Textbook of Diagnostic Microbiology (7th
Edition) Exam Prep | Connie R. Mahon |
Verified Chapters 1–41 | Newest 2025
Version
Chapter 1: Bacterial Cell Structure, Physiology, Metabolism, and
Genetics
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
Answer: D - Bacterial shape as a form of evolution is not discussed as an adaptive
mechanism .
2. Who was considered the father of protozoology and bacteriology?
A. Anton van Leeuwenhoek
B. Louis Pasteur
C. Carl Landsteiner
D. Michael Douglas
Answer: A - Van Leeuwenhoek was the inventor of the microscope and the first person
to see microorganisms ("beasties") .
3. Prokaryotic cells have which of the following structures in their cytoplasm?
A. Golgi apparatus
B. Ribosomes
C. Mitochondria
D. Endoplasmic reticulum
,Answer: B - Ribosomes are the only structures listed that apply to prokaryotic cells; the
others are found in eukaryotic cells .
4. This form of DNA is commonly found in eukaryotic cells:
A. Linear
B. Circular
C. Plasmid
D. Colloid
Answer: A - Circular and plasmid DNA are usually found only in bacteria, not eukaryotic
cells .
5. The nuclear membrane in prokaryotes is:
A. Missing
B. Impenetrable
C. A classic membrane
D. A lipid bilayer membrane
Answer: A - Prokaryotic cells do not have any membrane-bound structures in the
cytoplasm, including a structured nucleus .
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
Answer: B - Fungi, algae, and parasites are eukaryotic organisms that contain a true
nucleus. Bacteria are prokaryotic and do not contain a true nucleus or nuclear
membrane .
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
Answer: B - Clinical microbiologists do not select treatment for patients; they provide
the physician with organism identification and antibiotic susceptibility information .
, 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 at specific body sites
D. Knowing the differences in cell walls of particular bacteria
Answer: C - By understanding growth requirements, a microbiologist can maximize the
chance of isolating an organism from a culture .
9. A clinical laboratory scientist notices that a culture has both a unicellular form
and a filamentous form. What type of organism exhibits these forms?
A. Virus
B. Fungi
C. Bacteria
D. Parasite
Answer: B - Fungi may have both unicellular yeast forms and filamentous hyphal forms
in the same culture plate .
10. All of the following statements are true about viruses, except:
A. Viruses consist of DNA or RNA but not both
B. Viruses are acellular but are surrounded by a protein coat
C. Viruses can infect bacteria, plants, and animals
D. Viruses do not need host cells to survive and grow
Answer: D - Viruses need host cells because they cannot reproduce or nourish
themselves without the host's cellular mechanisms .
11. Diagnostic microbiologists apply placement and naming of bacterial organisms
into all the following categories, except:
A. Order
B. Family
C. Genus
D. Species
Answer: A - Clinical microbiologists use family, genus, and species taxonomic
categories, not order .
12. Bacterial species that exhibit phenotypic differences are considered:
A. Biovarieties
B. Serovarieties
Edition) Exam Prep | Connie R. Mahon |
Verified Chapters 1–41 | Newest 2025
Version
Chapter 1: Bacterial Cell Structure, Physiology, Metabolism, and
Genetics
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
Answer: D - Bacterial shape as a form of evolution is not discussed as an adaptive
mechanism .
2. Who was considered the father of protozoology and bacteriology?
A. Anton van Leeuwenhoek
B. Louis Pasteur
C. Carl Landsteiner
D. Michael Douglas
Answer: A - Van Leeuwenhoek was the inventor of the microscope and the first person
to see microorganisms ("beasties") .
3. Prokaryotic cells have which of the following structures in their cytoplasm?
A. Golgi apparatus
B. Ribosomes
C. Mitochondria
D. Endoplasmic reticulum
,Answer: B - Ribosomes are the only structures listed that apply to prokaryotic cells; the
others are found in eukaryotic cells .
4. This form of DNA is commonly found in eukaryotic cells:
A. Linear
B. Circular
C. Plasmid
D. Colloid
Answer: A - Circular and plasmid DNA are usually found only in bacteria, not eukaryotic
cells .
5. The nuclear membrane in prokaryotes is:
A. Missing
B. Impenetrable
C. A classic membrane
D. A lipid bilayer membrane
Answer: A - Prokaryotic cells do not have any membrane-bound structures in the
cytoplasm, including a structured nucleus .
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
Answer: B - Fungi, algae, and parasites are eukaryotic organisms that contain a true
nucleus. Bacteria are prokaryotic and do not contain a true nucleus or nuclear
membrane .
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
Answer: B - Clinical microbiologists do not select treatment for patients; they provide
the physician with organism identification and antibiotic susceptibility information .
, 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 at specific body sites
D. Knowing the differences in cell walls of particular bacteria
Answer: C - By understanding growth requirements, a microbiologist can maximize the
chance of isolating an organism from a culture .
9. A clinical laboratory scientist notices that a culture has both a unicellular form
and a filamentous form. What type of organism exhibits these forms?
A. Virus
B. Fungi
C. Bacteria
D. Parasite
Answer: B - Fungi may have both unicellular yeast forms and filamentous hyphal forms
in the same culture plate .
10. All of the following statements are true about viruses, except:
A. Viruses consist of DNA or RNA but not both
B. Viruses are acellular but are surrounded by a protein coat
C. Viruses can infect bacteria, plants, and animals
D. Viruses do not need host cells to survive and grow
Answer: D - Viruses need host cells because they cannot reproduce or nourish
themselves without the host's cellular mechanisms .
11. Diagnostic microbiologists apply placement and naming of bacterial organisms
into all the following categories, except:
A. Order
B. Family
C. Genus
D. Species
Answer: A - Clinical microbiologists use family, genus, and species taxonomic
categories, not order .
12. Bacterial species that exhibit phenotypic differences are considered:
A. Biovarieties
B. Serovarieties
