UTA MICROBIOLOGY EXAM STUDY GUIDE
2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED
A+
◉ essential nutrients. Answer: substances that must be provided to an
organism
Ex: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur
◉ micronutrients. Answer: needed in large quantities
function in cell structure/metabolism
Ex: carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen
◉ inorganic nutrients. Answer: does not contain carbon & hydrogen
◉ organic nutrients. Answer: certain carbon & hydrogen
product of living things
◉ heterotroph. Answer: organism that cannot make its own food
must obtain its carbon in organic form to used for metabolism
eats proteins, carbs, lipids, nucleic acids
,◉ Pseudimonas aeruginosa. Answer: gram neg bacteria
doesn't cause disease
major pathogen in immunocompromised people
natural habitat is soil and water/infects hospital patients
◉ autotroph. Answer: organism that makes its own food
used inorganic CO2
converts CO2 into carbon compounds
◉ nitrogen sources. Answer: primary source for heterotrophs
must be degraded to basic building blocks
must be converted to NH3 before it enters in cell
Ex: nitrate, nitrite, ammonia
◉ oxygen sources. Answer: important in the structural/enzymatic
functions of the cell
component of carbs, lipids, nucleic acids, proteins
common component of inorganic salts
◉ hydrogen sources. Answer: water slats naturally occurring gases
used/produced by microbes
maintains pH
,for hydrogen bonds
free energy in oxidation reactions of respiration
◉ phosphorus sources. Answer: inorganic source in phosphate
found in rocks
derived from phosphoric acid
key component of nucleic acids, ATP and coenzymes
essential to genetics of cells & viruses
◉ sulfur sources. Answer: rocks & sediments
essential component of amino acids, methionine, cysteine
form disulfide bridges that affects shape/stability of proteins
◉ growth factors. Answer: cannot be synthesized by an organism
provided by the environment
essential nutrient
◉ phototroph. Answer: uses sunlight
◉ chemotroph. Answer: microbes that gain energy from chemical
compounds
, ◉ photoautrophs. Answer: capture energy from light rays and transform
it into chemical energy used for cell metabolism
produce organic molecules that can be self used and used by other
heterotrophs
forms the basis for most food web
◉ chemoautotrophs. Answer: use organic compounds for energy and
inorganic compounds as a carbon source
◉ photoheterotrophs. Answer: An organism that obtains energy from
sunlight and carbon from organic sources.
Ex: purple and green photosynthetic bacteria
◉ chemoheterotroph. Answer: derive both carbon and energy from
organic compounds
organic molecules processed through respiration or fermentation and
produces ATP
Ex: saprobes/parasites
◉ parasite. Answer: energy source: tissues/fluids of a live host
Ex: parasites, pathogens, bacteria fungi, protozoa, animals
◉ saprobe. Answer: energy source: metabolizing the organic matter of
dead organism
2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED
A+
◉ essential nutrients. Answer: substances that must be provided to an
organism
Ex: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur
◉ micronutrients. Answer: needed in large quantities
function in cell structure/metabolism
Ex: carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen
◉ inorganic nutrients. Answer: does not contain carbon & hydrogen
◉ organic nutrients. Answer: certain carbon & hydrogen
product of living things
◉ heterotroph. Answer: organism that cannot make its own food
must obtain its carbon in organic form to used for metabolism
eats proteins, carbs, lipids, nucleic acids
,◉ Pseudimonas aeruginosa. Answer: gram neg bacteria
doesn't cause disease
major pathogen in immunocompromised people
natural habitat is soil and water/infects hospital patients
◉ autotroph. Answer: organism that makes its own food
used inorganic CO2
converts CO2 into carbon compounds
◉ nitrogen sources. Answer: primary source for heterotrophs
must be degraded to basic building blocks
must be converted to NH3 before it enters in cell
Ex: nitrate, nitrite, ammonia
◉ oxygen sources. Answer: important in the structural/enzymatic
functions of the cell
component of carbs, lipids, nucleic acids, proteins
common component of inorganic salts
◉ hydrogen sources. Answer: water slats naturally occurring gases
used/produced by microbes
maintains pH
,for hydrogen bonds
free energy in oxidation reactions of respiration
◉ phosphorus sources. Answer: inorganic source in phosphate
found in rocks
derived from phosphoric acid
key component of nucleic acids, ATP and coenzymes
essential to genetics of cells & viruses
◉ sulfur sources. Answer: rocks & sediments
essential component of amino acids, methionine, cysteine
form disulfide bridges that affects shape/stability of proteins
◉ growth factors. Answer: cannot be synthesized by an organism
provided by the environment
essential nutrient
◉ phototroph. Answer: uses sunlight
◉ chemotroph. Answer: microbes that gain energy from chemical
compounds
, ◉ photoautrophs. Answer: capture energy from light rays and transform
it into chemical energy used for cell metabolism
produce organic molecules that can be self used and used by other
heterotrophs
forms the basis for most food web
◉ chemoautotrophs. Answer: use organic compounds for energy and
inorganic compounds as a carbon source
◉ photoheterotrophs. Answer: An organism that obtains energy from
sunlight and carbon from organic sources.
Ex: purple and green photosynthetic bacteria
◉ chemoheterotroph. Answer: derive both carbon and energy from
organic compounds
organic molecules processed through respiration or fermentation and
produces ATP
Ex: saprobes/parasites
◉ parasite. Answer: energy source: tissues/fluids of a live host
Ex: parasites, pathogens, bacteria fungi, protozoa, animals
◉ saprobe. Answer: energy source: metabolizing the organic matter of
dead organism
