Microbiology Exam Latest Questions
And 100% Correct Answers 2026
Updated.
rod-shaped bacteria - Answer s. bacillus, pl. bacilli
spherical bacteria - Answer s. coccus, pl. cocci
common-shaped bacteria - Answer s vibrio, pl. vibrios
spiral shapes bacteria - Answer s. spirillum, pl. spirilla
pleiomorphic shaped bacteria - Answer varied shapes
spirochetes - Answer spiral bacteria with axial filaments
axial filaments - Answer special structure used for locomotion
hyphae multicellular organization - Answer branching filaments of cells
mycelia multicellular organization - Answer tufts of hyphae
trichomes multicellular organization - Answer smooth, unbranched chains of cells.
size of bacteria - Answer Usually smaller than eukaryal cells (bacteria are often 0.5 to 5 μm in
length).
Small eukaryal cells are usually >5 μm in diameter.
Thiomargarita namibiensis - Answer largest known bacterium
Epulopiscium fishelsoni - Answer largest prokaryote
mycoplasm - Answer the smallest known living organisms (2μm in diameter)
nucleiod - Answer (DNA, RNA, protein) genetic information storage and gene expression.
,chromosome-packaging proteins - Answer (protein) protection and compaction of genomic
DNA
enzymes involved in synthesis of DNA, RNA - Answer (protein) replication of the genome.
transcription
regulatory factors - Answer (protein, RNA) control of replication, transcription, and translation
ribosomes - Answer (RNA, protein) translation (protein synthesis).
plasmid(s) - Answer (DNA) variable, encode non-chromosomal genes for a variety of functions.
enzymes involved in breaking down substrates - Answer (protein) energy production,
providing anabolic precursors
inclusion bodies - Answer (various polymers) storage of carbon, phosphate, nitrogen, and
sulfur
gas vesicles - Answer (protein) buoyancy
magnetosomes - Answer (protein, lipid, iron) orienting cell during movement.
cytoskeleton structures - Answer (protein) guiding cell wall synthesis, cell division, and
possibly partitioning of chromosomes during replication
the largest area in the cytoplasm is the __________, a convoluted mass of DNA (usually a single,
circular chromosome) coated with proteins and RNA molecules still in the process of being
synthesized. - Answer nucleoid
the remainder of the cytoplasm is a stew of macromolecules such as - Answer tRNA, rRNA,
mRNA, proteins, etc.
cytoplasm can contain - Answer inclusion bodies
polyhydroxybutyrate granules - Answer carbon storage
,sulfer globules - Answer sulfur storage
gas vesicles (inclusion body) - Answer buoyancy control
carboxysomes - Answer location of carbon fixation reactions
magnetosomes (inclusion body) - Answer organelle associated with direction finding
cytoskeleton - Answer series of internal protein that assist in keeping everything in (or moving
it to) the right locations in cells.
some cytoskeleton proteins are involved in cell wall synthesis during cell division - Answer FtsZ
[fits-zee] and MreB
other cytoskeletal proteins are involved in moving internal items - Answer plasmids and
magnetosomes
hopanoids - Answer Sterol molecules that help with stability across temperature ranges in
plasma membrane
process of O2 and CO2 crossing plasma membrane - Answer small and diffuse across readily.
process of H2O crossing plasma membrane - Answer helped by aquaporin protein channels.
process of osmosis crossing the plasma membrane - Answer flow of water across the side with
a higher solute (particle) concentration
osmosis - Answer cause cells to swell or shrivel. strong cell walls help keep a bacterial cell alive
during hardships
faciliated diffusion (passive transport) - Answer uses protein channels to move particles with a
concentration gradient. does not use energy
active transport - Answer Energy-requiring process that moves material across a cell
membrane against a concentration gradient
symport - Answer bring desired molecules into the cell along with another molecule that is
traveling down a favorable concentration gradient.
, antiport - Answer energy-requiring uptake of one molecule is driven by the energetically
favorable ejection of another.
ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters - Answer utilize the energy of ATP hydrolysis to
transport various substances
plasma membrane uses - Answer Capturing energy
Embedded electron transport chains can help create proton motive force.
Can be used for respiration/photosynthesis
Can be used to derive energy for motion (flagella).
plasma membrane sensory systems - Answer Proteins in the PM can be used to detect
environment changes.
The cell can use the detected changes to alter gene expression to respond.
property of bacterial cell envelope - Answer protein secretion and the plasma membrane:
making proteins and shipping them outside the cell. Uses ATP energy
bacterial cell wall - Answer composed of cross-linked strands of peptidoglycan subunits
forming a matrix. Gives cell shape and protection from osmotic lysis and mechanical forces.
each peptidoglycan disaccharide subunit - Answer N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM) with a small
peptide chain (peptide varies by species) and N-acetylglucosamine (NAG)
d forms - Answer stereoisomers (mirror images) of the L forms normally found in biological
proteins
stereoisomers - Answer molecules that have the same structural formulas and bonding
patterns but different arrangements of atoms in space
cell wall degrading naturally - Answer by lysozyme and lysostaphin secretions.
cell wall degrading artificially - Answer β-lactam antibiotics by preventing peptidoglycan
crosslinking, weakening the cell wall structure.
weak cell wall - Answer leads to cell wall being unable to resist osmotic pressure changes.
And 100% Correct Answers 2026
Updated.
rod-shaped bacteria - Answer s. bacillus, pl. bacilli
spherical bacteria - Answer s. coccus, pl. cocci
common-shaped bacteria - Answer s vibrio, pl. vibrios
spiral shapes bacteria - Answer s. spirillum, pl. spirilla
pleiomorphic shaped bacteria - Answer varied shapes
spirochetes - Answer spiral bacteria with axial filaments
axial filaments - Answer special structure used for locomotion
hyphae multicellular organization - Answer branching filaments of cells
mycelia multicellular organization - Answer tufts of hyphae
trichomes multicellular organization - Answer smooth, unbranched chains of cells.
size of bacteria - Answer Usually smaller than eukaryal cells (bacteria are often 0.5 to 5 μm in
length).
Small eukaryal cells are usually >5 μm in diameter.
Thiomargarita namibiensis - Answer largest known bacterium
Epulopiscium fishelsoni - Answer largest prokaryote
mycoplasm - Answer the smallest known living organisms (2μm in diameter)
nucleiod - Answer (DNA, RNA, protein) genetic information storage and gene expression.
,chromosome-packaging proteins - Answer (protein) protection and compaction of genomic
DNA
enzymes involved in synthesis of DNA, RNA - Answer (protein) replication of the genome.
transcription
regulatory factors - Answer (protein, RNA) control of replication, transcription, and translation
ribosomes - Answer (RNA, protein) translation (protein synthesis).
plasmid(s) - Answer (DNA) variable, encode non-chromosomal genes for a variety of functions.
enzymes involved in breaking down substrates - Answer (protein) energy production,
providing anabolic precursors
inclusion bodies - Answer (various polymers) storage of carbon, phosphate, nitrogen, and
sulfur
gas vesicles - Answer (protein) buoyancy
magnetosomes - Answer (protein, lipid, iron) orienting cell during movement.
cytoskeleton structures - Answer (protein) guiding cell wall synthesis, cell division, and
possibly partitioning of chromosomes during replication
the largest area in the cytoplasm is the __________, a convoluted mass of DNA (usually a single,
circular chromosome) coated with proteins and RNA molecules still in the process of being
synthesized. - Answer nucleoid
the remainder of the cytoplasm is a stew of macromolecules such as - Answer tRNA, rRNA,
mRNA, proteins, etc.
cytoplasm can contain - Answer inclusion bodies
polyhydroxybutyrate granules - Answer carbon storage
,sulfer globules - Answer sulfur storage
gas vesicles (inclusion body) - Answer buoyancy control
carboxysomes - Answer location of carbon fixation reactions
magnetosomes (inclusion body) - Answer organelle associated with direction finding
cytoskeleton - Answer series of internal protein that assist in keeping everything in (or moving
it to) the right locations in cells.
some cytoskeleton proteins are involved in cell wall synthesis during cell division - Answer FtsZ
[fits-zee] and MreB
other cytoskeletal proteins are involved in moving internal items - Answer plasmids and
magnetosomes
hopanoids - Answer Sterol molecules that help with stability across temperature ranges in
plasma membrane
process of O2 and CO2 crossing plasma membrane - Answer small and diffuse across readily.
process of H2O crossing plasma membrane - Answer helped by aquaporin protein channels.
process of osmosis crossing the plasma membrane - Answer flow of water across the side with
a higher solute (particle) concentration
osmosis - Answer cause cells to swell or shrivel. strong cell walls help keep a bacterial cell alive
during hardships
faciliated diffusion (passive transport) - Answer uses protein channels to move particles with a
concentration gradient. does not use energy
active transport - Answer Energy-requiring process that moves material across a cell
membrane against a concentration gradient
symport - Answer bring desired molecules into the cell along with another molecule that is
traveling down a favorable concentration gradient.
, antiport - Answer energy-requiring uptake of one molecule is driven by the energetically
favorable ejection of another.
ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters - Answer utilize the energy of ATP hydrolysis to
transport various substances
plasma membrane uses - Answer Capturing energy
Embedded electron transport chains can help create proton motive force.
Can be used for respiration/photosynthesis
Can be used to derive energy for motion (flagella).
plasma membrane sensory systems - Answer Proteins in the PM can be used to detect
environment changes.
The cell can use the detected changes to alter gene expression to respond.
property of bacterial cell envelope - Answer protein secretion and the plasma membrane:
making proteins and shipping them outside the cell. Uses ATP energy
bacterial cell wall - Answer composed of cross-linked strands of peptidoglycan subunits
forming a matrix. Gives cell shape and protection from osmotic lysis and mechanical forces.
each peptidoglycan disaccharide subunit - Answer N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM) with a small
peptide chain (peptide varies by species) and N-acetylglucosamine (NAG)
d forms - Answer stereoisomers (mirror images) of the L forms normally found in biological
proteins
stereoisomers - Answer molecules that have the same structural formulas and bonding
patterns but different arrangements of atoms in space
cell wall degrading naturally - Answer by lysozyme and lysostaphin secretions.
cell wall degrading artificially - Answer β-lactam antibiotics by preventing peptidoglycan
crosslinking, weakening the cell wall structure.
weak cell wall - Answer leads to cell wall being unable to resist osmotic pressure changes.
