Microbiologia 2
Shared by a Flashcards.gg user · generated with AI · Report this set
This flashcard set covers essential microbiology concepts and microorganisms for students.
Tap the card to flip it
Cards · 35
- Bacteria
- Single-celled prokaryotic microorganisms that lack a membrane-bound nucleus and can be beneficial or pathogenic.
- Archaea
- A domain of single-celled prokaryotes distinct from bacteria, often found in extreme environments.
- Virus
- A non-living infectious agent consisting of nucleic acid inside a protein coat that replicates only inside host cells.
- Fungi
- Eukaryotic organisms, including yeasts and molds, that obtain nutrients through absorption and have chitinous cell walls.
- Protozoa
- Single-celled eukaryotic microorganisms that are typically motile and feed on organic matter.
- Prion
- An infectious misfolded protein that induces normal cellular proteins to misfold, causing neurodegenerative diseases.
- Peptidoglycan
- A polymer consisting of sugars and amino acids that forms a mesh-like layer outside the plasma membrane of most bacteria.
- Gram-positive bacteria
- Bacteria with a thick peptidoglycan cell wall that retains crystal violet stain during Gram staining.
- Gram-negative bacteria
- Bacteria with a thin peptidoglycan layer and an outer membrane containing lipopolysaccharides that do not retain crystal violet.
- Endospore
- A dormant, tough, and non-reproductive structure produced by certain bacteria to survive harsh conditions.
- Plasmid
- A small, circular, double-stranded DNA molecule distinct from chromosomal DNA that can replicate independently.
- Bacteriophage
- A virus that specifically infects and replicates within bacterial cells.
- Biofilm
- A complex community of microorganisms attached to a surface and embedded in a self-produced extracellular matrix.
- Binary fission
- A form of asexual reproduction in prokaryotes where a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells.
- Conjugation
- The transfer of genetic material between bacterial cells through direct cell-to-cell contact via a pilus.
- Transformation
- The process by which a bacterium takes up free exogenous DNA directly from its environment.
- Transduction
- The transfer of bacterial DNA from one cell to another mediated by a bacteriophage.
- Aerobe
- An organism that requires oxygen for growth and metabolic processes.
- Anaerobe
- An organism that does not require oxygen for growth and may be harmed by its presence.
- Facultative anaerobe
- An organism that can generate ATP by aerobic respiration if oxygen is present, but can switch to fermentation in its absence.
- Microaerophile
- A microorganism that requires oxygen to survive, but at concentrations lower than atmospheric levels.
- Quorum sensing
- A cell-to-cell communication mechanism that allows bacteria to coordinate gene expression based on population density.
- Capsule
- A gelatinous outer layer surrounding some bacteria that protects them from phagocytosis and desiccation.
- Flagellum
- A whip-like appendage that enables motility in many bacteria and eukaryotic microorganisms.
- LPS (Lipopolysaccharide)
- A molecule found in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria that acts as an endotoxin triggering immune responses.
- Pathogen
- A microorganism capable of causing disease in a host organism.
- Opportunistic pathogen
- A microbe that normally does not cause disease but becomes pathogenic under certain conditions, such as host immunosuppression.
- Microbiome
- The collective community of microorganisms that inhabit a specific environment, such as the human body.
- Pasteurization
- A heat-treatment process that destroys pathogenic microorganisms in food and liquid without destroying essential quality.
- Sterilization
- The complete destruction or removal of all viable microorganisms, including endospores and viruses.
- Disinfection
- The process of eliminating most pathogenic microorganisms on inanimate objects, excluding bacterial endospores.
- Antiseptic
- A chemical agent applied to living tissue to destroy or inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.
- Antibiotic resistance
- The ability of bacteria to survive and multiply in the presence of concentrations of an antibiotic that would normally inhibit them.
- Methanogen
- An archaeon that produces methane gas as a metabolic byproduct in anoxic conditions.
- Cyanobacteria
- A phylum of photosynthetic bacteria that produce oxygen and played a vital role in oxygenating Earth's atmosphere.