BIOL 240 Midterm 1 Exam Questions And
Correct Answers
What is microbiology? - ANSWER the study of microbes, examines how they interact
with humans&food as well as how they can be used by humans
basis for molecular biology and biotechnology
Microbes vs Microorganisms - ANSWER Microorganisms are archaea, eukaryotes, and
bacteria. Microbes include microorganisms as well as viruses
Classifying microbes - ANSWER was a challenge historically because of the difficulties
in observing distinguishing characteristics of different categories.
Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells
Eukaryotic Macroorganisms - ANSWER animals and plants
Eukaryotic Microorganisms - ANSWER fungi, protozoa, algae
Prokaryotic Macroorganisms - ANSWER None known
Prokaryotic microorganisms - ANSWER Bacteria and Archaea
Who was the first to see a microorganism? - ANSWER Robert Hooke
Who initially made improvements in lens construction of a microscope which allowed for
the first description of bacteria? - ANSWER Antoine Van Leeuwenhoek
What evolved from microorganisms? How? - ANSWER Multicellular organisms. Through
the biosphere they created
How much of the Earth's biomass is comprised of microorganisms? - ANSWER More
than 50%
What are some examples of things that would happen if there were no microbes? -
ANSWER Leaves would fall, crops would die, things would smell different, food would
rot, oxygen would eventually run out, no wine/beer/bread/etc, and there would be no
diseases
,Why should we study microbiology? - ANSWER - Our understanding of life has arisen
largely from studies of microorganisms despite us still not knowing much about them.
-Easy to study because they're easy to grow and are cheap. Also because most of them
have a small number of genes. Genetic manipulation is easy to do. They also produce
enzymes and other molecules for industrial and medical uses.
Ex: Studying the genetics of microbes can benefit humans, like the mass production of
molecules
What are microorganisms in soils, water, and our body doing? - ANSWER Eating,
reproducing, producing waste products, and surviving
What is the basis of life? - ANSWER - Metabolism
- Growth
- Reproduction
How are the 3 basis of life achieved? - ANSWER - genetic variation/evolution (mutation,
recombination, etc during meiosis)
- response/adaptation
- Homeostasis (maintaining internal organization and order, usually be expending
energy to do so)
Heterotroph - ANSWER organism that obtains energy from the foods it consumes; also
called a consumer
Autotroph - ANSWER An organism that makes its own organic molecules
Autotrophic metabolism started before heterotrophic
How are organic molecules broken down? - ANSWER Through fermentation and aerobic
respiration
Why are organic molecules broken down? - ANSWER So they can be used by microbes
to harness chemical energy (ATP)
Fermentation - ANSWER A catabolic process that makes a limited amount of ATP from
glucose without an electron transport chain and that produces a characteristic end
product, such as ethyl alcohol + CO2 or lactic acid.
,Process by which cells release energy in the absence of oxygen
aerobic respiration - ANSWER Respiration that requires oxygen and forms up to 36 ATP
in the end.
glucose + oxygen -> CO2 + H2O
Glycolysis -> Acetyl CoA -> Krebs cycle -> Chemiosmosis
How can microbes help in biogeochemical cycling? - ANSWER They interact with the
environment by cycling inorganic molecules to organic molecules and back
Macromolcules - ANSWER Polypeptides (proteins/amino acids), nucleic acids
(DNA/RNA), Lipids (fat), Polysaccharides (Carbohydrates/sugar)
Where does 90% of RNA come from? - ANSWER ribosomes
Which macromolecule contains the most amount of dry weight of cell? - ANSWER
Polypeptides (50-55%)
Which macromolecule contains the least amount of dry weight of cell? - ANSWER DNA
(2-5%)
What is the dry weight % of RNA, Lipids, and Polysaccharides? - ANSWER RNA: 15-20%
Lipids: 10%
Polysaccharides: 6-7%
Functions of amino acids - ANSWER Enzymes catalyze most biochemical reactions,
other proteins are structural components
Functions of DNA - ANSWER provides the instructions for assembly and reproduction of
the cell
Functions of RNA - ANSWER Involved in the production of polypeptides. Some have
structural or catalytic functions
Functions of Lipids - ANSWER Make up cell membranes that form physical boundary
between the inside of the cell and surroundings as well as membranes of internal
, organelles
Functions of Polysaccharides - ANSWER Structural (cellulose and chitin) and energy
storage (glycogen and starch)
The Phylogenic tree - ANSWER A branching diagram that represents a hypothesis about
the evolutionary history of a group of organisms. Based on rRNA sequences.
Divided into three domains: Bacteria, archaea, eukarya
Which domain contains a nuclear membrane? - ANSWER Eukarya
Which domain does not contain histones? - ANSWER Bacteria - have histone like
proteins
Which domain has a unique plasma membrane? - ANSWER Archaea
Eukarya and Bacteria have similar plasma membranes
Which domain has 3 main polymerases? - ANSWER Eukarya
Bacteria and Archaea have a single polymerase. Archaea have Eukaryal-like RNA pol II
Which domain contains membrane bound organelles? - ANSWER Eukarya
Bacteria and Archaea rarely have them and they would be found in a few species
What does the cell wall in bacteria look like? - ANSWER Found in nearly all species and
is constructed of peptidoglycan
Correct Answers
What is microbiology? - ANSWER the study of microbes, examines how they interact
with humans&food as well as how they can be used by humans
basis for molecular biology and biotechnology
Microbes vs Microorganisms - ANSWER Microorganisms are archaea, eukaryotes, and
bacteria. Microbes include microorganisms as well as viruses
Classifying microbes - ANSWER was a challenge historically because of the difficulties
in observing distinguishing characteristics of different categories.
Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells
Eukaryotic Macroorganisms - ANSWER animals and plants
Eukaryotic Microorganisms - ANSWER fungi, protozoa, algae
Prokaryotic Macroorganisms - ANSWER None known
Prokaryotic microorganisms - ANSWER Bacteria and Archaea
Who was the first to see a microorganism? - ANSWER Robert Hooke
Who initially made improvements in lens construction of a microscope which allowed for
the first description of bacteria? - ANSWER Antoine Van Leeuwenhoek
What evolved from microorganisms? How? - ANSWER Multicellular organisms. Through
the biosphere they created
How much of the Earth's biomass is comprised of microorganisms? - ANSWER More
than 50%
What are some examples of things that would happen if there were no microbes? -
ANSWER Leaves would fall, crops would die, things would smell different, food would
rot, oxygen would eventually run out, no wine/beer/bread/etc, and there would be no
diseases
,Why should we study microbiology? - ANSWER - Our understanding of life has arisen
largely from studies of microorganisms despite us still not knowing much about them.
-Easy to study because they're easy to grow and are cheap. Also because most of them
have a small number of genes. Genetic manipulation is easy to do. They also produce
enzymes and other molecules for industrial and medical uses.
Ex: Studying the genetics of microbes can benefit humans, like the mass production of
molecules
What are microorganisms in soils, water, and our body doing? - ANSWER Eating,
reproducing, producing waste products, and surviving
What is the basis of life? - ANSWER - Metabolism
- Growth
- Reproduction
How are the 3 basis of life achieved? - ANSWER - genetic variation/evolution (mutation,
recombination, etc during meiosis)
- response/adaptation
- Homeostasis (maintaining internal organization and order, usually be expending
energy to do so)
Heterotroph - ANSWER organism that obtains energy from the foods it consumes; also
called a consumer
Autotroph - ANSWER An organism that makes its own organic molecules
Autotrophic metabolism started before heterotrophic
How are organic molecules broken down? - ANSWER Through fermentation and aerobic
respiration
Why are organic molecules broken down? - ANSWER So they can be used by microbes
to harness chemical energy (ATP)
Fermentation - ANSWER A catabolic process that makes a limited amount of ATP from
glucose without an electron transport chain and that produces a characteristic end
product, such as ethyl alcohol + CO2 or lactic acid.
,Process by which cells release energy in the absence of oxygen
aerobic respiration - ANSWER Respiration that requires oxygen and forms up to 36 ATP
in the end.
glucose + oxygen -> CO2 + H2O
Glycolysis -> Acetyl CoA -> Krebs cycle -> Chemiosmosis
How can microbes help in biogeochemical cycling? - ANSWER They interact with the
environment by cycling inorganic molecules to organic molecules and back
Macromolcules - ANSWER Polypeptides (proteins/amino acids), nucleic acids
(DNA/RNA), Lipids (fat), Polysaccharides (Carbohydrates/sugar)
Where does 90% of RNA come from? - ANSWER ribosomes
Which macromolecule contains the most amount of dry weight of cell? - ANSWER
Polypeptides (50-55%)
Which macromolecule contains the least amount of dry weight of cell? - ANSWER DNA
(2-5%)
What is the dry weight % of RNA, Lipids, and Polysaccharides? - ANSWER RNA: 15-20%
Lipids: 10%
Polysaccharides: 6-7%
Functions of amino acids - ANSWER Enzymes catalyze most biochemical reactions,
other proteins are structural components
Functions of DNA - ANSWER provides the instructions for assembly and reproduction of
the cell
Functions of RNA - ANSWER Involved in the production of polypeptides. Some have
structural or catalytic functions
Functions of Lipids - ANSWER Make up cell membranes that form physical boundary
between the inside of the cell and surroundings as well as membranes of internal
, organelles
Functions of Polysaccharides - ANSWER Structural (cellulose and chitin) and energy
storage (glycogen and starch)
The Phylogenic tree - ANSWER A branching diagram that represents a hypothesis about
the evolutionary history of a group of organisms. Based on rRNA sequences.
Divided into three domains: Bacteria, archaea, eukarya
Which domain contains a nuclear membrane? - ANSWER Eukarya
Which domain does not contain histones? - ANSWER Bacteria - have histone like
proteins
Which domain has a unique plasma membrane? - ANSWER Archaea
Eukarya and Bacteria have similar plasma membranes
Which domain has 3 main polymerases? - ANSWER Eukarya
Bacteria and Archaea have a single polymerase. Archaea have Eukaryal-like RNA pol II
Which domain contains membrane bound organelles? - ANSWER Eukarya
Bacteria and Archaea rarely have them and they would be found in a few species
What does the cell wall in bacteria look like? - ANSWER Found in nearly all species and
is constructed of peptidoglycan
