MMG 301 EXAM 3 2026/2027 | MICROBIOLOGY STUDY GUIDE, PRACTICE
QUESTIONS, ANSWERS & EXAM REVIEW
_________ and __________ are two key features of growth independent mechanisms of pathogen
identification - ANS ✔✔specificity and sensitivity
The antibody titer is - ANS ✔✔The lowest concentration of serum that can be added to give . positive
reaction
One advantage of growth independent pathogen identification methods compared to growth depended
methods is that growth independent method are..... - ANS ✔✔faster
The Test and disk diffusion assays are.... - ANS ✔✔methods that quantify the susceptibility of a bacterial
pathogen to an antibiotic
To quantify the amount of HIV, an RNA virus, in a patient sample using qPCR, a researcher must ad
_______ in addition to the other components typically present in a PCR - ANS ✔✔reverse transcriptase
several classes of antibiotics inhibit protein synthesis by disrupting protein translation through
interactions with ..... - ANS ✔✔ribosomes
NDM-1 - ANS ✔✔-stands for New Delhi Metallo beta-lactamase
-is typically found in the enterobacteriaceae family of bateria
What are mechanisms bacteria use to resist antibiotics? - ANS ✔✔efflux pumps
modify antibiotics
modify target
overexpress target
What are ways we can combat antibiotic resistance? - ANS ✔✔-Develop new targets and novel
antibiotics using computer modeling
What antibiotic acts as an ionophore? - ANS ✔✔daptomycin
What is true about pasteurization? - ANS ✔✔-kills most disease-causing pathogens
-involves short periods of heating
How do you determine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)? - ANS ✔✔first clear tube after turbidity
By what common mechanism to UV light and gamma rays kill microbes? - ANS ✔✔they damage DNA
What is the major difference between bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal antimicrobial agents? - ANS
✔✔Bacteriostatic chemicals inhibit growth, but bacteriocidal chemicals kill the microbes
Herd immunity - ANS ✔✔limits the spread of disease by reducing the number of susceptible hosts
, When should an epidemiologist become concerned by a potential epidemic? - ANS ✔✔When the
incidence of a disease is greater than its prevalence
Why were we able to eradicate small pox? - ANS ✔✔-the sole reservoir is humans
-infection rarely results in asymptomatic carries
-there is a relatively short period of infectivity
-we developed an effective vaccine
What method of infectious disease control will be the MOST effective in stopping the spread of a disease
transmitted by a mosquito? - ANS ✔✔vector control
The insect symbiont Wolbachia can be used to suppress disease transmission by mosquitoes because -
ANS ✔✔Wolbachia infection skews the mosquito population to become predominantly female
Symbionts such as Buchnera in aphids are transmitted _______ to ensure the safe transfer of the
symbiont to the next generation - ANS ✔✔vertically to offspring
Vibrio fischeri symbionts benefit the Hawaiian bobtail squid by: - ANS ✔✔mimicking the light of the
moon, which helps the squid avoid nocturnal predators
T or F: hindgut fermenters such as horses or rabbits utilize the microbes present on the plant to aid
digestion - ANS ✔✔False, it is for foregut fermenters
A normal, healthy gut microbiota helps to ________ colonization of pathogenic organisms - ANS
✔✔prevent
What are obstacles for invading pathogens to successfully colonize the skin? - ANS ✔✔-antimicrobial
activity of sebum
-competing microorganisms
-the environment only supports growth of bacteria capable of utilizing fatty acids or amino acids as
sources of carbon
lactoperoxidase is antimicrobial because - ANS ✔✔it produces reactive species such as hypothiocyanate
to kill microbes
Dental carries are caused by a build up of - ANS ✔✔acid produced by fermenting bacteria growing within
a biofilm
as you move from the stomach to the colon the gastrointestinal tract becomes - ANS ✔✔anaerobic
Lactobacillus acidophilus inhibits growth of pathogens by - ANS ✔✔fermenting glycogen to acid that
lowers the pH of the environment
What are examples of innate resistance? - ANS ✔✔skin, resident microflora, acidic pH of the stomach
phagocyte - ANS ✔✔consumes, degrades, and presents peptides of proteins produced by pathogens on
MHC
QUESTIONS, ANSWERS & EXAM REVIEW
_________ and __________ are two key features of growth independent mechanisms of pathogen
identification - ANS ✔✔specificity and sensitivity
The antibody titer is - ANS ✔✔The lowest concentration of serum that can be added to give . positive
reaction
One advantage of growth independent pathogen identification methods compared to growth depended
methods is that growth independent method are..... - ANS ✔✔faster
The Test and disk diffusion assays are.... - ANS ✔✔methods that quantify the susceptibility of a bacterial
pathogen to an antibiotic
To quantify the amount of HIV, an RNA virus, in a patient sample using qPCR, a researcher must ad
_______ in addition to the other components typically present in a PCR - ANS ✔✔reverse transcriptase
several classes of antibiotics inhibit protein synthesis by disrupting protein translation through
interactions with ..... - ANS ✔✔ribosomes
NDM-1 - ANS ✔✔-stands for New Delhi Metallo beta-lactamase
-is typically found in the enterobacteriaceae family of bateria
What are mechanisms bacteria use to resist antibiotics? - ANS ✔✔efflux pumps
modify antibiotics
modify target
overexpress target
What are ways we can combat antibiotic resistance? - ANS ✔✔-Develop new targets and novel
antibiotics using computer modeling
What antibiotic acts as an ionophore? - ANS ✔✔daptomycin
What is true about pasteurization? - ANS ✔✔-kills most disease-causing pathogens
-involves short periods of heating
How do you determine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)? - ANS ✔✔first clear tube after turbidity
By what common mechanism to UV light and gamma rays kill microbes? - ANS ✔✔they damage DNA
What is the major difference between bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal antimicrobial agents? - ANS
✔✔Bacteriostatic chemicals inhibit growth, but bacteriocidal chemicals kill the microbes
Herd immunity - ANS ✔✔limits the spread of disease by reducing the number of susceptible hosts
, When should an epidemiologist become concerned by a potential epidemic? - ANS ✔✔When the
incidence of a disease is greater than its prevalence
Why were we able to eradicate small pox? - ANS ✔✔-the sole reservoir is humans
-infection rarely results in asymptomatic carries
-there is a relatively short period of infectivity
-we developed an effective vaccine
What method of infectious disease control will be the MOST effective in stopping the spread of a disease
transmitted by a mosquito? - ANS ✔✔vector control
The insect symbiont Wolbachia can be used to suppress disease transmission by mosquitoes because -
ANS ✔✔Wolbachia infection skews the mosquito population to become predominantly female
Symbionts such as Buchnera in aphids are transmitted _______ to ensure the safe transfer of the
symbiont to the next generation - ANS ✔✔vertically to offspring
Vibrio fischeri symbionts benefit the Hawaiian bobtail squid by: - ANS ✔✔mimicking the light of the
moon, which helps the squid avoid nocturnal predators
T or F: hindgut fermenters such as horses or rabbits utilize the microbes present on the plant to aid
digestion - ANS ✔✔False, it is for foregut fermenters
A normal, healthy gut microbiota helps to ________ colonization of pathogenic organisms - ANS
✔✔prevent
What are obstacles for invading pathogens to successfully colonize the skin? - ANS ✔✔-antimicrobial
activity of sebum
-competing microorganisms
-the environment only supports growth of bacteria capable of utilizing fatty acids or amino acids as
sources of carbon
lactoperoxidase is antimicrobial because - ANS ✔✔it produces reactive species such as hypothiocyanate
to kill microbes
Dental carries are caused by a build up of - ANS ✔✔acid produced by fermenting bacteria growing within
a biofilm
as you move from the stomach to the colon the gastrointestinal tract becomes - ANS ✔✔anaerobic
Lactobacillus acidophilus inhibits growth of pathogens by - ANS ✔✔fermenting glycogen to acid that
lowers the pH of the environment
What are examples of innate resistance? - ANS ✔✔skin, resident microflora, acidic pH of the stomach
phagocyte - ANS ✔✔consumes, degrades, and presents peptides of proteins produced by pathogens on
MHC
