Eukaryotic Microbes, Parasitology, & Viruses
Worksheet (New Version Updated 2024) Scored 100%
Lab 5 Eukaryotic Microbes, Parasitology, & Viruses BIO250L
Straighterline Microbiology Lab BIO250L Lab 5 Eukaryotic Microbes, Parasitology, & Viruses Worksheet
(New Version Updated April 2024) Scored 100%
Lab Report Format Expectations
Utilize college level grammar and professional formatting when completing this worksheet. Submissions
without proper formatting, all required photos or sufficient responses will be rejected.
Pre-lab Questions
1. What is a model organism, and why is Saccharomyces cerevisiae so often used as one? They
are a species that scientists study in the lab to learn more about biological processes.
Sprouting yeast, or Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is an often used model organic organism due to
its ease of care and ability to adapt to many ecological conditions. Moreover, it provides
similarities to human cells in terms of regulating cell division.
2. Research and discuss the properties of mold that make them sometimes beneficial to
humans, and sometimes potentially harmful.
Mold produces allergens and irritants that can lead to various health issues, including coughing,
nasal congestion, and throat irritation. As a result, being around mold can have a detrimental
impact on one's health. However, mold can benefit people in other ways as well. For instance,
we eat some molds, such as mushrooms, which aid in producing antibiotics, such as penicillin
and other valuable compounds.
, 3. The lab guide discussed “acellular” organisms. What characteristics classify them as
acellular? Would you consider these living organisms?
"The absence of cell walls, cell membranes, and organelles defines acellular" creatures. Examples of
such organisms are viruses and prions, which lack traditional cellular features. It is debatable
whether or not acellular entities qualify as living things because they lack all of the
traits that define life on their own. Even if they can have a substantial biological impact outside
of a host, particularly within a host cell, they might not meet the requirements to be classified as
living things.
4. Do some research and describe an acellular organism other than the two types discussed in the lab
materials.
Prions: Normal biological proteins may misfold due to prions, which are infectious proteins.
They have no cellular structure and are connected to a few neurodegenerative illnesses