MICROBIOLOGY TAMU EXAM
1QUESTIONS & SOLUTIONS(RATED
A+)
microorganisms - ANSWERorganisms that are too small to be seen with an unaided
eye
microbes in our lives - ANSWER<1% pathogenic
decompose organic waste
produces by photosynthesis
industrial chemicals
fermentation
outnumber us
What are some eukaryotic cells? - ANSWERfungi, protozoans, algae
What are some prokaryotes? - ANSWERbacteria, viruses(not a cell)
What word describes that microbes are everywhere, all around us? - ANSWERthey are
ubiquitous
What is an example of a microbe? - ANSWERpolar bear hairs are hollow in warmer
weather- microorganisms, algae & cyanobacteria gets in hair and turns it green
Microbial Ecology - ANSWERpart of ecosystem
bacteria recycle carbon, nutrients, sulfur and phosphorus that can be used by plants
and animals
use photosynthesis- ocean/freshwater to produce energy- make carbon compounds
which serve as a food source, bottom link of food chain
Bioremediation - ANSWERprocess that used naturally occurring or genetically
engineered microorganisms
What does bacteria do in bioremediation? - ANSWERdegrade organic matter in sewage
or detoxify pollutants such as oil and mercury
outcome: detoxify/reduces toxicity
What are some examples of bioremediation? - ANSWERfew species of bacteria
(pseudomonas sp.) can use crude oil for energy, cleaning up oil spills in ocean
What is a real life example of bioremediation? - ANSWERApril 20, 2010 BP oil spill in
Gulf
June- scientist sample oil blume at 3600 ft below surface, 100x, find oil degrading
,August- short chain hydrocarbons gone, bacteria still more damaging long chain
carbons present, study these bacteria- identify their oil by degrading enzymes
What did they use on the gulf? - ANSWERused dispertants/absorbant booms, sink
down oil globs, more surface area for bacteria to break it down
Bioremediation of Landfills - ANSWER300 metric tons of trash and waste deposited into
environment each yr.
-successful remediation needs microbes/bacteria + H2O + O2
-ground water, which is the primary source of drinking for many is often polluted
Waste management by Bioremediation - ANSWERuse of microbes to breakdown or
remove toxic wastes in water and soil, uses pesticides reduced by 96% solvents
reduced from 1 million ppb to <10pph, heavy metals detoxified
How to microbes interact with plants? - ANSWERthey make nitrogen available to plants
N2- not form that can be used by most organisms
-bacteria can metabolize N2-NO2 & NH4 (ammonia)
-these forms can be used by nitrate plants
-????
How do microbes aid in the digestive process of grazing animals? - ANSWERbacteria in
gut breakdown cellulose to usable compounds in animals, produce necessary enzymes
Microbes as biopesticides - ANSWER-bacillus thurginiensis(bacterium)- toxic to insects
that that ingest them, produces spores and crystals, insects ingests crystal- activated
and breaks down digestive tract, harmless to other organisms, found in commercial
dusts, chops caterpillar up on inside
Biotechnology - ANSWERuse of microbes to produce foods and chemicals, is centuries
old
-fermentation processes
-industrial processes
-medical uses-making insulin
-milk being coagulated by rennin, forming curd, bacteria for flavor and acidity
Microbes synthesize antibiotics - ANSWERnatural metabolic product of bacteria/fungi,
releasing antibiotics into surroundings
-bacteria with penicillin mold circle at bottom (pic on ppt. 1, slide 22)
-competition to protect themselves from other organisms
Recombinant DNA technology - ANSWER-enables bacteria and fungi to produce a
variety of proteins for vaccines and enzymes, drugs
-missing of defective replaced in gene therapy (viruses)
-Genetically modified bacteria are used to protect crops from insects from freezing
-gene (codes for)-> proteins-> i.e. insulin
, Types of Microorganisms - ANSWER-bacteria
-bread from mold-fungus
-amoeba- protozoan
-velvox-algae
-human T gr., red=HIV
Bacteria - ANSWER-prokaryotes (pro= before, yotes= nucelus), lack a nucleus
-peptidoglycan cell walls
-reproduce by binary fission
Archaea - ANSWERunusual type of bacteria
prokaryotic
-lack of peptidoglycan, different cell wall makeup, different cell membrane
-methanogens- produce methane gas, different lipids that have different linkages
-allow Archea to resist chemicals and extreme heat
-can't take Archea out of extreme environment to invade human as host
multicellular animal parasites - ANSWER-eukaryotes
-multicellular animals
-parasitic flatworms and round worms are called helminths->parabitic infections
-microscopic stages in life cycles
Other Eukaryotic microbes - ANSWER-algae
-protozoans->giardia sp.->intesinal problems
Viruses - ANSWER-acellular, non living (not cells)
-DNA or RNA core cells
-core is surrounded by protein coat->capsid
-coat may be enclosed in a lipid envelope
-replicated only when they are in a living host cell, obligate parasite (require host) to
replicate
400 B.C Hippocrates - ANSWERGreek physician
-associated certain symptoms w/ certain illness
-ethical standards for the practice of medicine
Bubonic Plague - ANSWER-Yersinia Pestis-> flee takes blood meal, with bacteria from
flee, bite transfers bacteria
-killed >25 million people in Europe
Symptoms - ANSWER-swelling of lymph nodes (buboes)
-intravascular coagulation +subcutaneous hemorrhaging=necrosis, gangrene, -black
death
-death w/in 2-4 days of first symptoms
1QUESTIONS & SOLUTIONS(RATED
A+)
microorganisms - ANSWERorganisms that are too small to be seen with an unaided
eye
microbes in our lives - ANSWER<1% pathogenic
decompose organic waste
produces by photosynthesis
industrial chemicals
fermentation
outnumber us
What are some eukaryotic cells? - ANSWERfungi, protozoans, algae
What are some prokaryotes? - ANSWERbacteria, viruses(not a cell)
What word describes that microbes are everywhere, all around us? - ANSWERthey are
ubiquitous
What is an example of a microbe? - ANSWERpolar bear hairs are hollow in warmer
weather- microorganisms, algae & cyanobacteria gets in hair and turns it green
Microbial Ecology - ANSWERpart of ecosystem
bacteria recycle carbon, nutrients, sulfur and phosphorus that can be used by plants
and animals
use photosynthesis- ocean/freshwater to produce energy- make carbon compounds
which serve as a food source, bottom link of food chain
Bioremediation - ANSWERprocess that used naturally occurring or genetically
engineered microorganisms
What does bacteria do in bioremediation? - ANSWERdegrade organic matter in sewage
or detoxify pollutants such as oil and mercury
outcome: detoxify/reduces toxicity
What are some examples of bioremediation? - ANSWERfew species of bacteria
(pseudomonas sp.) can use crude oil for energy, cleaning up oil spills in ocean
What is a real life example of bioremediation? - ANSWERApril 20, 2010 BP oil spill in
Gulf
June- scientist sample oil blume at 3600 ft below surface, 100x, find oil degrading
,August- short chain hydrocarbons gone, bacteria still more damaging long chain
carbons present, study these bacteria- identify their oil by degrading enzymes
What did they use on the gulf? - ANSWERused dispertants/absorbant booms, sink
down oil globs, more surface area for bacteria to break it down
Bioremediation of Landfills - ANSWER300 metric tons of trash and waste deposited into
environment each yr.
-successful remediation needs microbes/bacteria + H2O + O2
-ground water, which is the primary source of drinking for many is often polluted
Waste management by Bioremediation - ANSWERuse of microbes to breakdown or
remove toxic wastes in water and soil, uses pesticides reduced by 96% solvents
reduced from 1 million ppb to <10pph, heavy metals detoxified
How to microbes interact with plants? - ANSWERthey make nitrogen available to plants
N2- not form that can be used by most organisms
-bacteria can metabolize N2-NO2 & NH4 (ammonia)
-these forms can be used by nitrate plants
-????
How do microbes aid in the digestive process of grazing animals? - ANSWERbacteria in
gut breakdown cellulose to usable compounds in animals, produce necessary enzymes
Microbes as biopesticides - ANSWER-bacillus thurginiensis(bacterium)- toxic to insects
that that ingest them, produces spores and crystals, insects ingests crystal- activated
and breaks down digestive tract, harmless to other organisms, found in commercial
dusts, chops caterpillar up on inside
Biotechnology - ANSWERuse of microbes to produce foods and chemicals, is centuries
old
-fermentation processes
-industrial processes
-medical uses-making insulin
-milk being coagulated by rennin, forming curd, bacteria for flavor and acidity
Microbes synthesize antibiotics - ANSWERnatural metabolic product of bacteria/fungi,
releasing antibiotics into surroundings
-bacteria with penicillin mold circle at bottom (pic on ppt. 1, slide 22)
-competition to protect themselves from other organisms
Recombinant DNA technology - ANSWER-enables bacteria and fungi to produce a
variety of proteins for vaccines and enzymes, drugs
-missing of defective replaced in gene therapy (viruses)
-Genetically modified bacteria are used to protect crops from insects from freezing
-gene (codes for)-> proteins-> i.e. insulin
, Types of Microorganisms - ANSWER-bacteria
-bread from mold-fungus
-amoeba- protozoan
-velvox-algae
-human T gr., red=HIV
Bacteria - ANSWER-prokaryotes (pro= before, yotes= nucelus), lack a nucleus
-peptidoglycan cell walls
-reproduce by binary fission
Archaea - ANSWERunusual type of bacteria
prokaryotic
-lack of peptidoglycan, different cell wall makeup, different cell membrane
-methanogens- produce methane gas, different lipids that have different linkages
-allow Archea to resist chemicals and extreme heat
-can't take Archea out of extreme environment to invade human as host
multicellular animal parasites - ANSWER-eukaryotes
-multicellular animals
-parasitic flatworms and round worms are called helminths->parabitic infections
-microscopic stages in life cycles
Other Eukaryotic microbes - ANSWER-algae
-protozoans->giardia sp.->intesinal problems
Viruses - ANSWER-acellular, non living (not cells)
-DNA or RNA core cells
-core is surrounded by protein coat->capsid
-coat may be enclosed in a lipid envelope
-replicated only when they are in a living host cell, obligate parasite (require host) to
replicate
400 B.C Hippocrates - ANSWERGreek physician
-associated certain symptoms w/ certain illness
-ethical standards for the practice of medicine
Bubonic Plague - ANSWER-Yersinia Pestis-> flee takes blood meal, with bacteria from
flee, bite transfers bacteria
-killed >25 million people in Europe
Symptoms - ANSWER-swelling of lymph nodes (buboes)
-intravascular coagulation +subcutaneous hemorrhaging=necrosis, gangrene, -black
death
-death w/in 2-4 days of first symptoms
