Chapter 01: Bacterial Cell Structure, Physiology, Metabolism, and Genetics
Test Bank
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. To survive, microbial inhabitants have learned to adapt by varying all of the following
except:
a. growth rate.
b. growth in all atmospheric conditions.
c. growth at particular temperatures.
d. bacterial shape.
ANS: D
The chapter begins by discussing the way microbial inhabitants have had to evolve to
survive in many different niches and habitats. It discusses slow growers, rapid growers,
and replication with scarce or abundant nutrients, under different atmospheric conditions,
temperature requirements, and cell structure. Bacterial shape as a form of evolution is not
discussed.
REF: 3 OBJ: Level 2: Interpretation
2. Who was considered the father of protozoology and bacteriology?
a. Anton van Leeuwenhoek
b. Louis Pasteur
c. Carl Landsteiner
d. Michael Douglas
ANS: A
, The book discusses Anton van Leeuwenhoek as the inventor of the microscope and the
first person to see the “beasties.” So they dubbed him the father of protozoology and
bacteriology. The other three individuals were not discussed.
REF: 3 OBJ: Level 1: Recall
3. Prokaryotic cells have which the following structures in their cytoplasm?
a. Golgi apparatus
b. Ribosomes
c. Mitochondria
d. Endoplasmic reticulum
ANS: B
All the structures listed are found in eukaryotic cells, but ribosomes are the only ones that
apply to prokaryotic cells.
REF: 5 OBJ: Level 1: Recall
4. What form of DNA is commonly found in eukaryotic cells?
a. Linear
b. Circular
c. Plasmid
d. Colloid
ANS: A
Circular and plasmid DNA is usually found only in bacteria, not eukaryotic cells. Colloid
is a property of protein molecules and is not associated with nucleotides.
REF: 4 OBJ: Level 3: Synthesis
,5. The nuclear membrane in prokaryotes is:
a. missing.
b. impenetrable.
c. a classic membrane.
d. a lipid bilayer membrane.
ANS: A
Prokaryotic cells do not have any membrane bound structures in the cytoplasm including
a structured nucleus. Nuclear membranes are never impenetrable because mRNA
templates must be able to pass out of the nucleus into the endoplasmic reticulum. The
cellular membrane is a lipid bilayer. A classic membrane is a vague term that is not
descriptive.
REF: 4 OBJ: Level 1: Recall
6. A microorganism that is a unicellular organism and lacks a nuclear membrane and true
nucleus belongs to which classification?
a. Fungi
b. Bacteria
c. Algae
d. Parasite
ANS: B
Fungi, algae, and parasites are unicellular eukaryotic organisms that contain a true
nucleus. Bacteria are prokaryotic and do not contain a true nucleus or nuclear membrane.
REF: 4 OBJ: Level 1: Recall
, 7. In the laboratory, the clinical microbiologist is responsible for all the following except:
a. isolating microorganisms.
b. selecting treatment for patients.
c. identifying microorganisms.
d. analyzing bacteria that cause disease.
ANS: B
Clinical microbiologists never actually select the treatment for patients. They provide the
doctor with the name of the organism and the antibiotics that can kill the bacteria, but
never a final selection of treatment protocols.
REF: 3 OBJ: Level 3: Synthesis
8. What enables the microbiologist to select the correct media for primary culture and
optimize the chance of isolating a pathogenic organism?
a. Determining staining characteristics
b. Understanding the cell structure and biochemical pathways of an organism
c. Understanding the growth requirements of potential pathogens for the body site
d. Knowing the differences in cell walls of particular bacteria
ANS: C
By understanding growth requirements, a microbiologist can maximize the chance of the
organism being isolated from a culture. The other three choices are used to identify a
bacterium once it has grown on media.
REF: 3 OBJ: Level 2: Interpretation
9. A clinical laboratory scientist is working on the bench, reading plates, and notices that a
culture has both a unicellular form and a filamentous form. What type of organism
exhibits these forms?
Test Bank
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. To survive, microbial inhabitants have learned to adapt by varying all of the following
except:
a. growth rate.
b. growth in all atmospheric conditions.
c. growth at particular temperatures.
d. bacterial shape.
ANS: D
The chapter begins by discussing the way microbial inhabitants have had to evolve to
survive in many different niches and habitats. It discusses slow growers, rapid growers,
and replication with scarce or abundant nutrients, under different atmospheric conditions,
temperature requirements, and cell structure. Bacterial shape as a form of evolution is not
discussed.
REF: 3 OBJ: Level 2: Interpretation
2. Who was considered the father of protozoology and bacteriology?
a. Anton van Leeuwenhoek
b. Louis Pasteur
c. Carl Landsteiner
d. Michael Douglas
ANS: A
, The book discusses Anton van Leeuwenhoek as the inventor of the microscope and the
first person to see the “beasties.” So they dubbed him the father of protozoology and
bacteriology. The other three individuals were not discussed.
REF: 3 OBJ: Level 1: Recall
3. Prokaryotic cells have which the following structures in their cytoplasm?
a. Golgi apparatus
b. Ribosomes
c. Mitochondria
d. Endoplasmic reticulum
ANS: B
All the structures listed are found in eukaryotic cells, but ribosomes are the only ones that
apply to prokaryotic cells.
REF: 5 OBJ: Level 1: Recall
4. What form of DNA is commonly found in eukaryotic cells?
a. Linear
b. Circular
c. Plasmid
d. Colloid
ANS: A
Circular and plasmid DNA is usually found only in bacteria, not eukaryotic cells. Colloid
is a property of protein molecules and is not associated with nucleotides.
REF: 4 OBJ: Level 3: Synthesis
,5. The nuclear membrane in prokaryotes is:
a. missing.
b. impenetrable.
c. a classic membrane.
d. a lipid bilayer membrane.
ANS: A
Prokaryotic cells do not have any membrane bound structures in the cytoplasm including
a structured nucleus. Nuclear membranes are never impenetrable because mRNA
templates must be able to pass out of the nucleus into the endoplasmic reticulum. The
cellular membrane is a lipid bilayer. A classic membrane is a vague term that is not
descriptive.
REF: 4 OBJ: Level 1: Recall
6. A microorganism that is a unicellular organism and lacks a nuclear membrane and true
nucleus belongs to which classification?
a. Fungi
b. Bacteria
c. Algae
d. Parasite
ANS: B
Fungi, algae, and parasites are unicellular eukaryotic organisms that contain a true
nucleus. Bacteria are prokaryotic and do not contain a true nucleus or nuclear membrane.
REF: 4 OBJ: Level 1: Recall
, 7. In the laboratory, the clinical microbiologist is responsible for all the following except:
a. isolating microorganisms.
b. selecting treatment for patients.
c. identifying microorganisms.
d. analyzing bacteria that cause disease.
ANS: B
Clinical microbiologists never actually select the treatment for patients. They provide the
doctor with the name of the organism and the antibiotics that can kill the bacteria, but
never a final selection of treatment protocols.
REF: 3 OBJ: Level 3: Synthesis
8. What enables the microbiologist to select the correct media for primary culture and
optimize the chance of isolating a pathogenic organism?
a. Determining staining characteristics
b. Understanding the cell structure and biochemical pathways of an organism
c. Understanding the growth requirements of potential pathogens for the body site
d. Knowing the differences in cell walls of particular bacteria
ANS: C
By understanding growth requirements, a microbiologist can maximize the chance of the
organism being isolated from a culture. The other three choices are used to identify a
bacterium once it has grown on media.
REF: 3 OBJ: Level 2: Interpretation
9. A clinical laboratory scientist is working on the bench, reading plates, and notices that a
culture has both a unicellular form and a filamentous form. What type of organism
exhibits these forms?
