BIOS 3120 FINAL EXAM REVIEW 2026/2027 – BIOLOGY STUDY GUIDE, PRACTICE
QUESTIONS & TEST PREP
What compound is generated where all three prokaryotic carb. metabolism pathways, (EMP, glycoloysis),
PPP, and ED, converge? - correct answer ✔✔Phophoglyceraldehyde
Which is the main glycolytic pathway in prokaryotes that do not possess enzymes of the EMP pathway,
and was first ID in a Pseudomonas species? - correct answer ✔✔Entner-Doudoroff pathway
Which initial carb. metabolism pathway produces ribose-5-phosphate, a precursor of ribose and
deoxyribose in nucleic acids and erythrose-4-phosphate, a precursor of the aromatic amino acids Phe,
Tyr, and Trp? - correct answer ✔✔Pentose phosphate pathway
T/F The ED pathway is found in most eukaryotes and prokaryotes, including gram-negative, gram-
positive, and archaea. - correct answer ✔✔False-only found in prokaryotes
A bacterium running low on NADPH could __________ to generate more of this coenzyme. - correct
answer ✔✔Invoke the pentose phosphate pathway
Which metabolic pathways provide the carbon skeletons for most AA, except aromatic AA? - correct
answer ✔✔Glycolysis (EMP) and the citric acid cycle
What two AA are involved in the initial metabolic steps of ammonia (NH3) assimilation in bacteria? -
correct answer ✔✔Glutamate and glutamine
T/F Fatty acids are biosynthesize two carbons at a time, using cofactor coenzyme A to hold growing fatty
acid as it is synthesized - correct answer ✔✔False
Which type of cell membrane lipid would be more abundant in a bacterial species that lives in colder
temperatures of 0-10degreesC? - correct answer ✔✔Containts two shorter, more unsaturated fatty
acids, ex. 14 carbons with 2-3 double bonds
Which compound is the immediate precursor for the synthesis of pyrimidines used in RNA? - correct
answer ✔✔Orotic acid
What does the term "bacterial growth" refer to? - correct answer ✔✔An increase in the number of cells
Which is false? - correct answer ✔✔In the lag phase, cell death exceeds cell division
The time b/n inoculation and the beginning of growth is usually called the - correct answer ✔✔Lag
phase
Which of the following is/are transferred to daughter cells during bacterial cell division? - correct answer
✔✔Chromosome, proteins, and all other cellular constituents
, An agar plate for counting colonies and maximizing stat. validity should ideally contain - correct answer
✔✔30-300 colonies
What number of E. coli cells in liquid growth medium should give an approximate optical density reading
of 1.0 with a spectrophotometer set to wavelength of 600nm and a standard 1 cm path length cuvette? -
correct answer ✔✔1x10^9 cells
When attempting to determine viable cell counts of a heat-sensitive bacterial isolate, which cell counting
method should be avoided? - correct answer ✔✔Pour-plate method
By controlling the concentration of nutrients continuously added to a chemostat, cells can constantly be
maintained at which growth phase? - correct answer ✔✔Exponential growth phase
What temperature is most commonly used in autoclaves to sterilize growth media and other devices
prior to experimentation? - correct answer ✔✔121 degrees C
Selective medium differs from differential medium because: - correct answer ✔✔Selective medium
permits growth of a particular microbial type while differentil medium is used to distinguish between
types of organisams
How much change occurs in the internal cytosolic pH of a neutrophilic bacterial cell, such as E. coli, as
the pH of the external growth medium or environment changes from pH 4-9? - correct answer ✔✔The
internal pH changes only slightly from pH ~7.2-7.7
Which term describes microorganisms able to live in environments with high sugar concentrations? -
correct answer ✔✔Osmophiles
When water activity is low, an organism must respond in which of the following ways? - correct answer
✔✔Increase its internal solute conecntration
T/F Irreversible bacterial cell damage is more likely to occur at low rather than high temperatures -
correct answer ✔✔False
The optimal growth temperature of a bacterial cell damage is more likely to occur at low rather than high
temperatures - correct answer ✔✔Enzyme function
Most bacteria that are able to grow in humans and cause disease would be classified as - correct answer
✔✔Mesophiles
Which of the following statement is/are TRUE? - correct answer ✔✔-In general, species that can grow at
higher temperatures are prokaryotic.
-The most thermophilic prokaryotes are species of Archaea.
-Chemoorganotrophic organisms are able to grow at higher temperatures than phototrophic organisms
Which of the following statements is TRUE of disinfectants? - correct answer ✔✔They are used on
inanimate surfaces
QUESTIONS & TEST PREP
What compound is generated where all three prokaryotic carb. metabolism pathways, (EMP, glycoloysis),
PPP, and ED, converge? - correct answer ✔✔Phophoglyceraldehyde
Which is the main glycolytic pathway in prokaryotes that do not possess enzymes of the EMP pathway,
and was first ID in a Pseudomonas species? - correct answer ✔✔Entner-Doudoroff pathway
Which initial carb. metabolism pathway produces ribose-5-phosphate, a precursor of ribose and
deoxyribose in nucleic acids and erythrose-4-phosphate, a precursor of the aromatic amino acids Phe,
Tyr, and Trp? - correct answer ✔✔Pentose phosphate pathway
T/F The ED pathway is found in most eukaryotes and prokaryotes, including gram-negative, gram-
positive, and archaea. - correct answer ✔✔False-only found in prokaryotes
A bacterium running low on NADPH could __________ to generate more of this coenzyme. - correct
answer ✔✔Invoke the pentose phosphate pathway
Which metabolic pathways provide the carbon skeletons for most AA, except aromatic AA? - correct
answer ✔✔Glycolysis (EMP) and the citric acid cycle
What two AA are involved in the initial metabolic steps of ammonia (NH3) assimilation in bacteria? -
correct answer ✔✔Glutamate and glutamine
T/F Fatty acids are biosynthesize two carbons at a time, using cofactor coenzyme A to hold growing fatty
acid as it is synthesized - correct answer ✔✔False
Which type of cell membrane lipid would be more abundant in a bacterial species that lives in colder
temperatures of 0-10degreesC? - correct answer ✔✔Containts two shorter, more unsaturated fatty
acids, ex. 14 carbons with 2-3 double bonds
Which compound is the immediate precursor for the synthesis of pyrimidines used in RNA? - correct
answer ✔✔Orotic acid
What does the term "bacterial growth" refer to? - correct answer ✔✔An increase in the number of cells
Which is false? - correct answer ✔✔In the lag phase, cell death exceeds cell division
The time b/n inoculation and the beginning of growth is usually called the - correct answer ✔✔Lag
phase
Which of the following is/are transferred to daughter cells during bacterial cell division? - correct answer
✔✔Chromosome, proteins, and all other cellular constituents
, An agar plate for counting colonies and maximizing stat. validity should ideally contain - correct answer
✔✔30-300 colonies
What number of E. coli cells in liquid growth medium should give an approximate optical density reading
of 1.0 with a spectrophotometer set to wavelength of 600nm and a standard 1 cm path length cuvette? -
correct answer ✔✔1x10^9 cells
When attempting to determine viable cell counts of a heat-sensitive bacterial isolate, which cell counting
method should be avoided? - correct answer ✔✔Pour-plate method
By controlling the concentration of nutrients continuously added to a chemostat, cells can constantly be
maintained at which growth phase? - correct answer ✔✔Exponential growth phase
What temperature is most commonly used in autoclaves to sterilize growth media and other devices
prior to experimentation? - correct answer ✔✔121 degrees C
Selective medium differs from differential medium because: - correct answer ✔✔Selective medium
permits growth of a particular microbial type while differentil medium is used to distinguish between
types of organisams
How much change occurs in the internal cytosolic pH of a neutrophilic bacterial cell, such as E. coli, as
the pH of the external growth medium or environment changes from pH 4-9? - correct answer ✔✔The
internal pH changes only slightly from pH ~7.2-7.7
Which term describes microorganisms able to live in environments with high sugar concentrations? -
correct answer ✔✔Osmophiles
When water activity is low, an organism must respond in which of the following ways? - correct answer
✔✔Increase its internal solute conecntration
T/F Irreversible bacterial cell damage is more likely to occur at low rather than high temperatures -
correct answer ✔✔False
The optimal growth temperature of a bacterial cell damage is more likely to occur at low rather than high
temperatures - correct answer ✔✔Enzyme function
Most bacteria that are able to grow in humans and cause disease would be classified as - correct answer
✔✔Mesophiles
Which of the following statement is/are TRUE? - correct answer ✔✔-In general, species that can grow at
higher temperatures are prokaryotic.
-The most thermophilic prokaryotes are species of Archaea.
-Chemoorganotrophic organisms are able to grow at higher temperatures than phototrophic organisms
Which of the following statements is TRUE of disinfectants? - correct answer ✔✔They are used on
inanimate surfaces
