environment free from pathogens. |
| fungi | may be single celled (yeasts) or multicellular (molds). Eukaryotic cells that are heterotrophic (requiring outside source for energy, ATP). Fungal diseases (mycoses) may involve the respiratory tract, the skin, or even cause systemic infections. |
| virus | Acellular nuclear material (DNA or RNA) usually surrounded by a protein coat. They grow by changing the metabolism of the cell they invade. Viruses are not living things, and have no cell. They must invade another host to multiply. |
| contagion | the spreading of an infectious disease |
| parasitology | the study of protozoa and parasitic worms |
| prokaryote | no true nucleus, DNA is found on chromosome in the cytoplasm. Does not contain membranous organelles. Unique to bacteria and archaea |
| archaea | Domain of unicellular prokaryotes that have cell walls that do not contain peptidoglycan. Grow in extreme environments (salt lakes). |
| protest | ... |
| virioid | infectious agent composed of a single strand of RNA |
| mycology | the study of fungi |
| virology | The study of viruses and viral disease |
| eukaryote | has a "true nucleus" and membranous organelles. Includes animal cells, plant cells, fungi, and protozoa. |
| microbiota | the term for the microbes that are normally present in and on the human body; usually beneficial |
| Leeuwenhook | first one to discover microbial world with homemade "microscopes". "Father of Microbiology" |
| Koch | developed ways of studying bacteria in lab. Agar, pure cultures. One organism=one disease. Discovered cause of anthrax and tuberculosis. Also the Germ theory of disease. |
| Semmelweis | Person who advocated hand-washing to prevention transmission from one patient to another |
| Lister | English surgeon who was the first to use antiseptics (phenol) (1827-1912) |
| Jenner | English physician who pioneered vaccination. Inoculated an 8 year old with cowpox to give immunity against small pox |
| Pasteur | defeated the idea of spontaneous generation by developing a flask where air could enter but microorganisms could not. Also created vaccination against rabies and pasteurization by heating wine for 30 minutes at 56 degrees C. |
| Fleming | English bacteriologist who discovered penicillin (1881-1955) |
| Three Domains | Bacteria (prokaryotic), Archaea (prokaryotic) , Eukarya (eukaryotic) |
| solvent | substance in which a solute is dissolved to form a solution |
| dehydration synthesis | A chemical reaction in which two molecules covalently bond to each other with the removal of a water molecule; monosaccharides can be joined this way to produce disaccharides or polysaccharides. |
| nonpolar covalent bonds | Electrons shared equally |
| pH | hydrogen ion concentration |
| buffer | a solution that is resistant to large changes in pH |
| monosaccharide | a simple sugar that is the basic subunit of a carbohydrate. Ex. glucose, fructose, galactose |
| disaccharide | A double sugar, consisting of two monosaccharides joined by dehydration synthesis. Ex. sucrose, maltose, lactose |
| triglyceride | A lipid with three fatty acid tails attached to a glycerol backbone. |
| fatty acid | a long carbon chain carboxylic acid. fatty acids vary in length and in the number and location of double bonds; three fatty acids linked to a glycerol molecule form fat. |
| hydrophillic | having an affinity for water |
| sterol | A type of lipid that does not contain fatty acids; cholesterol is the most commonly known of these lipids. |
| essential nutrient | A substance that an organism must absorb in preassembled form because it cannot be synthesized from any other material. In humans, there are essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids |
| peptide bond | A bond that links amino acids together in a protein |
| enzyme | protein that acts as a biological catalyst for a specific reaction. Can be used over and over, however it can denature. |
| histones | Protein molecule around which DNA is tightly coiled in chromatin. Archaea do have histones. |
| gene | unit of inherited information in DNA |
| hydrolysis | Breaking down complex molecules by the chemical addition of water |
| polar covalent bonds | unequal sharing of electrons |
| specific heat | the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1g of a substance 1 degree Celsius |
| acidity | measured on the pH scale-concentration of H+ |
| alcohol | a substituted hydrocarbon that contains one or more hydroxyl groups |
| carbohydrate | compound made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms; major source of energy for the human body |
| polysaccharide | a complex molecule composed of three or more monosaccharides. Ex. starch, glycogen, cellulose. |
| glycerol | organic compound that is a building block for fat molecules |
| hydrophobic | Lacking any affinity to water |
| steroid | A type of lipid whose carbon skeleton is in the form of four fused rings with various chemical groups attached; examples are cholesterol, testosterone, and estrogen. |
| amino acid | basic building blocks of protein molecules |
| non-essential nutrient | can be synthesized by the body |
| denaturation | For proteins, a process in which a protein unravels and loses its native conformation, thereby becoming biologically inactive. For DNA, the separation of the two strands of the double helix. Denaturation occurs under extreme conditions of pH, salt concentration, and temperature. |
| nucleic acid | A polymer (polynucleotide) consisting of many nucleotide monomers; serves as a blueprint for proteins and, through the actions of proteins, for all cellular activities. The two types are DNA and RNA. |
| ATP | Adenosine triphosphate, a molecule that acts as the main energy source for cell processes |
| micrometers | Unit of measurment used for microorganisms. |
| nanometers | unit of measurement for viruses |
| scanning electron microscopy | A process that utilizes an electron beam to produce an image of the three-dimensional surface of biological samples; the sample is coated with a thin layer of a heavy metal such as gold or palladium and then exposed to an electron beam |
| simple stain | one dye is used to color the bacteria |
| transmission electron microscopy | very thin slices of a specimen are used, revealing the internal structure of microbial and other cells |
| differential stain | uses more than one stain to differentiate bacteria or structures (Gram stain, Ziehl Nielsen stain, etc_ |
| Ziehl Neelsen stain (acid fast) | used for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Retains the red stain because of a lipid in the cell wall. Other bacteria will be blue. |
| gram stain | has four steps. 1. Primary stain: crystalline violet that stains all bacteria purple 2. mordant: Gram's iodine sets the stain 3. decolorizer: ethanol washes out the stain from gram negative bacteria only 4. counterstain: safranin stains gram negative bacteria pink |
| negative stain | repelled from bacteria. Background in stained. Negative stains usually have a negative charge which is repelled by the negatively charged proteins on the surface of bacteria. Note: a negative stain does not mean a gram negative. |
| smear | Thin film of bacteria on a slide. |
| endospore | inside of bacterial cell. Dehydrated portion with special chemicals (calcium, dipicoloinic acid) make it resistant. |
| primary stain | First stain applied during a differential stain procedure |
| counterstain | Provides a contrasting stain to the primary stain. Safranin, stains the Gram-negative bacteria pink to red |
| mordant | substance that binds to a dye and makes it less soluble |
| decolorizer | washes primary stain away |
| bacillus | round shaped prokaryotic cell |
| spirilla | stiff, staff shaped prokaryotic cell |
| spirochete | group of helical gram neg. bacteria with axial filaments that cause an organism to corkscrew; enabling it to burrow into a host's tissues |
| flagella | long, whip like structure protruding from a cell |
| capsule | glycocalyx composed of repeating units of organic chemicals firmly attached to the cell surface |
| resolution | whether or not two objects can be distinguished as separate objects under the microscope |
| staphylo | grapelike |
| strepto | twisted chain |
| diplo | double |
| coccus | Round bacteria |
| cell wall | A rigid structure that surrounds the cells of plants and most bacteria |
| gram negative | only up to 20% peptidoglycan. Outer membrane of fat that contains lipoploysaccharides (lipid A) that can act as endotoxins. |
| lipopolysaccharide | LPS is a phospholipid layer with sugars. Many of these sugars act as antigens and allow us to differentiate strains of bacteria. Plays an important role in endotoxic shock. |
| mycolic acid | long-chained, branched fatty acids characteristic of members of the genus mycobacterium |
| peritrichous | flagella distributed over the entire cell |
| slime layer | A thin protective structure loosely bound to the cell wall that protects the cell against drying, helps trap nutrients, and sometimes binds cells together |
| nucleoid | Area in prokaryotic cells in which DNA is concentrated, though not bounded by a membrane |
| metachromatic granules | reddish-purple granules in cells that show up when organisms are stained methylene blue |
| germination | series of events that results in the growth of a plant from a seed |
| ribosome | An organelle that functions in the synthesis of proteins |
| peroxisome | organelle with various specialized metabolic functions; produces hydrogen peroxide |
| osmosis | the diffusion of water through a selectively permeable membrane |
| exocytosis | process of exporting proteins from a cell by a vesicle fusing with the plasma membrane and spilling the proteins outside the cell |
| bacillus | rod-shaped prokaryote |
| pleomorphic | Pertaining to a variety of shapes or cell types. |
| glycocalyx | external to the cell wall; layer of polysaccharides and peptides that keep cells from drying out. |
| peptidoglycan | A protein-carbohydrate compound that makes the cell walls of bacteria rigid |
| endotoxin | A normal component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Endotoxins produce extreme immune reactions (septic shock), particularly when many of them enter the circulation at once. |
| monotrichous | A bacterial cell with a single flagellum |
| amphitrichous | The presence of flagella at both ends of the bacterial cell |
| pili | short, hairlike protein structures on the surface of some bacteria. Conjugation pili transfer DNA from one bacterium to another. |
| plasmid | small, circular DNA molecule found in bacteria that is separate from the bacterial chromosome |
| nucleolus | produces ribosomes |
| Golgi apparatus | Organelle that modifies, sorts, and packages proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum and send proteins to their final destination |
| diffusion | the movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration |
| active transport | the movement of chemical substances, usually across the cell membrane, against a concentration gradient; requires cells to use energy |
| taxis | Movement of an animal or part of its body towards or away from a directional stimulus |
| cell envelope | in a prokaryotic cell, the portion composed of the cell membrane, the cell wall and the glycocalyx |
| gram positive | up to 90% of cell wall is peptidoglycan network also has glycerol-sugar compound called teichoic acid. |
| periplasm | space between inner membrane and outer fat membrane in gram negative bacteria. Contains peptidoglycan and many enzymes (an active metabolic area). |
| acid fast | cell wall is 60% fat (mycolic acid-waxy fat) will stain positive with gram reaction. Ex. Zeihl-Neelsen stain and mycobacteria |
| lophotrichous | several flagella protruding from one end of the cell |
| vibrio | a genus of spiral bacteria which are curved or bent rods that resemble commas |
| fimbriae | hair-like structures that are shorter, thinner, and straighter than flagella - used for attachment, not movement |
| inclusion | Any visible object in the cytoplasm of a cell other than an organelle or cytoskeletal element; usually a foreign body or a stored cell product, such as a virus, dust particle, lipid droplet, glycogen granule, or pigment |
| sporulation | the formation of endospores |
| mitochondria | An organelle in eukaryotic cells that serves as the site of cellular respiration. |
| lysosome | a cell organelle that contains digestive enzymes |
| facilitated diffusion | The spontaneous passage of molecules and ions, bound to specific carrier proteins, across a biological membrane down their concentration gradients |
| endocytosis | the process by which a cell membrane surrounds a particle and encloses the particle in a vesicle to bring the particle into the cell |
| run/tumble | prokaryotic movement via flagella |
| heterotrophic | Organisms that are unable to construct their own food from inorganic sources, and therefore must consume other organisms or organic molecules from the outside environment. Function as consumers or decomposers in food chains |
| colony | a group of individual organisms living or growing together |
| media | A substance on which microorganisms may grow; those most commonly used are broth, gelatin, and agar. |
| differential media | formulated so that either visible changes or differences in the medium or colonies can help differentiate among the kinds of bacteria growing. |
| streak plate | isolation technique where the sample is streaked over the agar medium (radiant, quadrant, continuous) |
| alkaliphile | An organism that grows optimally at high pH (alkaline conditions). The typical pH range for alkaliphiles is 8 - 11. They grow poorly or not at all at a pH below 7. |
| thermophile | an organism that has adapted to living in very high temperatures (heat), such as bacteria or algae. 45 degrees C and up. |
| obligate aerobe | An organism that requires oxygen to survive (aerobic metabolism only). |
| catalase | Enzyme responsible for breaking down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen |
| barophile | an organism which can only exist at pressures found at great depths ex: deep sea microbes |
| lag phase of growth | The first phase of the bacterial growth curve, in which organisms acclimate to their surrounding; they grow in size but do not increase in number. |
| generation time | time required for cell to grow and divide, population doubles |
| autotrophic | self-nourishing; pertaining to the ability of an organism to produce its own nutrients from inorganic compounds |
| pure culture | culture of a single form of microorganism uncontaminated by other organisms |
| agar | a gel-like polysaccharide compound used for culturing microbes; extracted from certain red algae |
| enrichment media | Usually liquid media contains chemicals that enhance the growth of the desired bacteria. Other bacteria will grow but increases the growth of desired bacteria. |
| acidophile | an organism that grows best at low pH; typically below pH 6 |
| psychrophile | An organism with a growth temperature optimum of 15 degrees Celsius or lower and a maximum growth temperature below 20 degrees Celsius. |
| anaerobe | a microorganism having the ability to live without oxygen |
| superoxide dismutase | any of a group of antioxidant enzymes that consist of trace elements bound to protein that protect cells from damage caused by free radicals |
| halophile | archaea bacteria that live in very salty environments |
| lyophilized | the process of rapidly freezing a substance at extremely low temperatures and the dehydrating the substance in a high vacuum |
| log phase of growth | The second of the four phases of bacterial growth, in which cells divide at an exponential rate. |
| turbidity | as bacteria multipy within a medium, the medium becomes cloudy with cells, measure with a spectrophotometer. |
| fastidious bacteria | ..., Bacteria that do not grow well without specific supplements added to the medium. Even then, these bacteria can take longer to grow than other organisms. |
| mixed culture | container growing two or more indentified species |
| selective media | suppress growth of unwanted bacteria and encourage growth of desired microbes |
| complex media | culture media that is made up of nutrients. When liquid it is called a nutrient broth. When contains agar called nutrient agar |
| neutrophile | microorganism that grows best at neutral pH range (5.5-8.0) |
| mesophile | bacteria that prefer moderate temperature and develope best at temperatures between 25C and 40C |
| aerobe | a microorganism that can live and grow only in the presence of oxygen |
| facultative anaerobe | An organism that makes ATP by aerobic respiration if oxygen is present but that switches to anaerobic respiration or fermentation if oxygen is not present. |
| hydrogen peroxide | Chemical compound of hydrogen and oxygen; a colorless liquid with a characteristic odor and slightly acid taste. |
| sporulation | The process of endospore formation, spores are produced inside vegetative cells, occurs when conditions are unfavorable, bacillus & clostridium. |
| binary fission | a form of asexual reproduction in which one cell divides to form two identical cells |
| stationary growth | growth rate slows and number of microbial deaths balances out number of new cells; population stabilizes |
| plasmolysis | A phenomenon in walled cells in which the cytoplasm shrivels and the plasma membrane pulls away from the cell wall; occurs when the cell loses water to a hypertonic environment. |
| phototroph | an organism that gets its energy from sunlight |
| chemotroph | An organism that relies on a chemical source of energy (such as ATP) instead of light (which phototrophs). |
| biofilm | A surface-coating colony of one or more species of prokaryotes that engage in metabolic cooperation. |
| metabolism | the total of all chemical reactions in an organism |
| coenzymes | An organic molecule that is a necessary participant in some enzymatic reactions; helps catalysis by donating or accepting electrons or functional groups; e.g., a vitamin, ATP, NAD+. |
| glycolysis | the anaerobic breakdown of glucose to pyruvic acid, which makes a small amount of energy available to cells in the form of ATP |
| fermentation | releases energy from food molecules by producing ATP in the absence of oxygen |
| photosynthesis | process by which plants use the sun's energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars |
| autotrophs | organisms that make their own food |
| niacin | a B vitamin essential for the normal function of the nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract |
| electron transport chain | a series of proteins in which the high-energy electrons from the Krebs cycle are used to convert ADP into ATP |
| catabolism | the breaking down of body cells or substances, releasing energy and carbon dioxide |
| endoenzymes | remain within the cell to catalyze intracellular reactions; e.g. enzymes involved in glycolysis and the the Kreb's cycle |
| acetylCoa | Forms when pyruvic acid reacts with the enzyme CoA |
| phototrophs | organisms that get energy from light |
| heterotrophs | An organism that obtains organic food molecules by eating other organisms or their by-products. |
| riboflavin | is used by cells to manufacture various amino acids and fatty acids |
| lithotroph | another name for a prokaryote that oxidizes an inorganic molecule for energy |
| exoenzymes | enzymatic proteins that digest plasma membrane and cause cells of the infected host to rupture and die |
| gluconeogenesis | formation of glucose from noncarbohydrate sources |
| chemotrophs | organisms that get energy from chemicals taken from the environment |
| krebs cycle | second stage of cellular respiration, in which pyruvic acid is broken down into carbon dioxide in a series of energy-extracting reactions. |
| sterile | free of or using methods to keep free of pathological microorganisms |
| bactericidal | ..., capable of killing bacteria. Antibiotics, antiseptics, and disinfectants can be bactericidal. |
| contamination | the act of introducing disease germs or infectious material into an area or substance |
| autoclave | a pressurized device designed to heat aqueous solutions above there boiling point to achieve sterilization; invented by charles chamberland in 1879 |
| ionizing radiation | denatures proteins and nucleic acids |
| phenol | carbolic acid; caustic poison; in 5 percent dilute solution is used to sanitize metallic implements |
| alkylating agents | Synthetic chemicals containing alkyl groups that attack DNA, causing strand breaks |
| dessication | removal of water to slow bacterial growth. used in several food products: freeze-drying (lyophilization)- for coffee, cereal,jerky resistance to dessication depends on the bug, some are viable for months( TB). |
| disinfection | Process used to destroy microorganisms; destroys all pathogenic organisms except spores |
| bacteriostatic | Agent inhibiting the growth of bacteria |
| virocidal | Kills a virus |
| pasteurization | partial sterilization of foods at a temperature that destroys harmful microorganisms without major changes in the chemistry of the food |
| osmotic pressure | pressure that must be applied to prevent osmotic movement across a selectively permeable membrane |
| halogen | a very reactive element found in group 17 of the periodic table |
| ozone | a form of oxygen that has three oxygen atoms in each molecule instead of two. protects us from dangerous ultraviolet radiation from the sun |
| filtration | process by which a liquid or gas passes through a filter to remove wastes |
| antiseptic | a substance that destroys micro-organisms that carry disease without harming body tissues |
| sepsis | a condition in which pathogenic microorganisms, usually bacteria, enter the bloodstream, causing a systemic inflammatory response to the infection |
| fungicidal | A hospital grade disfectant that is formulated to destroy fungi |
| tincture | alcoholic liquid preparation of a nonvolatile substance either for external or internal use |
| soap | a substance that is used as a cleaner and that dissolves in water |
| chemiclave | A machine that sterilizes surgical instruments with high-pressure, high-temperature water, alcohol, formaldehyde vapor |
First Time Here?
Welcome to Quizlet, a fun, free place to study. Try these flashcards, find others to study, or make your own.