OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank
Chapter 4: Prokaryotic Diversity
Chapter 4: Prokaryotic Diversity
* = Correct answer
Multiple Choice
1. Which is the best example of a population?
A. all the microbes living in a particular area
B. all the microbes of a particular domain living in a particular area
C. all the microbes of a single species living in a particular area*
D. all the microbes living within the same host
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 20
2. Microbial ecology is defined as the study of which of the following?
A. competitive interactions between microbes
B. cooperative interactions between microbes
C. interactions between individuals of a single species
D. interactions between microbial populations and their environment*
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 20
3. Which term best describes the relationship between pathogenic bacteria and humans?
A. amensalism
B. commensalism
C. parasitism*
D. predation
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 23
4. Which of the following is not a class within the phylum Proteobacteria?
A. Alphaproteobacteria
B. Betaproteobacteria
C. Deltaproteobacteria
D. Omegaproteobacteria*
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: N/A
5. Which of the following correctly characterizes Epsilonproteobacteria?
A. They are atypical (not gram positive or gram negative).
B. They are gram negative.*
C. They are gram positive.
Page 1 of 17
,OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank
Chapter 4: Prokaryotic Diversity
D. They are gram variable.
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 34
6. Which describes bacteria that require low concentrations of oxygen to survive (less than that
in the current atmosphere)?
A. facultative anaerobes
B. microaerophiles*
C. obligate aerobes
D. obligate anaerobes
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 11, 22
7. Cyanobacteria produce which of the following?
A. hydrogen sulfide gas
B. large quantities of ammonia
C. oxygen*
D. sulfuric acid
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 11, 22
8. Which of the following bacterial groups is thought to be most closely related to the last
universal common ancestor?
A. Alphaproteobacteria
B. cyanobacteria
C. deeply branching bacteria*
D. green filamentous bacteria
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 5
9. Which of the following is a phylum in Domain Archaea?
A. Crenarchaeotae*
B. Deinococcus
C. Mycoplasma
D. Thermotogae
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 5
10. Which genus contains the nitrogen-fixing bacteria that live in legume nodules?
A. Bacillus
B. Escherichia
Page 2 of 17
, OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank
Chapter 4: Prokaryotic Diversity
C. Rhizobium*
D. Vibrio
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 11, 24
11. Approximately what percentage of prokaryotes are thought to be pathogens?
A. <1%*
B. 12%
C. 26%
D. 48%
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 23
12. Two species of bacteria live in near each other and use similar food resources. Which type of
biological interaction does this describe?
A. a competitive interaction*
B. a cooperative interaction
C. a mutualistic interaction
D. a parasitic interaction
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 23
13. Which of the following is a source of vitamin K for humans?
A. Bacteroides thetaiotetraiotamicron digests foods, which release vitamin K.
B. Escherichia coli in their digestive tract produces vitamin K.*
C. S. epidermidis releases vitamin K from dead cells.
D. their diet only
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 23, 24
14. The human microbiome consists of which of the following?
A. all microbes present on or in the body*
B. pathogenic microbes only
C. resident microbes only
D. transient microbes only
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 23
15. The most common bacterial genus found in plaque on teeth is which of the following?
A. Fusobacterium*
B. Haemophilus
Page 3 of 17
Chapter 4: Prokaryotic Diversity
Chapter 4: Prokaryotic Diversity
* = Correct answer
Multiple Choice
1. Which is the best example of a population?
A. all the microbes living in a particular area
B. all the microbes of a particular domain living in a particular area
C. all the microbes of a single species living in a particular area*
D. all the microbes living within the same host
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 20
2. Microbial ecology is defined as the study of which of the following?
A. competitive interactions between microbes
B. cooperative interactions between microbes
C. interactions between individuals of a single species
D. interactions between microbial populations and their environment*
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 20
3. Which term best describes the relationship between pathogenic bacteria and humans?
A. amensalism
B. commensalism
C. parasitism*
D. predation
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 23
4. Which of the following is not a class within the phylum Proteobacteria?
A. Alphaproteobacteria
B. Betaproteobacteria
C. Deltaproteobacteria
D. Omegaproteobacteria*
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: N/A
5. Which of the following correctly characterizes Epsilonproteobacteria?
A. They are atypical (not gram positive or gram negative).
B. They are gram negative.*
C. They are gram positive.
Page 1 of 17
,OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank
Chapter 4: Prokaryotic Diversity
D. They are gram variable.
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 34
6. Which describes bacteria that require low concentrations of oxygen to survive (less than that
in the current atmosphere)?
A. facultative anaerobes
B. microaerophiles*
C. obligate aerobes
D. obligate anaerobes
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 11, 22
7. Cyanobacteria produce which of the following?
A. hydrogen sulfide gas
B. large quantities of ammonia
C. oxygen*
D. sulfuric acid
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 11, 22
8. Which of the following bacterial groups is thought to be most closely related to the last
universal common ancestor?
A. Alphaproteobacteria
B. cyanobacteria
C. deeply branching bacteria*
D. green filamentous bacteria
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 5
9. Which of the following is a phylum in Domain Archaea?
A. Crenarchaeotae*
B. Deinococcus
C. Mycoplasma
D. Thermotogae
Difficulty: Easy
ASM Standard: 5
10. Which genus contains the nitrogen-fixing bacteria that live in legume nodules?
A. Bacillus
B. Escherichia
Page 2 of 17
, OpenStax Microbiology Test Bank
Chapter 4: Prokaryotic Diversity
C. Rhizobium*
D. Vibrio
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 11, 24
11. Approximately what percentage of prokaryotes are thought to be pathogens?
A. <1%*
B. 12%
C. 26%
D. 48%
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 23
12. Two species of bacteria live in near each other and use similar food resources. Which type of
biological interaction does this describe?
A. a competitive interaction*
B. a cooperative interaction
C. a mutualistic interaction
D. a parasitic interaction
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 23
13. Which of the following is a source of vitamin K for humans?
A. Bacteroides thetaiotetraiotamicron digests foods, which release vitamin K.
B. Escherichia coli in their digestive tract produces vitamin K.*
C. S. epidermidis releases vitamin K from dead cells.
D. their diet only
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 23, 24
14. The human microbiome consists of which of the following?
A. all microbes present on or in the body*
B. pathogenic microbes only
C. resident microbes only
D. transient microbes only
Difficulty: Moderate
ASM Standard: 23
15. The most common bacterial genus found in plaque on teeth is which of the following?
A. Fusobacterium*
B. Haemophilus
Page 3 of 17
