MICROBIOLOGY HCC FINAL EXAM
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Pathogens - ANSWER any agent-usually a virus-bacterium, fungus, protozoan, or
helminth-that causes disease
Decomposers - ANSWER a consumer that feeds on organic matter from the bodies of
dead organisms. These microorganisms feed from all levels of the food pyramid and are
responsible for recycling elements (also called "saprobes")
Genetic Engineering - ANSWER a field involving deliberate alterations (recombinations)
of the genomes of microbes, plants, and animals through special technological
processes.
Biotechnology - ANSWER the use of microbes or their products in the commercial or
industrial realm.
Characteristics of Viruses - ANSWER 1) Obligate, intracellular parasites of bacteria,
protozoa, algae, fungi, plants, and animals
2) acellular: not cell-like
3) ultra-microscopic
4) do not have characteristics of life
5) inactive while outside host cell
6) Basic structure consists of protein shell (capsid) which surrounds a nucleic acid
(core)
7) Nucleic acid can be either DNA or RNA (never both)
8) Nucleic acid can be ssDNA, dsDNA, ssRNA, dsRNA
9) Viruses are specific to host cells (specificity)
10) Multiplies by taking control of host cell's metabolic activities
Phylogeny - ANSWER the evolutionary development and diversification of a species or
group of organisms, or of a particular feature of an organism
Helminthes - ANSWER all parasitic worms
Taxonomic Hierarchy - ANSWER -Domain
-Kingdom
-Phylum
-Class
-Order
-Family
-Genus
-Species
, Bioremediation - ANSWER the introduction of bacteria into the environment as a way to
restore stability
6 I's - ANSWER -Inoculation
-Incubation
-Isolation
-Inspection
-Information Gathering
-Identification
Inoculation - ANSWER introduction of a sample into a container of media to produce a
culture
Incubation - ANSWER under conditions that allow growth
Isolation - ANSWER separating species from one another. A colony consists one of
species. An Isolation technique may involve a Streak plate, pour plate, or spread plate
Micronutrient - ANSWER a chemical substrate required in small quantities (trace
metals, for example)
Trace element - ANSWER micronutrients (zinc, nickel, and manganese) that occur in
small amounts and are involved in enzyme function and maintenance of protein
structure
Phototroph - ANSWER microbes that use photosynthesis to feed
Heterotrophy - ANSWER these use organic compounds as their major source of
carbon-they obtain them by absorbing them from the environment, or by ingesting
autotrophs or other heterotrophs
Chemotroph - ANSWER an organism that oxidizes compounds to feed on nutrients
Methanogen - ANSWER microbes that produce methane gas
Saprobes - ANSWER a microbe that decomposes organic remains from dead
organisms
Diffusion - ANSWER The dispersal of molecules, ions, or microscopic particles
propelled down a concentration gradient by spontaneous random motion to achieve a
uniform distribution
Osmosis - ANSWER the diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane in
the direction of lower water concentration
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Pathogens - ANSWER any agent-usually a virus-bacterium, fungus, protozoan, or
helminth-that causes disease
Decomposers - ANSWER a consumer that feeds on organic matter from the bodies of
dead organisms. These microorganisms feed from all levels of the food pyramid and are
responsible for recycling elements (also called "saprobes")
Genetic Engineering - ANSWER a field involving deliberate alterations (recombinations)
of the genomes of microbes, plants, and animals through special technological
processes.
Biotechnology - ANSWER the use of microbes or their products in the commercial or
industrial realm.
Characteristics of Viruses - ANSWER 1) Obligate, intracellular parasites of bacteria,
protozoa, algae, fungi, plants, and animals
2) acellular: not cell-like
3) ultra-microscopic
4) do not have characteristics of life
5) inactive while outside host cell
6) Basic structure consists of protein shell (capsid) which surrounds a nucleic acid
(core)
7) Nucleic acid can be either DNA or RNA (never both)
8) Nucleic acid can be ssDNA, dsDNA, ssRNA, dsRNA
9) Viruses are specific to host cells (specificity)
10) Multiplies by taking control of host cell's metabolic activities
Phylogeny - ANSWER the evolutionary development and diversification of a species or
group of organisms, or of a particular feature of an organism
Helminthes - ANSWER all parasitic worms
Taxonomic Hierarchy - ANSWER -Domain
-Kingdom
-Phylum
-Class
-Order
-Family
-Genus
-Species
, Bioremediation - ANSWER the introduction of bacteria into the environment as a way to
restore stability
6 I's - ANSWER -Inoculation
-Incubation
-Isolation
-Inspection
-Information Gathering
-Identification
Inoculation - ANSWER introduction of a sample into a container of media to produce a
culture
Incubation - ANSWER under conditions that allow growth
Isolation - ANSWER separating species from one another. A colony consists one of
species. An Isolation technique may involve a Streak plate, pour plate, or spread plate
Micronutrient - ANSWER a chemical substrate required in small quantities (trace
metals, for example)
Trace element - ANSWER micronutrients (zinc, nickel, and manganese) that occur in
small amounts and are involved in enzyme function and maintenance of protein
structure
Phototroph - ANSWER microbes that use photosynthesis to feed
Heterotrophy - ANSWER these use organic compounds as their major source of
carbon-they obtain them by absorbing them from the environment, or by ingesting
autotrophs or other heterotrophs
Chemotroph - ANSWER an organism that oxidizes compounds to feed on nutrients
Methanogen - ANSWER microbes that produce methane gas
Saprobes - ANSWER a microbe that decomposes organic remains from dead
organisms
Diffusion - ANSWER The dispersal of molecules, ions, or microscopic particles
propelled down a concentration gradient by spontaneous random motion to achieve a
uniform distribution
Osmosis - ANSWER the diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane in
the direction of lower water concentration
