BROCK BIOLOGY OF MICROORGANISMS BY
MICHAEL T 2026 PRACTICE SET MOCK EXAM
REVISION NOTES AND SOLUTIONS EXPERT
GRADE A+
◉ plasmids Answer: extrachromosomal DNA that confers special
properties (like antibiotic resistance) (found in prokaryotes)
◉ metabolism Answer: the chemical transformation of nutrients
◉ enzymes Answer: protein catalysts
◉ transcription Answer: when DNA information is converted into
RNA
◉ translation Answer: when RNA is used by ribosome to make
protein
◉ motility Answer: when cells move by self-propulsion
◉ differentiation Answer: when microbes modify internal structures
to form specialized cells
,◉ intercellular communication Answer: when microbes respond to
other microbes
◉ activities of microbial cells Answer: -metabolism
-motility
-differentiation
-intercellular communication
-evolution
-live in microbial communities
◉ 3.8-4.3 billion y.a. Answer: When did the first cells appear on
Earth?
◉ ~2.6 billion y.a. Answer: When was O2 introduced to the Earth's
atmosphere?
◉ ~3.6 billion y.a. Answer: When did the first anoxygenic
phototrophs appear?
◉ ~0.5 billion y.a. Answer: When did plants and animals appear on
Earth?
,◉ three domains (distinct lineages of microbial cells Answer: -
Bacteria (prok)
-Archaea (prok)
-Eukarya (euk)
◉ LUCA Answer: last universal common ancestor
◉ extremophiles Answer: organisms that live in habitats too harsh
for other life forms (ex. hot springs, glaciers, high salt, acidity,
alkalinity, pressure)
◉ ecosystem Answer: term that refers to all living organisms plus
physical and chemical constituents of their environment
◉ microbial ecology Answer: the study of microbes in their natural
environment
◉ microbes as disease agents Answer: microbes that present as
bacterial and viral pathogens
◉ gut microbiome Answer: this digests complex carbohydrates in
humans and synthesizes vitamins and other nutrients (microbes
involved in this)
, ◉ biofilms Answer: growths on submerged surfaces (ex. pipes
storage tanks, implanted medical devices)
◉ industrial microbiology Answer: microbiology involved in the
massive growth of naturally-occurring microbes to make low-cost
products (ex antibiotics, enzymes, some chemicals)
◉ biotechnology Answer: area of microbe use that genetically
engineers microbes, making high-value products in very small
amounts
◉ bioremediation Answer: area of microbe use that cleans up
pollutants
◉ Robert Hooke Answer: scientist to first describe microbes
◉ Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Answer: scientist to first describe
bacteria using his lgiht microscope
◉ magnification Answer: ability to make an object's image larger
◉ resolution Answer: ability to distinguish two adjacent objects as
distinct and separate
MICHAEL T 2026 PRACTICE SET MOCK EXAM
REVISION NOTES AND SOLUTIONS EXPERT
GRADE A+
◉ plasmids Answer: extrachromosomal DNA that confers special
properties (like antibiotic resistance) (found in prokaryotes)
◉ metabolism Answer: the chemical transformation of nutrients
◉ enzymes Answer: protein catalysts
◉ transcription Answer: when DNA information is converted into
RNA
◉ translation Answer: when RNA is used by ribosome to make
protein
◉ motility Answer: when cells move by self-propulsion
◉ differentiation Answer: when microbes modify internal structures
to form specialized cells
,◉ intercellular communication Answer: when microbes respond to
other microbes
◉ activities of microbial cells Answer: -metabolism
-motility
-differentiation
-intercellular communication
-evolution
-live in microbial communities
◉ 3.8-4.3 billion y.a. Answer: When did the first cells appear on
Earth?
◉ ~2.6 billion y.a. Answer: When was O2 introduced to the Earth's
atmosphere?
◉ ~3.6 billion y.a. Answer: When did the first anoxygenic
phototrophs appear?
◉ ~0.5 billion y.a. Answer: When did plants and animals appear on
Earth?
,◉ three domains (distinct lineages of microbial cells Answer: -
Bacteria (prok)
-Archaea (prok)
-Eukarya (euk)
◉ LUCA Answer: last universal common ancestor
◉ extremophiles Answer: organisms that live in habitats too harsh
for other life forms (ex. hot springs, glaciers, high salt, acidity,
alkalinity, pressure)
◉ ecosystem Answer: term that refers to all living organisms plus
physical and chemical constituents of their environment
◉ microbial ecology Answer: the study of microbes in their natural
environment
◉ microbes as disease agents Answer: microbes that present as
bacterial and viral pathogens
◉ gut microbiome Answer: this digests complex carbohydrates in
humans and synthesizes vitamins and other nutrients (microbes
involved in this)
, ◉ biofilms Answer: growths on submerged surfaces (ex. pipes
storage tanks, implanted medical devices)
◉ industrial microbiology Answer: microbiology involved in the
massive growth of naturally-occurring microbes to make low-cost
products (ex antibiotics, enzymes, some chemicals)
◉ biotechnology Answer: area of microbe use that genetically
engineers microbes, making high-value products in very small
amounts
◉ bioremediation Answer: area of microbe use that cleans up
pollutants
◉ Robert Hooke Answer: scientist to first describe microbes
◉ Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Answer: scientist to first describe
bacteria using his lgiht microscope
◉ magnification Answer: ability to make an object's image larger
◉ resolution Answer: ability to distinguish two adjacent objects as
distinct and separate
